Vol. 60, 1909 - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

ABSTRACTS.
^'°" '''" ^"^' ""^'^ °^ ^t^t^ examination and registration
' fTnT; I mistake l-V not, 'V°".'' a strong f'"r feeling permeating of nurses than for the examination andrL-
d^ T"r fT T''^""''''" '" ""•"'^""- "^^^^'°" °f ^ ^--^-P °fP— bhich savors
employed
of
fn
trade-umon.sm among the any one of the liberal arts." He Ui
learned professions
en pro-
niclud.ng the nursing ceeds to add, as a further protest against
the
b'wftnu:ra"a^^7'^""""°""'^^P'^'
whole m'atter
nyea win sucn I'-r'^^^--^ thTthe
a taint
unfortunate patient is compelled to pay
It will be of genera interest to note that the same rate for the poorest nurse ^h at is
he Idea of state registration ,s not .ndigen- demanded for the best, and that patients of
.ns here but ,s purely exotic, having taken moderate means must pay the hfoh
songui price
among the women so-ourning in for a nurse or do without;- A physfcian
his country from this British I ..es, where, of my own city recently asked one of hese
.y the way, I notice it has also stirred up a women who was heartily advocating this
'loleiit storm of protest. It is also well stand on the part of the nurses what tie
.orth noting that Its most ardent advocates people should do who were unab e to pay
-If.ntTrr' ';'"?°''^V''"V'r^^^ ^"^^' ^ P''*'^^ ^'"1 '-^'^^v^d the stern reply^
-a fact which, in and of itself, in the light "Let them do without '"
*'°"^ resulLs to which I have It will not be necessary for
Irf.llT f''f me to quote
ere called attention, should at least lead to further from the views of men of distinction
cautious inquiry into the matter and en- in their chosen professions. I have read
ul a slou-ness and deliberation of action, the criticisms of many of the medical men
nn,.M'' K^' f °7^^t "'^^P«" lliese of 'uy own state upon the proposed act.
romen can bring into play in order to per- They all sounded no uncertain note. Many
etuate heir hold upon the nursing frater- of them were most amusing, and some were
ity in this country. Personally, I do not more positive than polite. As I haveintiesitate
to declare myself as emphatically mated throughout this paper, I am heartily
pposed to the movement and I can safely in favor of fair play for every one, includdd
that the medical profession as a whole ing the nurse. I believe, therefore, that
opposed to state registration of nurses in such an act as that which has been conl'""'^^'^""-
'\ 's "«t templated in
f": .}
various
v^'",^'
states of the union
jnfaned o the medical men by any means, authorizing the state registration of nurses
lUe Iloiiorable William N. Ashman, is unfair to everyone, including the nurse-
•esident judge of the orphans' court of the that it is unwise at the present lime and in
ty of I hiladelphia, while .speaking on this view of the recognized trend of public opin-
ibject said: It has been urged by some ion; that it is contrary to the humane spirit
tnetnends of the proposed law" (the which is supposed to actuate those engaged
ate law for licensing and registered nurses) in alleviating the sufferings of mankind
:liat to meet the demand of people of mod- and that it is uncalled for from whatever
ate income for skilled nursing will lower jwiiit of view ii may be regarded. Thus do
e rate of coinpeii.s.ition, since the average I publicly place mvself on record, and I
tzen and the poor have not deep purses, appeal to the public to give the matter carets
seems to indicate that the real reason ful and judicious consideration before perr
appealing to the legislature is not a initting an endorsement of a movement that
iMtion of the welfare of humanity, but a readily work a lasting injury to the noble
itter of dollars and cents. The public vocation of the trained nurse.
od cannot be held in abeyance for the T/w Remedv.
ke of private gain. Civilization has ad- Such is the pernicious system of training
need too far to admit of capitalization of for nurses in vogue in this country, these
esuffeniigs of humanity. The interests of are its originators and supporters, and these
SSickinan were safeguarded whenthestate the results of three decades of trial. What
ensed and appointed the physician as the now is the remedy ? Far be it from me to
solute authority in the sick room. When do it otherwise than to offer a few suggeso
generals with equal authority attempt tions as follows:
manipulate the same army, the battle is h'irst and foremost. The abolition of the
nerally lost." Such is the opinion of an imported head nurse, and the substitution
'
ui^nent jurist of the land.
in her place of native women trained at
ine distinguished profes.sor of medicine home and from the undesirable traits of the
Cornell university. Dr. W. Oilman prevailing system.
ompson, for whom I entertain Uie pro- Secondly. A curtailment of the course
mdest respect and admiration, has re- of training so that it shall not in any initly
said (Xew York Medical Journal, stance exceed two years. Already, I unnl
2,Slh, 19(X>): "We are in the hands dersland, has such a step been taken in
lay in this slate (the state of Xew York) Chicago and elsewhere.
a nurses' trust. There is no more real Thirdly. The elimination from the course