Evening star., 1946-11-26
Hospital Group
Told Of Urgent
Nursing Needs
Schools Seek Al 900
More Students to
Help Meet Shortage

There is urgent need for enroll
inent of Al 600 students in the nurs-
ing schools Of the country during
the coming year, Beatrice E. Ritter,
director of nursing at Gallinger
Hospital, today, told the Mary
land District of Columbia Hospital
Association. A two-day meeting at
the Hotel Statler will end this aft
ernoon.
Miss Ritter said there are approx
imately $4,000 graduate nurses in
the country with an estimated need
of 359, 800 nurses. She pointed out
that last year only go per cent of the
$1,000 student nurses called for were
obtained.
DR.. Robin G. Buerki, dean of the
graduate school of medicine of the
University of Pennsylvania, said the
nurse shortage has been accentuated
by the reduction in the plumber of
schools of nursing.
i DR.. Buerki noted that one of the
reasons it is difficult to obtain nurses
lies in the >hours-Irom to II pm.
or from II pm. to a.m.-they are
often asked to work.
More Public Support Urged.
A call for a broader basis of pub
lie support for nursing schools was
made by Lucille Petry, chief Of the
division of nursing, United States
Public Health Service. Miss Petry
pointed out that nursing schools are
supported mainly by tuition fees.
She noted that nursing students pay
81 per cent of the cost of running
the schools whereas college students
at public institutions pay approxi-
mately 16 per cent and students at
private schools pay approximately
40 per cent.
James G. Caposella, superintend-
ent of Emergency Hospital, was
chosen president-ele of the associ-
alton at its luncheon meeting yes
terday. Sister Marie, administrator
of Providence Hospital, was chosen
second vice president.
New president of the organiza-
tion for the coming year is DR.. Ed
win L. Crosby, Johns Hopkins Hos
pital, Baltimore. DR.. Crosby was
inducted at the banquet last night.
Mr.. Capossella will assume the
presidency at the meeting next
year, probably in November.
Other officers elected were Miss
Jane Nash, the Church Home and
Hospital of Baltimore, first vice
president; Sister Vincent Marie OF
Allegheny Hospital, Cumberland,
Md, third vice president; r. r.
Griffith of West Baltimore General
Hospital, secretary, and w. A. Daw-
son of South Baltimore General
Hospital, treasurer.
Stout Named to Board.
DR.. Merrell l.. Stout, retiring pres
ident of the association and director
of the Hospital for the Women of
Maryland in Baltimore, was elected
toa three-year term as member OF
the organizations board of trustees.
Brady J. Dayton of the Peninsula
General Hospital at Salisbury, Md,
was chosen to the boards other
vacancy.
Two District men, L. G. Schneider
and Karl York, we're selected as
delegate and alternate, respectively,
to the House of Delegates of the
American Hospital Association. Bal
tin1ore representatives chosen for
these posts were j. Douglas Colman,
delegate, and Stewart Crawford.
alternate.
Mr.. Caposella, native OF New
York, came to Washington in 1888
as assistant superintendent of Emer-
gency Hospital. He became super
intendent in 1943. He is married
and lives at 8435 Woodcliff Court,
Silver Spring, Md. Mr.. SCHNEIDER,
superintendent of George Washing
ton University Hospital, lives at 3721
Livingstone street NV. Mr.. York,
a resident of Arlington, Va, is ad-
ministrator of the Arlington Hos