Evening star., 1946-11-24
Georgetown Hospital
Faces Nurse Shortage
Al Opening in Al

1. Inc prospective opening OF the
new Georgetown University Hos
pital next Spring poses nursing
problem that seems to defy any
satisfactory solution" In view Of the
acute shortage in the District, uni
versity officials said yesterday.
This shortage, they said, has re-
duced the general nursing staff at.
Georgetown about SO per cent below
normal. In addition, it was said the
number Of supplemental student
nurses admitted to training this fall
was diScouragingly low.
Commenting on the shortage. the
Very Rev. Lawrence G. German, S. j.,
president, expressed grave concern"
over the effect it may have on abil-
| ity to provide anywhere near an
adequate nursing staff for the new
hospital when it opens.
Problem Outlined.
"Our immediate problem" he ex-
planned, lis one of building up staff
now greatly reduced to meet the
minimum requirements of 400-bed
hospital, approximately doubling our
present patient capacity. Yet we
are facing the same kind of prob
lem in connection with the univers-
ity teaching staff"
Conditions facing Georgetown
Hospital, President German said,
are common to all hospitals in the
metropolitan area now building or
contemplating extensions. Among
these are the new George Washing
ton University Hospital and the
projected Children's Hospital addi-
ton.
The shortage at Georgetown was
described by Miss Anne M. Murphy,
director of its school of nursing, as
definitely worse than during the
war;" Then hospitals could count
on many volunteer workers and
constant stream of United States
Cadet Nurses.
Needs Disclosed.
Immediate and future needs of the
hospital were disclosed by Miss MUIR
ply and her assistant directors, Sis
ter Mary Benno and Miss Stella c.
Warf1eld. They were concerned
mostly with the bleak outlook of
any easing of the shortage In COM
ing months and the dwindlinr
classes in training schools gener-
ally.
Georgetown Hospital is operating
at fun-bed capacity with a regular
staff reduced to SIS nurses and a.
student enrolment of 145, numbers
described as "fluctuating." The reg
ular staff includes 20 head nurses
and supervisors, mostly sisters, who
frequently help in the routine work I
OF the student nurses, the hos
pital can rely upon the work serv-
ices of 122 at the present time, the
other % being In attendance at
other hospitals.
ITO meet minimum needs of the
new hospital will require a regular
staff double the present number and
at least $50 student nurses" Miss
Murphy estimated. Where to get
them, we don't know"
Student Shortage Cited.
The apparent reluctance of young
women 10 enter the nursing profess
sion, emphasized since the war. she
said, is reflected In school registra-
tions this fall Only Is student
nurses enrolled in the Georgetown
school in September, compared with
IS admitted in September, 1945 OF
that number a year ago, IA were
Cadet Nurses and seven were Sisters
The Government sponsored cadet
nursing program has been termn-
ated SO far as new admissions are
concerned. A large number Of the
"a Cadet Nurses at Georgetown will
complete their training soon.
Many Of the student nurses at
Georgetown, it was pointed out, are
from Eastern and Southern States
Most Of them return to work in their
home towns and the hospital is able
to retain only a few.