Duties of the Floor Nurse

[Cynthiann]

I'm reading a book about nursing and thought some of you might find this interesting:

Duties of the Floor Nurse

Circa 1887

In addition to caring for your 60 patients, each nurse will follw these regulations:

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

2. Maintain an even temperature in your 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 the 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 every day at 7am and will leave at 8 pm, except on the Sabbath on which day you will be off from 12 noon to 2pm.

6. Graduate nurses in good standing with the Director of Nurses will be given an evening off each week if you go regularly to church.

7. Each nurse should lay aside from each pay day a good sum of her earnings for her benefits during her declining years, so that she will not become a burden. for example, if you earn $20 a month you should set aside $10.

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

9. The nurse performs her labors, serves her patients and doctors faithfully and without fault for a period of 5 years will be given an increase by the hospital administration of 5 cents a day providing there are no hospital debts that are outstanding.

[twarlik]

:roll

#8 is my favorite!

Originally posted by Cynthiann

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

[CVnurse08]

I know I love that "get your hair done at a beauty parlor" thing !!

Too funny !! :) :)

[Noney]

What a horrible life these woman led!

It make you wonder how horrible their circumstance most have been to lead them to nursing in the first place.

[sweetdreams]

60 patients!!! I didn't realize HMOs had been around that long.

Thanks for the info

[Shiva_Las_Vegas]

All I can say is WOW.

[NICU_Nurse, BSN, RN]

"The nurse's notes are important in aiding the physician's work. Make your pens carefully, you may whittle nibs to your individual taste. " is my personal favorite! You may whittle nibs to your indivudual taste?!? How considerate! Plus, for some reason, I like the phrase "whittle nibs." So much potential in that phrase.

And am I understanding that they got 2 hours a week off of work (on the Sabbath)? Holy cow.

[Gampopa]

9. The nurse performs her labors, serves her patients and doctors faithfully and without fault for a period of 5 years will be given an increase by the hospital administration of 5 cents a day providing there are no hospital debts that are outstanding.

Some things never change :chuckle