The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-09-01
ny FRANCIS W. HURLEY

worked IN the state hospitals at Salem
and randieton or. ard the Washington
state prlsaa At wanN wAiisl
BY FRANCIS W. HURLEY
Much OF the III treatment OF pa.
fients confined IA Washingtons
state hospitals for the insane can be
laid 20 long hours. low wages and
poor accommodations fer the en-
picyes.
As result cf these conditions the
Attendants are continually coming
and going on the Job. They remain
q short time, then leave TO seek EN-
pioyment In other states where con
ditions arc much better.
And the patients In washington In.
stitutlons suffer at tho hands Of
green. irresponsible employees
POOR IMITATION
or REAL THING
Remember. that the average state
hospital attendant. as far a. Wash
inxton Il concerned. Is Just n low.
sniaried substitute for tho trained
graduate nurse. or In other words.
. popr imitation Of the real thing.
However. the people Of the state
are getting Just what they are pay.
ing for. as far as state hospitals are
concerned. and nothing moro. II Is
an imposssbiiity TO persuade trained
graduate nurses 10 seek employment,
In our state Institutions under pres
ent conditions
Attendants employed In the wards
Of the state hospital az Medical Lake
and at steilaccom are required TO be
ON duty ie hours a day. After that
they retro TO their little cubby-hole
rooms. located In tho wards. from
which they are subject to call In
cases OF emergency during the night
PLACE ANYTHING
BIT PLEASANT
Here they are lulicd 10 sleep by the
continuous mufmurs. groanH and
cries OF the insane. accompanied By
the rawlings. SHOUTS and screams Of
the violent manfscs.
When one stops 20 consider that
many OF these patients are suffering
from the most ioathsomc diseases.
that they must Be bathed and shaved
ard otherwise looked after BY the
attendants. l. u any wonder that the
trained graduate nurse Is eonspicn'
Gus by her absence from the wards
Of Washington state hospitals,
In Illinois and Minnesota an shour
day and . s.hour week have been es-
tAblished for all employees In state
Institutions. Separate housing sacii-
ities away from tho main buildings
have been provided Nurses train
ing schools have been established.
In Washington state hospitals.
nurses' training schools are not
maintained because ths employees
- . rule DO not rsu,ain en- the Job
long enough
The present conditions IN wash.
ington state hospitals have been re.
p<atediy brought to the attention Of
Gov. Hart during the past two
years. by the Washington State
Federation Of Labor and the w. c.
T. o.. a. well a. by many public
spirited individuals.
The governor wns requested. In
the absence Of any Law on the sub
ject. TO Issue an. executfve order Is.
tabiishing an shour day and .
weekly day OF rest for state hospital
employees.
The governor was aiso advised
that the shorter work day and week
for employees would have = tendency
10 increase the standard OF efficiency
IN these public institutions. by at
tracing q more competent class of
help. and by inducing employees TO
remain on the job longer.
II would make them more Interested
In their work. with greatly improved
treatment assured to the unfortun.
ates who might BE- committed to their
care. Gov Hart promised 20 give
the matter prompt consideration and
thoro investigation. and. IL neces-
sary. to issue the order requested.
This he failed TO DO. Later he
promised to take the matter up with
the legislature. This also he failed
to do. Communications which we're
later addressed TO him on this sub
5ect were not answered.
A measure was introduced In the
last legislature granting an s.hour
day and weekly day OF rest for en-
pIoyes OF the state hospitals for the
insane. This bin had the strong sup
port and endorsement OF labor or
CARNATIONS and womens' clubs OF
washington. The bin was later
"chloroformed" In one Of the house
committees.
AUTOMOBILE BOUGHT
INSTEAD
In the interest OF economy the
legislature appropriated 10000 to
buy the governor an automobile, In.
stead
The I2.hour day II n relic OF the
past. And the Good Book says six
days shalt thou labor" Evidently
this was not Intended for the benefit
of nurses and attendants employed
In wards OF the Washington state
hospitals. We must go 10 our fed.
eral hospitals, or asyiums located in
other states, for that.
II asylum attendants don't like
conditions they quit. But the
patients cannot quit.
KlIc NAN End