The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-08-07
ALL M THE DAYS WORK
From State Dept. of Health.

From State Dept. of Health.
what are the duties of public
health nurse?" Miss c. Ethel Mon
roe, Advisory Nurse of the State
Department of Health, was asked
recently. Her reply showed the
many ways in which the county
nurses help to prevent disease and to
promote the health of the people of
Maryland. Here is her summing
up:
Because of her training and ex-
perience, the public health nurse
can do many things that are of
benefit to either the individual or
to the community, that no other
individual is in a position to do.
"She can aid materially in the
reduction of communicable diseases,
such as tuberculosis, typhoid fever
scarlet fever, diphtheria, measles
and other infections diseases. She
goes into the homes in which such
diseases have developed and under
/
fcer, or at the request of the family
doctor, she instructs some respon-
sible member of the family in the
proper methods of. caring for the
patient so as to promote satisfac-
tory recovery, and to prevent, as far
as possible, disabling after-effects.
She knows, too, the measures that
must be taken to prevent the spread
of the disease to others.
CLOSELY allied to work of this
sort in the homes, is the promotion
of health activities in the schools.
Physical defects that are not notice
able to the casual observer, are
often discovered by the health Of
ficer or other authorized physician
in the medical inspection OF the
children in the schools. Correction
of these defects frequently removes
what might be serious handicap,
and puts the child on high road
toward better health in adult life.
The nurse usually assists in these
examinations and by consultation
with the parents and teachers she
can often be of great assistance in
having the defects corrected. The
nurse also assists the health Of
ficer-always with the consent OF
the parents-in giving vaccines or
serums to school children to protect
them against such diseases as small
pox, diphtheria and typhoid fever.
INSTRUCTION in personal and com
immunity hygiene, either in the class
room or by furnishing the teachers
with material that can be used by
them, is another important feature
of the nurses work in the schools.
Children up to seven years are
the special interest of the State
Bureau of Child Hygiene. The pub
lie health nurse assists in the work
of the Bureau by arranging con-
ferences for mothers, on keeping
the well baby well, on the care OF
the preschool child, and on the care
of expectant mothers; by visiting in
the homes where there are newborn
babies; by instructing midwives, and
in many other ways.
"The educational activities of the
public health nurse are vital and
varied. The nurse conducts classes
in the home care of the sick; and in
nutrition; she organizes community
health clubs and gives talks to
Parent-Teachers Associations, Rotary
Clubs, and to other interested
groups. She arranges health ex-
hibits for county affairs and she is
likely to- be called on for help in
| getting, up health plays for special
occasions. These and many more
activities are all part of the days
work of the public nurse"
There are now forty-two nurses
engaged in public health work in
the counties Of Maryland.