The Daily Alaska empire., 1944-01-18
URGES NEED OF
 NURSES IN TALK
 TO HEALTH GROUP

A small but interested group listened to Miss Violet Hoar of the Territorial Department of Health and Education as she explained the need for nurses at the Health Coun- cil meeting Friday night, and the unprecedented opportunity this need presents to young women of Alaska between IT and 35 years of age, through the United States Cadet Nurse Corps. The shortage of nurs- es has created an emergency and given the girl of the family, ac- cording to Miss Hoar, an opportun- ity to enlist in war work which is as important as her brothers en- listment or as becoming a WAC or a WAVE. Also, it will leave her with an honorable profession that carries many advantages, when .he war is ended.
 Miss Hoar compared the 1900 schools of nursing in the country to the defense plants and the grad uate nurses from these schools to the products of such plants. Just as the defense plants needed scrap iron so the schools of nursing need the girls who have finished high school or better in order to fill war time needs, she stated. Patients ad- mitted to the 65,oO0 registered hos pitals of the country increased from l0,187,548 in 1940 to 12,545,000 in l942 and the birthrate has shown a steady increase. The emergency thus created shows that l15,000 new nurses must be enrolled in 1944, if possible, with the compromise fi- gure placed at 65,000
 Girl Enrollees
 For the girl who wishes to enroll, the United States Government pro- vides complete tuition. board and room, and school and official Cadet uniforms, the latter for outdoor wear. dents receive $l5.O0 from the start, as pre- Cadets and finish up with not less han S3000 monthly as Senior Ca- lets. In return for this training, of the Corps agree to en- sage in esential nursing, either mil tary or civilian, for the duration ,f the war. Any young woman in- crested may obtain all necessary at the Health Center where the complete list of nursing chools may be seen and other in- ormation of importance may be ob- aimed.
 Miss Hoar's interesting presenta- ion of the need for student nurses vas preceded by the narrative re- port of Miss Helen Johnson, Public Health nurse Mrs. Emma Frey who eft the Territorial office December '1 to go south on leave was praised tor the fine work done during her stay in Juneau, including the nurs- Ing service in Douglas and the re- search in connection with tubercu- osis. Report was made of the suc- cess of the three Fathers Glasses 1eld recently, the series of Mothers ,lasses which will open January 3l, mmunizations in progress, and other meetings of interest to the public. Mrs. Geo. B. Schmidt and Mrs. J. o. Rude had given 20 hours )f service at the Health Center. it was stated.
 Shortage of Nurses
 A great shortage of Public Health nurses exists. Miss Johnson said. Whereas one such nurse was for nerly provided for a population of l 500 to 2,000, the war time short age means that one nurse serves , 1000 in many cases. Juneau will for the present have one Public Health nurse ft the Channel area instead of two and Miss Johnson listed the which must necessarily be Eight pertinent questions in that connection were mentioned as having had considerations and three suggestions for one-nurse service were made as follows: Close cooperation with school nurse and Office of Indian Affairs, clearance with Department of Public Welfare and utilization of volunteer help, especially secretarial help. Juneau will continue to be the demonstra- ton center for orientation of Public Health nurses who are being sent elsewhere ill the Territory and it is hoped that each one can be kept here from on to two months, Miss Johnson concluded.
 The matter of a better meeting night than the second Monday of the month was briefly discussed at the business meeting, presided over by Capt. T. J. Dyck, and the sug- gestion was made that the Health Council meet later in the month in order to avoid meeting dates of other organizations. No decision was reached at this time.
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