Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-09-25
Better Training More Responsibility
Role Of Practical Nurse in Medical Team Grows
By Betty Miles

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Another step in the development
of practical nursing as a career for
women was taken when the School
Iof Practical Nursing was inaugu-
rated by the Burdick Vocational
High School and the George
Washington University Hospital
last June.
The women now in training at
the hospital, and the group just
beginning the year-long free
course. will receive comprehensive
classroom and clinical work. They
win learn nursing procedures and
the homemaking skills that &C.
company them. taught by profess
Isional nurses and specialized in
structors.
The role Of the practical nurse
in the medical team has grown in
Importance in the face Of the
shortage of nurses. Practical
nurses are particularly trained to
care for sub-acute cases and the
Economically Ill. Their assistance
will be Of great value to our aging
population, many Of whom suffer
from chronic illnesses, to the long
time convalescent in the home
after the birth of a baby, and in
the visiting instruction corps of q
public health department. Prac-
tical nurses serve both in the hos
Ipital and in the home.
"a middle-aged woman is apt
to find this work more congenial
than Office work." Mrs. Mary
Resh. principal of the Burdick
School at 1900 Allison street
NV. believes. Then, too, age is
an asset in this field. People
value the help Of mature, expe-
rienced persons in time of illness
Women from II to SIS are being
accepted for training. with the
upper age limit flexible. depend
ing upon the applicant herself.
We've had a miniature U. N.
so far" Mrs. Resh explained. A
Hungarian baroness and a woman
who studied midwifery in Canton
China, are among the students in
the new class.
| Mrs. Mile Mcbride of 743e
Carroll avenue. Takoma Park, one
Iof the group now receiving elm
ical instruction at George Wash
ington University Hospital, said
/ that it has been her lifelong am
bition to be a nurse, but she has
never had the opportunity to
work in the field until now. Her
brother is a doctor, and now that
her children are teen-agers, she
is looking forward to working
with him when she completes her
training.
Mrs. Margaret Blair of 5023
Eighth street NV, another
trainee. taught school at one time
but always had a yen for nurs-
ing. Her children are grown, too
and she thought it time to dc
something else, and keep from
getting old"
Mrs. Alice Hamilton of 490l
Forty third street NV. came here
from England in l947 and had her
first taste of care of the sick as
a volunteer nurses aide. Baby
of the group is Miss Peggy Ann
Storey of 1852 Park road NV
Nineteen years old, Miss Storey
hopes to work in a hospital when
she has finished. A recent sur
vey revealed that over SO per cent
OF the practical nurses continue
to work in hospitals.
A practical nursing program was
begun at Burdick in 1945, Mrs.
Resi- explained. with most of the
first students high school girls.
When older women expressed in
terest in the program. they were
given training. too. Since Wash
ington doesn't have licensure of
practical nurses, it was felt that
accreditation of the place of
training was very necessary If the