Evening star., 1947-04-04
Garfield Plan 10 Train
Own Practical Nurses
Rejected by Board
By Thomos 6. Buchonon

The Nurses Examining Board has
turned down a request by Garfield
Memorial Hospital for authority to
conduct the practical nursing school
it had planned, 1t was learned to-
day.
The board thus continues its pol
icy of banning formal training of
professional and nonprofessional
nurses in the same institution. Gar
field already conducts professional
school.
The only District hospital with an
accredited nursing school so far ex-
empted from the policy is Gallinger,
which will be permitted this sum-
mer to accept graduates OF voca-
tional school courses for clinical
training as practical nurses.
Creation Creates Dilemma.
DR.. Francis j Eisenman. Garfield
administrator, said the hospital this
week received a communication from
Miss Ethel j. Odegard, executive
secretary of the board, expressing
disapproval of the Garfield joint
training proposal.
Unfortunately, 1t Is not per-
missable at this time" the letter de-
clared.
The Nurses Examining Board de-
cision leaves Garfield Hospital, like
other District institutions which
maintain accredited nursing schools,
in dilemma.
On one hand, each of the hos
pitals received in February COM
munication from the American Col
lege of Surgeons, asking that they
help relieve the nursing shortage
by setting up a training program
for nonprofessional nurses.
Action by Board Is Feared.
On the other hand, administrators
fear compliance with this request
may cause the Nurses Examining
Board to withhold licensing rights
to graduates of their professional
nursing classes.
Replying to the American co.,
lege of Surgeons February II, DR..
Eisenman stated:
"The hospital is prepared, and
has been for some time, to inaugu-
rate classwork for these aides to
run concurrently with classes for
student nurses, as soon as the pro-
hibition of employing or training
of practical nurses has been removed
against hospitals operating training
schools"
On March 13, Immediately after
the Nurses Examining Boards de-
cision to allow graduates Of the
Burdick and Margaret Murray
Washington Vocational Schools to
complete their practical nursing
course with period of clinical
training at Gallinger Hospital, DR..
Eisenman asked the board if Gar
field could setup. training program
for auxiliary hospital workers.
Proposes War-Type Training.
He estimated these aides could oc
trained to take over 65 per cent OF
the duties currently performed at
Garfield by professional and student
nurses. He proposed training
course of to IL months patterned
after the Red Cross wartime train
ing.
"We feel that this is urgent and
should not be delayed any longer
If the hospital expects to continue
to be placed on the approved list as
a Glass A institution DR.. Else
man wrote the board.
"As time is an important factor
and conditions are not expected to
improve In the near future" he con-
tinued, we would appreciate al.
early reply to our request for author
ity to exist
Board Expects More Students.
Miss Odegard's S reply, dated March
28, indicated the board was not pre-
pared to authorize Garfield to set
up the proposed training course, and
concluded:
I'VE are encouraged to believe that
as a result of various influences the
enrolment of student nurses will be
reasonably increased for the fall
classes"
Uut UIldb ob-
tanned only nine applicants for its
last student nurse class, DR.. Eisen-
man asserted today that prospects
for any greafer number in the fall
class are not good"
Help in Wards Is Needed.
The hospitals problem, he said, is
not to find additional highly trained
specialists. shut more nurses who are
willing to perform the routine ward
duties and care for patients,
The shortage in this category is
so acute, he declared that "the de-
cision to train additional aides cam
not long be postponed"
He said the matter would be con-
sidered further by the hospitals
directors.
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