Chapter 6 of 6 · 3465 words · ~17 min read

Part 6

Nurses eligible for appointment to the Rural Nursing Service, who have not already had experience or training in visiting nursing, after a minimum period of three months with a city nursing association will be placed one month with an association in the country, thus giving them actual experience in rural nursing and its problems before assignment to their post of duty. It is important that the rural nurse be informed upon the various branches of public health nursing and social service, as carried on in cities, in order that she may initiate work along these lines in country places where it is often wholly unorganized. She should be able to recognize contagious diseases and minor ailments among school children. By giving simple health talks in the schools, she is able to utilize one of the most advantageous avenues for influencing the home life of her people.

Local societies and clubs, the aim of which is to improve unfavorable conditions that exist in their communities can establish a no more fruitful source of helpfulness than by the employment of a visiting nurse. Red Cross Chapters will find in such an undertaking not only a means of creating interest in local work of the Red Cross, but opportunity of enlarging their field of usefulness to the community. The experience of the Red Cross Chapter in Islip, Long Island, in the employment of a rural nurse has long ago proven the value of this plan of work.

HOME NURSING AND FIRST AID INSTRUCTION FOR WOMEN

MISS MARION L. OLIVER, _In Charge of Organization of Classes._

Believing that the physical welfare of the race depends largely upon home conditions and that the women of the nation have a very definite responsibility in maintaining the health of the family, the American Red Cross has undertaken to organize on a national scale classes for women in home nursing and first aid. It is hoped that this instruction will make them better home makers, better mothers and better citizens. Before describing what has been accomplished in this direction, it is best to give details of the plan adopted. This can be done most briefly by quoting from the official circular relating to the same.

PLAN OF INSTRUCTION FOR WOMEN.

The American Red Cross has decided to organize classes of instruction for women in first aid, home nursing, hygiene and allied subjects, to be given under the supervision of the National Committee on Red Cross Nursing Service.

OBJECTS.

1. To afford women the opportunity to learn first aid to the injured, and to provide simple instruction in the home care of the sick.

2. To afford women the opportunity to learn how to prepare food for sick and well.

3. To afford women the opportunity to learn how to prepare rooms and other places for the reception of ill and injured.

4. To afford women the opportunity to learn how to protect their own health and that of their families.

It must be distinctly understood that this course of instruction for women is only intended to prepare them to render emergency assistance in case of accident, to give more intelligent care to their own families under competent direction, and, in exceptional cases, to assist in relief work under the supervision of the Nursing Service of the American Red Cross.

NEED.

Much needless suffering is now caused the ill and injured on account of the ignorance of unskilled persons. It has been said that the fate of the injured is dependent on the care which their injuries first receive. It is therefore necessary for everybody to learn what to do first in an emergency, and what not to do. This is easy to learn, but the subject must be learned. Nobody can be expected to know this without instruction. The number of people injured in the United States is rapidly mounting and is now in the hundreds of thousands annually. Knowledge of first aid to the injured cannot, it is true, prevent the consequent suffering entirely, but it can be made an important factor in this result.

The health of the family depends largely upon the home maker, and it is most essential that she have a definite knowledge of personal and household hygiene and the proper preparation of food. Special diet for the sick is no less essential. Scarcely any woman is unacquainted with the sick room in her own family, and some simple instruction in the care of the sick should be a part of every woman’s education.

It is the purpose of the Red Cross to provide for this instruction.

RESULTS.

This work is just being started in this country, so that great results cannot yet be reported. It has already been demonstrated here, however, that instruction in first aid will reduce deaths and serious results from injuries about one-half. On railroads and everywhere else that the American Red Cross has carried first aid instruction, all interested are enthusiastic in praise of the benefits derived. In other countries, such as Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Russia, work of a similar character to that contemplated for women has been done for many years and all testimony goes to show that the public has largely benefited therefrom.

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION.

Ten lessons in First Aid.

Fifteen lessons in Hygiene and Home Nursing.

Fifteen lessons in Dietetics and Household Economy.

All instruction will be very practical and pupils will, as far as possible, be required actually to do everything described in the teaching. Lessons in either First Aid or Home Nursing may be given first, but both these courses of lessons must be completed and certificates must be held in both by those desiring to take further instruction.

No two courses of instruction may be taken at the same time.

All first aid courses must be given by a physician and other instructions by a Red Cross nurse, unless otherwise authorized by the Red Cross.

ORGANIZATION OF CLASSES.

Women desiring to form a class in either first aid or home nursing should secure a sufficient number of names—not less than ten or more than twenty-five—selecting one to act as president. The president so selected should then communicate with the Department of Instruction for Women, American Red Cross, Washington, D. C. A roll will be supplied on which the names of the members of the class will be inscribed and answers given in respect to certain essentials.

No one under sixteen years of age is eligible for these classes.

It will be necessary locally to obtain the services of a physician or a nurse to give the instruction, whose name and address should be forwarded to Washington with required roll of proposed class. All instructions must be approved, and a card of authorization issued, by the Red Cross before any course is begun.

The instructors’ fees, if any, must be paid locally, and arrangements for the same must be made by the class with the instructor selected.

It will also be necessary to provide a meeting place.

Books and charts will be supplied by the Red Cross. The cost of these will be $1 per member for each course of ten lessons, and $1.50 per member for each course of fifteen lessons. Payment for the same should be made in advance. The president will be responsible for collecting and forwarding this amount to Washington.

EXAMINATIONS AND CERTIFICATES.

On the completion of each course of instruction an examiner will be appointed, to be paid by the Red Cross. Such examiner will be other than the instructor of the class.

No one will be allowed to take an examination in any course who has not attended at least three-fourths of the lessons of that course.

Certificates will be given successful candidates at the conclusion of each course of instruction.

After fulfilling the requirements for the organization of a class and the instructor has been formally appointed the class is free to begin work, and very interesting work it proves to be. The course of instruction in first aid begins with an introductory lesson in anatomy and physiology followed by nine lessons with practical demonstration in the care of emergencies and accidents most likely to be met with in the every-day walks of life. It is most desirable that each pupil be given an opportunity to practice on a model or manikin the various points covered in the lessons. After the ten lessons are over, those members of a class who have not been absent more than three times, are ready for examination. This is given by a physician other than the instructor of the class who is appointed direct from the first aid office. The examination is one-third oral, one-third written and one-third practical.

There are fifteen lessons in the Home Nursing course, and these should prove of absorbing interest and practical value to every one. The preliminary lessons deal with matters relating to the healthfulness of the home, such as contamination of food and its prevention, sources of impurities in water and air, personal hygiene and the preservation of health. Then follows simple instruction in the home care of the sick, how to make a sick bed, to transfer a patient from bed to chair, the general care of a patient, including baths and the use of ordinary sickroom appliances. For example, the theory of bed-making was being taught in one of our classes the other day, and after the instructing nurse had finished her lecture, every member of the class had to make the bed with and without the patient, the patient in this case being a life-sized doll covered with oilcloth so that it could be bathed. Several members of the class did not make the beds satisfactorily and were told to practice at home so that at the next lesson they could do better. A special examination also follows this course.

After those Home Nursing lessons are over, it is planned to have a series of lectures on home economics and dietetics.

So much for the plans and organization, now for the actual classes. The records show that on March 30th almost six hundred women are taking this instruction.

Twenty-four classes in First Aid and three in Home Nursing have been formed in different localities. Both the Young Women’s Christian Association and the Girls’ Friendly Society have become interested in this work.

In Genesee, New York, the fox-hunting community has formed a large class for women to teach them to cope with the accidents of the hunting field.

In Manchester, Connecticut, where the Cheney Brothers have their big silk mills, classes in both First Aid and Home Nursing have been organized among the employes.

In Cincinnati a group of society women are taking the First Aid course.

In one of the suburbs of Washington, a group of young mothers have formed a class.

Other classes are active in Lexington, Ky., Providence, R. I., Detroit, Mich., North Attleboro, Milton and Manchester, Mass., Milwaukee, Wis., York, Pa., Philadelphia, Pa., and Washington, D. C.

Two classes have been formed by the wives of the officers of the Army and the Navy, and we hope that in time every Army post and Naval stations will have its regular classes in First Aid and Home Nursing, and that this work will not only be for the officers’ wives but for the wives of the enlisted men as well.

Al the end of each set of classes there is an examination and those who successfully pass receive a Red Cross certificate.

It is also planned that a field day will be held in each State that has enough classes to warrant it and at this field day First Aid teams of women will compete for a Bronze Medal. The rules for such a competition will be supplied upon request.

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The Red Cross at the Inauguration

The Red Cross participated actively in the care of ill and injured during the various ceremonies incident to the inauguration of President Wilson, March 4, 1913.

On the morning of Sunday, March 2, a small emergency hospital was established in a room set aside for the purpose at the Union Station. This continued in operation till the morning of Thursday, March 6, and was open for patients day and night.

On the morning of March 3, two small Red Cross tent hospitals were opened, one in rear of the Sherman Statue and the other in Lafayette Square. These were in operation till the close of the Suffrage Parade the same afternoon. In addition five ambulances were stationed along the line of march for this parade. Two of these were near the Peace Monument, one at Seventh street, one at Twelfth street, and one at Fifteenth street. Very few patients sought assistance or were brought to these hospitals or ambulances on this afternoon. All received were promptly treated and properly disposed of.

On March 4, the day of the inauguration, besides the hospital at Union Station the Red Cross had in its charge tent hospitals east of the Capitol, in rear of the Sherman Statue and in Lafayette Square. The second was also open during the fireworks or till about 11 p. m.

At these stations the number of patients treated was as follows:

Union Station 64 East of the Capitol 23 Rear of Sherman Statue 19 Lafayette Square 12 Ambulances, March 3 15 --- 133

Major Charles Lynch. Medical Corps, U. S. A., was in charge of the emergency service. Miss Jane A. Delano, Chairman of the Nursing Committee of the American Red Cross, acted for that committee in the necessary arrangements so far as it was concerned. Miss Anna J. Greenlees served as director of Red Cross nurses, and Mrs. Theodora North McLaughlin represented the District Chapter. The physicians on duty at the stations were members of the Inaugural Sub-committee on Ambulances and Hospitals. The nurses were Red Cross nurses of the District of Columbia and the Boy Scouts were supplied by the local Boy Scout organization.

It will be noted that no very great demands were made on the emergency service of the Red Cross during the inaugural period. Most of the patients required rest rather than medication or hospital treatment. This they were able to obtain at the Red Cross Stations. These also sheltered a few cases of serious illness and for all everything possible was done.

The weather conditions were in marked contrast with those of four years ago, which contributed largely to reducing the number of cases requiring emergency treatment.

The thanks of the Red Cross are due to the following physicians, nurses and Boy Scouts for services which, while by no means spectacular, were thoroughly creditable in every respect.

UNION STATION.

_Physicians._

Dr. J. J. Madigan, Red Cross Director; Doctors R. E. Ledbetter, Chas. W. Allen, C. N. Chipman, Wm. J. G. Thomas, Elmer Sothoron, J. Franklin Hilton, Philip Newton, H. F. Sawtelle, T. Victor Hammond, John P. Gunion, Alfred Richards, R. F. Tobin, W. C. Gwynn, Jas. G. Townsend, J. A. O’Donoghue, Joseph C. Leonard, H. C. Duffey, G. B. Heinecke, J. E. Lind, and Edgar Snowden.

_Nurses._

Sallie F. Melhorn, Susie A. Mortimer, Katherine Von Brodt, Charlotte H. Barnes, Ethel H. Brown, Winona R. Taylor.

EAST OF CAPITOL.

_Physicians._

Dr. Alfred Richards, Red Cross Director; Doctors Carl Haas, Roy Dunmire and Stuart C. Johnson.

_Nurses._

Mrs. M. J. Johnson and Mrs. Emil A. Fenstad.

REAR OF SHERMAN STATUE.

_Physicians._

Dr. Frank E. Gibson, Red Cross Director; Doctors J. R. Ramsburgh, Oscar Wilkinson and O. Cox.

_Nurses._

Misses Agnes Hayes, Mary Davis, Kathryne Donnelly, Lena Bauer, A. L. Goodheart, Pricilla Page, Keiningham, Sewell, Cora Wynkoop and Zaidee Kibler.

_Boy Scouts._

Arnel Carpenter, Clarence Shrout, Ernest Utz and Waldo Jones.

_Troop 37, Somerset, Maryland._

Dwight Terry, Raymond Henderson, Mark Shoemaker, Leslie Stimpson, Silas Hayes, Talbot Barnard, Charles Shoemaker and William Probey.

It is to be regretted that the names of all the Boy Scouts, who invariably did good work, were not recorded.

[Illustration: CROWDS IN FRONT OF THE CAPITOL DURING THE INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT WILSON.

LAFAYETTE SQUARE.

_Physicians._

Dr. William P. Reeves, Red Cross Director; Doctors Philip Newton and Albert G. Wenzell.

_Nurses._

Mrs. L. A. Weed, Mrs. J. J. Johnson, Misses J. Allan, Mary W. Cox, Mary F. Sewall and Bernice Keiningham.

The Ford Motor Car Company through its local agent, Miller Brothers, was also good enough to give an automobile for inspection purposes on the day of the Inauguration.

[Illustration: ILLUMINATION OF PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE ON THE NIGHTS OF THE 4TH AND 5TH OF MARCH]

The expenses involved were paid from Inaugural and Red Cross funds. They were small as all served without pay except the nurses at the Union Station on whose time much greater demands were made than on other personnel.

The expenditures in detail were as follows:

_Inaugural Funds._

Nurses at Union Station $56.00 Medical supplies used 16.00 ------ Total $62.00

_Red Cross Funds._

Miscellaneous supplies, lunches, tent floors, etc. $61.40 ------- Grand total $123.40

The Endowment Fund Committees

WORK ACCOMPLISHED

December 31, 1912.

Amount to be raised $2,000,000.00 Amount raised and in Red Cross Treasury to date $820,221.67 Amount in hands of Endowment Fund Committees and not yet transferred (reported) 81,657.98 ----------- 901,879.65 ------------- Amount yet to be raised $1,098,120.35

Percentage Committee Apportionment Raised Plus Minus raised

Akron, Ohio 6,000 250.00 5,750.00 4 Albany, N. Y. 10,000 10,000.00 Amesbury, Mass. 90 190.00 100.00 211 Atlanta, Ga. 15,000 15,000.00 Baltimore, Md. 55,000 8,555.00 46,445.00 15 Berkshire County, Mass. 10,500 10,500.00 Boston, Mass. 67,000 27,633.62 39,366.38 41 Buffalo, N. Y. 42,000 42,000.00 Burlington, Iowa 2,500 2,500.00 Canal Zone 700 709.63 9.63 101 Canton, Ohio 5,000 5,000.00 Charleston, S. C. 5,000 5,000.00 Chattanooga, Tenn. 4,000 245.00 3,755.00 6 Chicago, Ill. 218,000 78,000.00 140,000.00 35 Cincinnati, Ohio 36,000 18,487.06 17,512.94 51 Cleveland, Ohio 56,000 56,000.00 Columbus, Ohio 18,000 18,000.00 Dallas, Texas 9,000 9,000.00 Dayton, Ohio 11,000 11,000.00 Denver, Colo. 21,000 500.00 20,500.00 2 Detroit, Mich. 46,000 10,005.00 35,995.00 21 Duluth, Minn. 7,800 7,800.00 Grand Rapids, Mich. 11,000 11,000.00 Hampden County, Mass. 8,000 813.00 7,187.00 10 Harrisburg, Pa. 6,000 6,000.00 Hartford, Conn. 9,800 5,514.60 4,285.40 56 Hyde Park, N. Y. 600.00 Indianapolis, Ind. 23,000 4,807.68 18,192.32 20 Kansas City, Mo. 24,000 24,000.00 Los Angeles, Cal. 31,000 31,000.00 Louisville, Ky. 22,000 22,000.00 Lowell, Mass. 10,000 1,871.50 8,128.50 18 Magnolia, Mass. 30 62.00 32.00 206 Manchester, Mass. 270 2,057.11 1,787.11 761 Massillon, Ohio 1,300 1,300.00 Memphis, Tenn. 13,000 13,000.00 Nashville, Tenn. 11,000 11,000.00 Newark, N. J. 34,000 34,000.00 New Haven. Conn. 13,000 6,840.83 6,159.17 52 New York, N. Y. 476,000 510,821.00 34,821.00 107 Omaha, Nebr. 13,000 13,000.00 Paterson, N. J. 12,000 12,000.00 Philadelphia, Pa. 154,000 154,000.00 Pittsburgh, Pa. 53,000 105.00 52,895.00 1-5 Portland, Oreg. 20,700 20,700.00 Rhode Island 54,000 54,000.00 Richmond, Va. 12,000 12,000.00 Rochester, N. Y. 21,800 21,800.00 San Antonio, Texas 9,000 500.00 8,500.00 5 San Francisco, Cal. 41,000 75,668.34 34,668.34 184 Schenectady, N. Y. 7,000 7,000.00 Scranton, Pa. 12,900 8,021.08 4,878.92 62 Seattle, Wash. 23,700 23,700.00 St. Louis, Mo. 68,000 70,630.84 2,630.84 103 St. Paul, Minn. 21,000 198.00 20,802.00 47-50 Toledo, Ohio 16,000 16,000.00 Troy, N. Y. 7,000 7,000.00 Utica, N. Y. 7,000 7,000.00 Washington, D. C. 33,000 33,890.04 890.04 102 Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 6,000 6,000.00 Worcester, Mass. 14,000 50.00 13,950.00 5-14 Youngstown, Ohio 7,000 550.00 6,450.00 7

In the case of Scranton the committee in a short time after its organization secured $8,000 of its $12,000 apportionment. By reason of a serious mine disaster in the vicinity of Scranton the members of the committee were compelled to devote their efforts to the raising of a large relief fund. The Red Cross has therefore accepted the $8,000 as completing Scranton’s apportionment.

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