The Health bulletin [serial] - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

June, 1951 The Health Bulletin 17In addition to the routine services ofthe Field Representatives such as consultationto the local health units inregard to records and reports, reviewingand editing reports to and from theState Board of Health, it is felt thatprogress has been made in three respects.As was stated in the conjoint reportfor 1949, a new report form was to beused by the local health units beginningJanuary 1, 1950. This annual report wasa drastic change from the quarterlystatistical. The Field Representativesspent a considerable amount of timereaching every department in the stateto give interpretation and explanation ofitems and assistance in compilation ofdata. One of the strong points of thenew report is that the cooperation ofthe entire staff is needed for its completion,and the interpretation of the datais of interest to all the personnel. Forthis reason, and also to expedite coverageof the entire state, the new reportwas discussed in many places at generalstaff meetings. This report form is beingused in 1950 and 1951 on a trialbasis. It is planned to have a committeecomposed primarily of local personnelto study suggestions for changes andadditions, and revamp the trial forminto one that will be satisfactory forseveral years.During the summer of 1950, theOrange-Person-Chatham-Lee DistrictHealth Department asked the RecordsAnalyst of the Department of FieldTraining of the School of Public Healthand the Field Representatives of theLocal Health Division to assist in developingrecords which would simplifythe present forms and procedures usedin recording their activities. After severalconferences with the medical, nursing,and clerical staff, three experimentalforms were designed and proceduresoutlined. An experiment in theuse of these was begun in September,1950, and will continue into the springof 1951. From this it is hoped that somerecommendations may be made forsimplification of records throughout thestate.For some time in-service training forclerks has been contemplated but thefiscal year 1950-51 is the first time thatfunds have been included in the budgetfor this purpose. This followed the employmentof Miss Alpha Kenny, EducationalDirector, Public Health Recordsand Statistics in the Department ofField Training in the School of PublicHealth, who will be mainly responsiblefor this training. Having money andpersonnel for the first time, definiteplans have been made for two twoweeks'courses in the spring of 1951.PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING SEC-TION—Amy L. Fisher, R.N., ChiefBeginning in January, 1950, a Quarter'sTraining Program for Selected RegisteredNurses in Public Health wasgiven to twenty nurses in order to improvetheir service and make them eligiblefor reclassification as Junior PublicHealth Nurse. This was a cooperativeproject with the Department of FieldTraining, School of Public Health, Universityof North Carolina, and was underthe guidance of Miss Evelyn Johnson,Education Director. All of these nurseshave passed the Merit Examination andare now working as Junior Public HealthNurses.Prom January until September, fivepublic health nurses made consultantvisits to local health departments. InSeptember Miss Dorothy Boone wasgranted leave of absence to take theMental Health Course at the Universityof Minnesota.Continued emphasis has been placedon the development of the PrematureInfant Program with Miss Mabel Pattonassigned practically full time to thisprogram. School Health Service wasgiven special emphasis because of thefunds available for correction of defectsand also because of some regional planningconferences (which are describedunder School Health Coordinating Service.)On April 10, 1950, Miss Florence Burnettwas employed as Public HealthNursing Consultant, PsychosomaticClinic, Duke Hospital. Her salary is paidby the State Board of Health from Men-