Evening star., 1934-04-26
CHANGE IN NURSE
TRAINING IS SEEN
Wisconsin Bureau Director
Predicts End nf Domina-
tion by Physicians.

An end Of the domination Of nurs-
ing education by the medical profes-
sion was forecast today by Miss AIDA
Eldridge, director of the State Bureau
of Nursing Education of Wisconsin
who was one of the two speakers be-
fore the National Biennial Nursing
Convention at the Washington Audi
torium this forenoon.
Miss Eldridge discussed ''Legisla-
tion and the Future of Nursing" ano
followed Senator Royal S. Copeland of
New York on the program. Senator
Copeland talked on Health Aspects
Of Social Legislation"
Reviews State Laws.
The Wisconsin nursing official re-
viewed present State laws governing
nursing and nursing education and
recommended the appointment of a
committee of nurses from the Amer
ican Nurses Association, the National
League of Nursing Education and the
National Organization for Public
Health Nursing to study existing laws
and launch a drive for uniform re-
Quirements throughout the country.
She criticized present laws in some
instances as being too lax and vague
and permitting too low standards.
State Legislatures she held responsible
for the poor standards now required
in some schools.
Turning to the influence of hos
pitfalls and the medical profession,
Miss Eldridge said:
For so many years the hospitals
have considered it their right to run
school Of nursing and for so many
years the medical profession has
deemed that education of the nurse
was their problem, that all nursing
education is going to be more or less
affected by the point of view of the
medical profession.
If that point of view today Is con-
centrated on the fact that it is losing
ground in the minds of the public be-
cause as they feel they have let pub
lie health get out of their hands and
endeavor to kill public health work as
such, I am afraid that the legislation
OF the future as to reckon with the
control which the medical profession
AcclS IL has over nursing.
Senator Copeland advocated the
employment in every school room in
America" of a graduate nurse trained
In public health work, in sociology
and in teaching. He declared the
services of such nurses would materi-
ally reduce juvenile delinquency and
as a result would cut the cost of
crime ot leo ct in boIf
Maternal Care Studied.
Immediately after the joint session
at the Auditorium, the National Or
ganization for Public Health Nursing
held a general session at the United
States Chamber of Commerce de-
voted to the study of maternal care.
Miss Hazel Corbin, general director
of the Maternity Center Association
of New York, presided, and the prin-
cipal addresses were made by DR..
George w. Kosmak of New York,
editor of the American Journal of
Obstetrics and Gynecology, and DR..
Frances c. Rothert of the Children's
Bureau of the Labor Department.
After the addresses a general dis
cussion was held under direction of
Miss Grace Abbott, chief of the Chill
dren's Bureau.
DR.. Kosmak cited statistics to show
that maternal deaths in the United
States are for the most part pre-
ventable, that the death rate Of to
6 per 1000 is far too great, and that
the responsibility largely lies in a
lack OF proper education on the part
of the public. This lack he blamed
upon all parties concerned, including
doctors. nurses, midwives, hospitals
and the patients themselves.
Hits Birth Control.
He also condemned birth control
propaganda as injurious, asserted that
childbirth has not had fair deal"
THE Anglo-SaXon birth rate, as
that of certain other nations, is de-
clining rapidly and competent au-
thorities have demonstrated that
birth and death rates are approach
ing each other to such degree that
our population will soon be station
ary," DR.. Kosmak said.
He stressed the need for better
training of nurses in obstetrics, for
better instructors and for better CO.
operation in educating the public.
County medical societies, nursing
groups, WomenS clubs and other Or
ganizations," he declared, should be
united in developing a program of
education in adequate maternity care
and then take steps to secure and
provide it,"
AT tho Sape time q cecopd oro,,r,
from the N. o. P. H. N. met in the
Red Cross Building and under leader
ship of Miss Mabelle S. Welsh, asso-
ciate director of the East Harlem
Nursing and Health Society, New
York, discussed How Can Public
Health Nursing Services in Commu-
nifty be Combined?"
Would Curb Duplication.
Miss Alma c. Haupt, associate di-
rector of the national organization,
reviewed methods used by % such
agencies, and urged the establishment
of clearing houses" to reduce costs,
save time and eliminate duplication OF
effort.
Although there are more than two
OOZen separate meetings on To-Day
program of the three organizations
the high point will come at 4:3C
o'clock this afternoon, when all OF
them will join in the dedication OF
the memorial to Miss Jane A. Delanc
and the 296 nurses who died in line
of duty In the World War from 1914
to 1918.
The monument, the work of DR.. R
TAFT Mckenzie, sculptor, has been
erected in the Red Cross garden
between the two buildings of the
National Red Cross. Coming here fol
the ceremonies is a special delegation