Evening star., 1947-03-13
Revision Slated
Today in Plan 10
License Nurses
Associations Boord
Hopes to Meet
Moson's Objections
By Thomos 6. Buchonon

The Graduate Nurses Association,
sponsor of proposal to license both
practical and graduate nurses here,
today will seek to make the meas
ure acceptable to District Commits
sioner Guy Mason.
Mr.. Mason has announced the |
Commissioners cannot support the |
proposal in its present form.
The Executive Board of the nurses
association was scheduled to meet
at pm. to consider a more restric-
tive definition of the term practical
nurse"
This move, recommended yester-
day by the associations Legislative
Committee, was designed to meet
Commissioner Mason's criticism that
the proposed bill would give auxili-
ary hospital workers and nurses for
invalids, infants and elderly per-
sons the alternative of obtaining a !
practical nursing license or giving UP
the nursing profession.
Would Provide Exemptions.
The revised draft would specif1-
cally exempt nurses aides, ward
helpers, orderlies and mothers help
ers from the license requirement.
Also excluded would be domestic
servants who help care for the sick
as a secondary duty.
Spokesman for the nurses group
emphasized their desire to Coop
crate with Commissioner Mason to
get the Commissioners support for |
the measure in Congress.
In an interview yesterday, the
Commissioner listed his chief OBJ
jections to the present draft of the
bill and indicated alternative pro-
poSals.
He spoke first of the "all-inclu-
sive" character of the section deal
ing with licensure of practical
nurses - an objection the nurses
association hopes to eliminate by
the clarifying paragraph which the
Legislative Committee proposed
yesterday.
Other Objections.
Other points in need of correc-
ton, Commissioner Mason stated,
are:
/. The bill would set an age
minimum of 20 years for registered
nurses, and would require four years
Of high school or the equivalent
for registered nurses, and two years
for practical nurses. The Commis- |
sioner wants the age minimum in
both categories set at 18 and edu-
cational qualifications relaxed some
what in view of the need for re-
cruiting more nurse candidates.
2. The Nurses Examining Board
is too restricted in representation,
and should include representatives.
of the Undergraduate and Practical
Nurses Association, as well as the
hospitals and medical profession.
Unless the board is made more rep
resentative, the Commissioner IA
vorS transferring its authority to
license nurses to "the Health De-
partrnent. or some other District
agency"
Wants Physical Examinations.
8. The power of the Nurses Ex-
amining Board to regulate stand
ards of instruction in local nurs-
ing schools, provided both under
current law and in the proposed new
bill, should be removed, Mr.. Ma
son feels. He suggests that 1t may
properly belong under the Board
of Education or the Licensing
Board.
4. The bill would require nurses
merely to certify they are in good
health. Mr.. Mason wants them to
undergo a periodic physical exami-
nation like BARRIERS or hairdressers.
S. The Nurses Examining Board
should turn over fees to the COL
lector of taxes without setting up
revolving fund" for administrative
expenses, the Commissioner feels,
and should receive an annual ap-
preparation to provide for its opera
ton.
Commissioner Mason said he did
not intend to set the date himself
for a public hearing on the bill but
would welcome early action by all
interested parties.
In letter to Charles Drayton, at
torney for the nurses group, he
suggested such a conference should
include representatives Of the Hos
pital Council, the District Medical
Society, the Undergraduate and
Practical Nurses Association, the
American Hospital Association, the
District health officer and local
medical leaders, as well as the grad
uate nurses.