6/21/06

Antiquated Nursing Guidelines

These guidelines were taken from an old nursing book written 111 years ago..
Each nurse was expected to do the following:

l. Daily sweep and mop the floors of your ward, dust the patient's furniture and window sills.

2. Maintain an even temperature in the ward by bringing in a scuttle of coal for the day's business.

3. Light is important to observe the patient's condition.
Therefore, each day, fill kerosene lamps, clean chimneys and trim wicks.
Wash windows once a week.

4. The nurse's notes are important in aiding the physician's work.
Make your pens carefully; you may whittle nibs to your individual taste.

5. Each nurse on day duty will report at 7 a.m. and leave at 8 p.m. except on the Sabbath, on which day you will be off from 12 noon to 2 p.m.

6. Graduate nurses in good standing with the Director or Nurses will be given an evening off each week for courting purposes or two evenings a week if you go regularly to church.

7. Each nurse should lay aside from each pay day a goodly sum of her earnings for the benefits during her declining years so that she will not become a burden to her family. For example, if you earn $30 a month, you should set aside $15.

8. Any nurse who smokes, uses liquor in any form, gets her hair done at a beauty shop or frequents dance halls will give the Director of Nurses good reason to suspect her worth, intentions and integrity.

9. The nurse who performs her labors and serves her patients and doctors without fault for five years, will be given an increase of 5 cents a day, providing there are no hospital debts outstanding."

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