The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-10-02
THE PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE
IN THE SCHOOL
From State Dept Of Health.

in THE SCHOOL
From State Dept Of Health.
Recent scientific studies have
shown that the sturdy, healthy child
makes the best. all-round student.
1t is therefore, good economy for
Boards of Education, as we'll as in
dividuals, to take all possible meas
ures to safeguard the health of school
children.N Prominent among these
safeguards is the work Of the nurses
in the schools, Miss G. Ethel
Monroe, Advisory Nurse for the
State Department of Health, saidJ
"the school work, like all other
public activities in the counties, is
directed by the Deputy State Health
officer. Under his direction, the
nurse visits each school in her dis
trict, and makes preliminary in
spectfon of the children to be ,ex-
amined, preparatory to the examina-
tion to be given by the doctor. In
this inspection, each child is weighed
and measured, and his hearing and
vision are tested. The nurse looks
for the scar of a successful vacci-
nation against smallpox, and inspects
the child's scalp for vermin. A
card, which serves as a permanent
health record, is made out for each
child, giving name.. age, home adj
dress, name of parent or guardian,
and the results of the test.
When the health officer, or the
doctor who is acting for him, visits
the school to make the physical ex-
animation of the children, the nurse )
T is present to assist. If conferences
are arranged between the health of
ficer and the parents of the children
who are found to have physical de-
fects, the nurse is present at these
conferences. Her most important
duty however, is found in the follow
up visits to, the homes of these child
rem, where she urges the parents to-
take the necessary steps for the cor
rection of the defects found. If an
operation is recommended by the
family physician Ito whom the
health officer invariably refers the
child needing, care,) the nurse helps
to make the necessary arrangements
| for the child's disqualification. 1t }
will be interesting to snote that a
very large part of the work done by
the nurses during the past summer,
has been among the children, the
nurses trying to get them in good
physical condition to start the school
lyear.
The nurses duties in the school
do not end with this. OF equal i'm
portance is the work she is called
upon to dosin assisting in the control
of communicable diseases. When
an outbreak threatens, with the ap-
prevail of the school authorities, and
under the direction of the Deputy
State Health officer, she visits the
school each day, and inspects the
children, sending home those who
present suspicious symptoms, recon-
mending that the parents place
these children under the supervision
lof their family physicians. She fol-
lows this up by visits to the homesS
to explain the reasons for the action
taken, and to. enlist the cooperation
of the.members of the various house
holds in carrying out the precautions
against the spread of the diseases
recommended by the State Depart
ment of Health
In addition, the nurse often gives
assistance to the teachers in their
classroom work on health, providing
them with suitable literature, and
other material. Very often too, her
work includes courses in home n.y.
giene and care of the sick-these
courses usually being given to the
high school girls.
Owing to the distances that
many of the nurses are required to
cover, it is not possible for them to
carry on all these activities in de-
tail, in addition to their other work.
me above however, is the general
plan recommended. and our hope is
for a sufficiently large staff of
nurses. Ito be supported locality toy J
make possible a well developed SER
vice in all counties. M
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