Milford chronicle., 1963-05-03
Your Hospital
BY Your Hospital Reporter
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To High School Students
Although 1t is true that high
school students often have not
selected their life careers by the
time they graduate from high
school, 1t appears that those
students who enter nursing
usually have made their choice
by the time they enter the fresh
man year. A recent study con-
Quoted by Teachers College, COL
umbia University, in schools of
nursing over a wide geographical
area showed that over half Of the
nursing students had decided on
their careers by the time they
were 13 years Of age. Many Of
these had decided by the time
they were 10. This contrasts
sharply with the survey done on
non-nursing students In college.
On these students, only ia had
decided on their careers by the
time they were Is years of age.
If you are considering nursing
as a career, you must begin your
preparation In high school. Every
year, young people are refused
entrance to schools of nursing
because their high school pre-
paration Is inadequate. This in
adequacy Is sometimes due to
the selection Of inappropriate
subjects such as typing or short
hand. The student of nursing
needs a good foundation In biolo-
gical and social sciences. These
basic sciences will be added to
and enlarged upon during his
nursing education.
A knowledge Of English is an
essential prerequisite for an ed
ucationa1 program In nursing.
The student will find 1t neces-
sary to read technical material
rapidly and with comprehension
and to be able to express his
own knowledge, thoughts and
ideas both verbally and In written
communications. To be able to
perform satisfactorily, he will
need, therefore, an adequate vo-
cabulary, a good foundation In
grammar, and some practice In
creative writing.
An Introductory knowledge Of
Latin, or one Of the romance
languages, provides a basis for
the understanding of medical ter
mtnology. Words which appear
foreign, strange, and difficult to
the student who has had no for eign
language seem to be old friends
to the student who has had Latin,
French, or Spanish and UNDER
stands word roots.
Many high school students who
are interested in entering nurs-
ing as a profession and have
selected academic or scientific
courses fail to keep their SCH
elastic achievements up to stand
ards regarded as acceptable by
schools Of nursing. We are not
speaking, here, to those students
who are unable to achieve but
to those who are not doing their
best work and are content to
"slide through" high school with
barely passing grades. Students
who "goof off" In high school
either find themselves unable to
get into schools of ursing with
out taking remedial courses first
or find that their educational de-
ficits are too great to overcome
If they are admitted.
Frequently, students are un-
aware of the number and diff
Guilty of the scientific courses
they will be required to handle
in a school of nursing. For in
stance, at Milford Memorial Hos
pital School Of Nursing,
the courses for the first year
are: Anatomy and Physiology,
Chemistry, Microbiology, Nutri-
tion and Diet Therapy, Pharma-
cology, Sociology, Psychology,
History Of Nur rising, Nursing Arts,
Pr ofe ssiona1 Adjustments /,
M g die l-Surgical Nursing I.
These cour ses are college level,
comparable to those given by
universities to meet basic ed
ucational requirements. It is easy
to see why a good foundation In
the biological and social sciences
and In the use Of his native
language, is essential for mas
terry Of these courses and why
a rudimentary knowledge of Latin
or a romance language is an
asset.
Students are urged to consult
their guidance counSelors and
principals In order to select
courses Of study which will be
most helpful to them In their
choices of careers. Above all,
they are urged to make the most
of their high school years for
their future successes or failures
may depend largely on their
levels of achievement during this
period.
COOPER
Walter A. Cooper, 6O, OF
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