Evening star., 1943-03-13
Bill Being Drawn
To Form, Student
PIon Would Provide
Pay for Troinees,
Officer c Commissions.


time demand for more nurses, the
administration is planning to estab-
lish Victory Student Nurse
Corps" to compete with the
WAVES. WAACs and sPARs, for
capable young women needed in tho
service Of their country.
Legislation now is being written
with the approval of high admins
tration authorities for submission
soon to Congress. 1t was learned.
The student nurses would be paid
while training, somewhat like the
WAVES or WAACS, and would be
provided with a distinctive insignia.
They might be given a special de.
scriptive name, not yet determined.
The plan was disclosed last night
at a meeting of the new District
Nursing Council for War Service at
the YWCA.
Competition Hinders Recruiting.
Introducing the subject, Mrs. Jo-
sephine Pitman Prescott, council
chairman. said:
"One Of our difficulties in recruit.
Ing nurses during this war has been
, the competition with other war serv-
ice grMps-the WAVES, WAACS
and Others"
The plan, she explained, would be
administered by the Public Health
| Service as an expansion Of its pres.
ent nursing education program. The
plan would include maintenance
and stipends for students, and uti-
lization IN military and other Gov.
eminent hospitals of the services Of
some Of the senior students.
The proposal also provides for
reducing the basic training period
from 36 to 80 or "a months, depend.
ing on the students academic pre-.
paration. On graduation they would
either enter the armed forces with
relative rank and the pay Of second
lieutenant or ensign, or would be
assigned to Government or civilian
nursing services essential to the war
enort. In the final stages of train
ing they would be known as Cadets
1ndorsed by McNutt.
Miss Pearl McIver, PRINCIPAL ron.
suitant nurse Of the Public Health
Service, told the group the plan had
the Endorsement of the Health and
Medical Committee Of the once
OF Defense, Health and Welfare
Services, and of Federal Security
Administrator McNutt.
The Nursing Council for War
Services formerly known as the
Council on Community Nursing.
mrs. Prescott explained, "hopes It
will be cooperative in community
undertakings important to the war
EFFORT, but. 1t must also coordinate
its activities to avoid waste and to
further a highly constructive serv.
Ice both to the military and civilian
population"
In Washington" she said, I'VE
hear almost daily from hospital
superintendents, physicians and "a.
tients OF the distressing situation
IN our hospitals and homes be-
cause OF the lack of qualified
nurses"
The Red Cross in its recruiting
program Of nurses for the armed
forces does not intend to "cut beloW
the safety margin for the totsl
population here" according to Miss
Gertrude H. Bowling, chairman OF
the councils committee on supply
and distribution Of nurses.
Group Nursing Considered.
A proposal for group nursing,
she said, had been considered by
her committee as on an "experi-
mental basis" which she hoped
might be worked out as one way Of
spreading nurse power" But she
warned that administrative dim
culties faced its practical applica-
ton at the present time. She pro-
posed a QUESTIONABLE be sent to
nurses and institutions on the
matter.
Taking up the report Of a com.
m1ttee appointed by District Com.
missioner Mason and headed by DR.
George c. Rutland, health oficer
concerning shortage Of nurses, Miss
Bowling said the matter Of low sala-
rles for nurses had been improved
somewhat. The average salary OF
general-duty nurses in hospitals
here. she said, had risen from about
$75 month to about 500 a month,
with two meals and laundry, two
weeks vacation and two weeks sick
leave. Some hospitals, she said were
paying $l25 month and one $3.50,
with $40 at the end Of the second
year.
Registry Reduced.
The private-duty registry Of
nurses, which year ago listed 1 100
nurses. now has only about 800 and
is unable to meet all calls, she said.
Shortage Of general-duty nurses In
hospitals, she said, had drawn from
rs, to 40 private nurses to the hos.
pltals to fill such vacancies there.
About SO nurses were on part-time
JOBS, and there are about 435 young
married nurses with young children
who have difficulties serving AZ
nurses because of the shortage of
domestic help to take care Of their
children at home. Government
agencies are using between 500 and
400 nurses, she said.
Other reports on the nursing stu.
alton here were presented by Miss
Edith M. Beattie, council secretary.
who Is executive secretary OF tho
Graduate Nurses Association, and
also nurse deputy to the Chief Of
Medical Services Of the Once Of
Civilian Defense; Mrs. Elizabeth D.
Coleman, registrar Of nurses, who Is
chairman Of the councils COMMITTEES
on recruitment Of student nurses:
Miss M. Cardelia Cowan, executive
secretary Of the Nurses Examining
Board, and Miss Ashby Taylor,
superintendent of nurses at Chill
dren's Hospital. for the councils
committee on educational policies.