Evening star., 1943-06-15
Speedup Is Planned
In Recruiting Nurses
For Armed Forces
Red Cross Committee
Coils for List Of Those
Eligible for Service

Suggesting the slogan, THE
Wounded Can't Wait" the Red
Cross Nurse Recruitment Commit
tee of the District of Columbia to-
day sounded a call for more grad
uate nurses to serve in the Army
and Navy.
Facing the fact that so far this
city has failed to supply its quota
of 38 nurses month to the armed
forces, the committee at a recent
meeting laid plans to speed re-
cruiting. The nursing service of
the Red Cross long ago was desig-
mated the official source of recruit
ment.
The committee, consisting of
nurses from various services and
other members, authorized Miss Lii
liam M. Bischoff, assistant director
of public health nursing of the
District Health Department, to pre-
pare a list of nurses residing in the
District who are eligible for mill
tary service.
Secondary List Authorized.
A secondary list was authorized
to contain names Of nurses who were
married, with children, or beyond
the recruiting age, who might be
available to fill the places of nurses
responding to the call for service.
The committee, it was emphasized
has no intention to recruit nurses
filling essential positions, with the
result that hospital staffs might
be crippled. 1t was urged that
nurses volunteering for military
service notify their employers in
full time to arrange to replace them
1t was suggested that hospitals fur
nish a list of essential positions
which must be kept filled by giving
these positions a deferred status, OF
priority in replacement.
The Bolton bill, now awaiting
presidential approval, which is de-
signed to encourage the recruitment
of student nurses for training was
indorsed by the committee as an
early step in the right direction to
get more volunteers for the nursing
profession.
Miss Ashby Taylor, director OF
nursing at Children's Hospital, was
asked to have her organization con-
slider the possibility of giving an
extra yearly examination to nurses
making three a year instead of two
and thus speeding the immediate
availability of new nurses.
Members of the committee ex-
pressed optimism and a determina-
ton to bring the District up to its
quota
Persons interested were asked to
pass the word around and request
any volunteers to communicate with
the local Red Gross chapter" The
address is 1870 E street NV. and
the telephone number is Republic
5000. 1t is suggested inquiries be
directed to Mrs Isabel w. Baker
nurse recruitment secretary.
Award of nursing scholarship of
500 by the Azoan Sorority to Miss
Margaret Gaydon, a junior student
nurse at Sibley Memorial Hospital
was announced at the committee
meeting.
Sister M. Olivia Gowan, dean of
the school of nursing education at
Catholic University and chairman
of the committee, presided, assisted
by Mrs. Robert Clement Watson, CO.
chairman, and Miss Lucy Masten
secretary. Others in attendance in
cluded Miss Gertrude H. Bowling
director Of the Instructive Visiting
Nurse Society; Miss Bischoff; Miss
Mary L. Hawthorne, health nurse
at national headquarters. American
Red Gross; Miss Dorothea Orem
Miss Taylor, Mrs. Smith Hempstone
Mrs. A. Chambers Oliphant and DR.
Walter A. Bloedorn.