Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-03
Visiting Nurse Service

Even though the press has given most
generous coverage to- the story Of the
Visiting Nurse Associations negotia-
tons with the D. C. Health Depart
ment for satisfactory contract to
give nursing care in the home to pa
tients on public assistance. there are
one or two important points about the
associations service which should be
clarified for the general public.
The District Board of Commissioners
has now agreed that the association
may use qualified student nurses for
UP to 20 per cent of its visits to public
assistance patients and be paid for the
same. To reassure all the association
patients, we want to emphasize the fact
that the Health Department has con-
sistently Endorsed the field training
program for student nurses; its princi-
pal queStion-now satisfactorily an
swered-has been as to the ACCESSIBILITY
of using public funds to pay for such
visits. The directors Of the Visiting
Nurse Association, however. believing
in their student program even more
strongly, considered it unthinkable that
any differentiation be made between
the visits made by supervised students
and those made by our regular staff
nurses, whether applying to pay pa
tients or non-pay patients, of which
latter group only one-quarter are pub
lie assistance cases.
OF primary Importance to the peo-
pie of the District is the fact that the
students referred to are selected senior
students either in the fourth and final
year of their university schools of
nursing, or in the third and final year
of hospital schools of nursing. They
are especially qualified and recon-
mended: they have already had more
training than many graduate registered
nurses. They are merely receiving a
final period of eight weeks of field ex-
perience under the supervision of our
District supervisors and staff nurses.
They are sent alone only to give the
simpler types of treatment. where there
are no complications or other family
problems.
Not only is the student program con-
sidered of vital Importance by our as
ISOLATION and by the more than 1000
Visiting Nurse Associations throughout
the country, but it is so considered by
the National League for Nursing, an
organization which is constantly trying
to improve standards of nursing; the
same view is widely held by the medical
profession and by the schools of nurs-
ing. We have abundant and important
testimony on this point. Not only do
the student nurses profit by field ex-
perience and training under super
vision, but our staff nurses are greatly
helped by it. Just as doctors do, our
qualified staff nurses appreciate the
Importance to themselves of passing
on to others their skills and education.
Because of this program, the highest
type of public health staff nurses is
attracted to the Visiting Nurse AsSoci-
alton.
We can truthfully and Fundamentally
state to the patrons of the VIVA. both
present and future, in fact to all who
need bedside nursing care under the
direction Of their doctors that the So
ciety has only one principle, which Is
to give the very best care to its pa
tients. We gladly guarantee the fact
that our nurses. whether staff nurses
or senior student nurses. are dedicated
young women. and highly trained in
their profession.
Mrs. James L. HOughteling,
President, Visiting Nurse Associa-
ton of Washington, D. c.