Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-01
mo. 8 OF q Series
By PAT JONES.

Agitation for nurses training
schools to fit their curricula better
to wartime conditions as a relief to
the nursing service shortage may
eliminate this week in the most
drastic program of action along this
line since the emergency of the first
World War.
No matter how much the nursing
course is shortened, medical inter-
ests realize no immediate benefit can
result. 1t is anticipated that among
the changes will be a reduction of
the period of training from So to 30
months and relaxation of rules to
give students with college back
ground credit for the preparation
they already have received. The
earliest, however, that recruits
brought in by these measures can
complete their training and be re-
leased for service will be from "a to
% months.
But the program looks to the
future as well as to the immediate
emergency. The Veterans Admin
istration soon will need double its
staff of nurses to take care of
wounded sent back from the war.
And as another need in a postwar
world, public health nurses must be
increased to meet the demands of a
changing population and of reha-
bilitated families of returning SOL
diers.
Schools Face Three Problems.
AS they prepare to cooperate in a
stepped-up program, the nursing
schools are faced with three prob-
lens:
l. Scarcity of students.
2. Scarcity of instructive person.
mel.
3. Scarcity of housing facilities.
These three scarcities have COM
bined to make an expanded train
ing program difficult, no matter how
much the study course is shortened
and rules are relaxed. Last fall the
Medical Society urged study of g
proposal for reopening discontinued
nursing schools and expansion Of
those already in existence.
An Office of Civilian Defense
committee, considering a plan te
reopen the nurses schools of five
hospitals as training centers fol-
practical nurses" abandoned the
idea as impractical in view of the
shortage of help in all fields and the
wage differential between private
duty and Government nursing help
All to Increase Enrolment.
The committee appointed by Com
missioner Guy Mason to study the
hospital situation reported that all
of the present schools could ano
would materially increase their en-
rollment of student nurses provided
scholarship funds. adequate hous-
ing facilities and adequate trans
portation facilities were made avail
able.
AS late as September % Surgeon
General Thomas Parron, speaking
over the National Radio Forum
sponsored by The Star, warned that
only by the intensive training OF
thousands of young women every
year will we be able to carry out
the long-range nursing program
which the country needs" He added
that Federal Security Administra-
tor Paul v. McNutt in June had rec
commended to Congress that nursing
schools be given financial help and
that Congress, in return, had appro-
priated $1,250,000 to train nurses fol
national defense.
But there the matter hangs. Hos
pital superintendent invited to tax,
part in the Medical Society's pro
gram last week explained that the!
were unable to get students. ON
of them reported that his hospita
had opened new class the weel
before-with only 81 students, in
stead Of the so to 60 desired.
Classroom Delay Assailed.
From the floor of the meetin,
came an exchange of opinion ant
criticism. DR.. Thomas E. Neal at
tackled the practice of devoting tn
first six months of nursing training
to classroom work. Citing tn,
present emergency, he termed sucl
practice a crime" and followet
this up with a charge that sucl
training isn't worth a Nickel" tina
students should be brought in It,
learn by the patients bedside, no
in the classroom"
Another speaker, Dr.. Watson w
Eldridge, chief Of medical and sur
gical service at st. Elizabeth's Hos
pital. laid the blame for the shortag,
Of nursing students on the Medica
| Practice Act under which tn