New Britain herald., 1928-01-28
MOVE ID PROTECT
 HEALTH OF NURSES
Physical Instructor Nay Be h.
 stalled at Hospital

Plans are under consideration at ithe training school of the New Brit ain General hospital for engaging a physical and health instructor. The duties of the official would be to give the student nurses proper in- struction in physical activities with the object of improving and main- taining high physical standard among nurses.
 That the health of nurses is a mat tier which is given serious consider ation at the hospital, is shown in the following statement by Miss Maude E. Traver. directress of nurses: "We have all been brought up to accept certificate of any kind as positive proof of given facts-even a health certificate. Yet at times haven't we all felt that the health |ccrtif1cate presented by the incoming student nurse, signed by her family physician, is not an absolute guaran- tee of her true physical condition?
 This fact had been apparent to us for some time: we had long felt that a thorough physical examina- tion. by one of our own staff mem- bers was the only safe measure. but 1t was not until the fall of 1928 that this became an assured fact.
 We had admitted a student in 1922 whose health from her own physician, showed her to be in good physical condition. twas quite evi- dent, however. within Q very few months of her entrance. that her health was failing and it became me- cessary to grant her an indefinite leave of absence because of chronic heart disease. Subsequent investiga- ton brought an admission from the mother that her daughter had had heart trouble since childhood.
 "The following spring, to our dis may, we discovered another student In similar condition. In both cases {, the students had presented certifi- cates from family doctors who very generously aided their young friends in entering the training school. by withholding knowledge. which if known. would have barred their en- trance, each hopeful that the student , would outgrow her weakness.
 We did all we could to enable the students to continue their course. Each was granted a long leave of absence, after hospital treatment, and both had their tonsils removed. This involved loss of time, but both students were finally reinstated, hav- ing since graduated from the school. Candidates Must Pass Test ,"These cases caused us consider |. able worry and thought and they were responsible for our determina- tion, that in the future. the family physicians examination would be
 required in form only. That each accepted candidate would receive upon entrance. a physical axamina- ton by one of our own hospital
 staff.
 "In February of 1924 this was
 started. The family physicians
 record was checked. microscopic
 records were made, those not vac- cinated for smallpox within five ,, years. were vaccinated, shick tests were made, typhoid vaccines were given, and X-Rays of suspicious chests and vertebrae were taken. Of this group one applicant was re- jected.
 With the admission of the fall class of the same year. was added. 1 the examination of blood and blood pressure to the entrance physicals. Tn June Of 1925 three students developed arthritis of several weeks 1 duration. This resulted in extract
 ing all the teeth of one, some of
 another. and some teeth and ton
 sils of the third, so in the fall Of
 1925 the X-Ray of teeth was added 1 to our program.
 :; During the year of 1928 there
 were 136 days lost for illness. In
 l9ol 15S days lost, in 1925 116
 days lost. Tn 8 subsequent period
 only s5 days were lost on account of
 sickness over . period of seven