Nursing (1942)

your life [Music] work if you want to be a professional nurse it is necessary to choose a good school of nursing because only in a good nursing school can you get the preparation on which your future as a nurse must depend you first should be a high school graduate and although the requirements of individual nursing schools vary in general It is Well to take the college preparatory program offered by the high school in nursing as in every other field the more educational and cultural background you bring to your work the farther you probably will go in planning your career write to the State Board of nurse examiners in the state in which you wish to obtain your nursing education for a list of schools of Nursing which meet requirements set by law in that state a growing number of schools of nursing are connected with universities the largest number are owned and operated by hospitals their course of instruction usually covers a period of 3 years and leads to the nursing diploma visit the nursing school which you are considering or at least write for a catalog get definite information about the size preparation and experience of the School faculty find out of the diploma of the nursing school entitles you to take state board examinations inquire if the school is approved by the medical profession and investigate the courses provided for student nurses good schools of nursing will admit only those high school graduates who placed in the upper third or half of their class and give preference to young people who have had work or experience Beyond High School the good nursing school first will be concerned for your own health you'll be given a thorough medical examination and must meet certain Health standards before you are accepted you will learn to practice rules of positive health and there should be recreational facilities available for your use and that of your fellow students your own personality is very important to the success of your nursing career the ability to get along with other people is valuable in any profession but it is absolutely essential to the nurse you should be strong because as a nurse people will depend on you you should be trustworthy because people will confide in You You Should Be steady Dependable self-reliant tactful sympathetic and have a sense of humor you should have a spirit of service and a sincere interest in human beings of all classes and kinds your nursing school courses in psychology and sociology will help you in your work with patients and your relationships with other people and reading nursing literature and other books in the school library will also help in all good schools of nursing courses in biology bacteriology and chemistry are provided and it will be very helpful for you to have some background in the science subjects before you enter nursing school work in anatomy and physiology must be included for a knowledge of the human body and its functions is essential in the work of the nurse instruction and nutrition and cookery are necessary to teach the nurse how properly to direct the preparation of food for patients and in many cases to prepare it herself when she is caring for patients in the home and lacks the scientific facilities of the modern hospital this ability and a great amount of resourcefulness is especially valuable well equipped schools of nursing provide a nursing Arts laboratory or a demonstration room which is set up like a small Ward with beds and a medicine cupboard and other supplies here nursing procedures may be demonstrated and the student nurses practice the techniques of nursing using one another's practice patients the care of communicable diseases requires special techniques which the nurse must Master for her own welfare as well as for that of the patients such techniques are based upon absolute cleanliness and the the use of disinfectants the majority of nursing schools have an arrangement whereby the student nurse receives her room and board and in some cases other items such as laundry in return for service given and care of patients under the direction of Supervisors the better schools give valuable instruction during the hours of practice on the wards including conferences bedside clinics and individual assistance from the instructors during the clinical period the student nurse should gain experience in medical surgical maternity and communicable disease nursing the care of children and the mentally ill and the knowledge of Public Health nursing the joy of any girl is Justified when she receives the diploma of her nursing school and knows that she is about to begin a constructive career in the profession she has chosen after completing their preparation in a school of nursing graduate nurses Must Pass State Board examinations before they can get employment as registered nurses with the privilege of using the initials RN after their names private duty nurses may be called by a doctor or by some member of the family to give Special Nursing Care to someone who is sick either in the hospital or in the home whenever call the private duty nurse goes ready to fit in wherever the patient may be regardless of what the illness is she usually cares for only one patient and helps that patient through all the stages of the illness each patient presents a different personality different problems and the nurse must bring comfort and Assurance to the patient and the patient's family and it is also important that she teach them to guard against future illness the private duty nurse gains wide experience in different kinds of illness and has a chance to make many friends nurses in factories give first aid treatment in case of accidents and supervise the health of workers to a great extent heavy industry employs male nurses who are increasing in number and other men in nursing are employed in the care of the mentally ill and in prison hospitals in schools the school nurse gives physical examinations to the pupils and works with the teachers in educating the pupils in good health habits and in preventing the spread of diseases in the school in some fields of Public Health nursing the nurse visits her patients in their homes under the physician's Direction she gives care to the sick and combats epidemics she teaches mothers how to give their families better Food and Health Care it is due largely to her that many children are given the right start in life and that fathers and mothers are learning the rules of Health that lead to happier and more useful living in great emergencies an army of enroll Red Cross nurses can be called together very quickly to give emergency nursing service the federal government employs thousands of nurses in the Army Nurse Corps the Navy nurse Corps the United States Public Health Service the United States Indian service and in Veterans Administration hospitals you can see for yourself that there's a definite demand for well-qualified nurses in public health nursing and in government service for any kind of serious illness doctors ordinarily recommend that patients be placed in a hospital if possible because of the better facilities and care that is available there staff nurses guard and care for the sick on the wards both day and night and also give care to people who periodically come to the outpatient department for treatment the nurses take temperature and pulse give medicine and special treatments as prescribed by the doctor and do everything possible for the comfort and speedy recovery of the patient to the doctor they report the patient's condition and have ready for him the solutions and dressings which he may need nurses in the operating rooms prepare the operating table sterilize the instruments and lay them out in proper position in order after the patient has been made ready for the operation the nurse assists the surgeon by handing him the right instruments and materials as required nurses on duty in the emergency Ward must be prepared at all times to to assist in the care of any cases brought in by the ambulances in institutional nursing there are a number of administrative positions including those of Hospital superintendent director of nursing service head nurse and supervisor many nurses hold positions on the faculties of schools of nursing such positions as these are definitely worth planning toward preparation for them requires at least some college background and in many instances a degree in postgraduate work in addition to Executive or teaching ability the nurses who deal with the treatment and care of children must be able to apply treatments as specified by the doctor and have a knowledge of proper Foods in their preparation for in many diseases permanent cure may result only from correction of the diet and be a slow process Child Nursing requires a liking for children and the ability to work happily with them the nurses and the maternity Wards care for mothers and their babies the chief aim of maternity nursing is a well baby and a well mother who knows how to care for herself and her baby part of the responsibility of the nurse therefore is to teach mothers the correct care of their babies when very tiny and as they grow older if you really want to be a nurse do your best work at all times both in your preparation and in actual service in this way will you gain the knowledge vision and understanding necessary to make your life as a nurse a successful and happy one [Music]