Textbook of Nursing-1902!!!!

[zumalong]

I thought it would be cool to start a thread about nursing has and has not changed during nurses week. But I want to go one step further: I have an antique book that dates back to 1900. I found this on ebay several years ago--and forgot I had it. It is quite the contrast to nurses of today, but in others it is all about why we all became nurses. I shall take some exerpts and see what you think.

A Text-Book of Nursing (for the training schools, families, and private students)

Compiled by Clara S. Weeks-Shaw(wow two last names way back then--I must google this person)

Second Edition

New York

1900.

ON BECOMING A NURSE: (all are taken directly from textbook as written)

"Until within a few years, the nursing in our hospitals was committed to the hands of women of the lowest, often of the criminal, classes, chosen without regard to character or capacity...no self respecting person would voluntarily adopt; and "sairy Gamp" was recognized, not as the amusing creation of a novelist, but as the common type and representative of the nursing class

But a prejudice against the intsruction of nures was entertained at the outset by some of hte medical profession, who feared that educated nurses would trench upon their own province, and…would immediately proceed to the practice of therapeutics on their own…

Unimpaired health and power of endurance, intelligence and common sense, are primary essentials for a nurse. She should be a person of even, cheerful temperament, not easily irritated or confused—for to lose temper or presence of mind in the sickroom is fatal to usefulness. She must have acute perceptions, habits of correct observation and accurate statement, and some manual dexterity. She needs to be quiet, neat and systematic, and capable of eternal vigilance…

When you have once undertaken the care of the sick person, his welfare if of course understood to become your first consideration…your duties may be classified as threefold: Those which you owe to yourself, those due to the physician under whose direction you work, and such as relate immediately to the patient…

Even a nurse is but human; you cannot retain your vigor and consequent usefulness without a due allowance of rest, food and exercise. It is your duty, as well as your right, to insist upon securing these, and to take proper time for the care of your own person.

To the doctor, the first duty is that of obedience—absolute fidelity to his orders, even if the necessity of the prescribed measures is not apparent to you. You have no responsibility beyond that of faithfully carrying out the directions received…

The prejudice against cleanliness and fresh air, which even in this enlightened age…must be combated firmly, though always kindly…persuade a patient to submit to having his room suitable ventilated; among the ignorant, and still more unaccountable, is the dread of clean clothes…

As a rule, whatever tends to keep the invalid quiescent and contented is good for him…a tranquil, peaceful, though cheery atmosphere should prevail…do not call upon him for decisions, even of small matters, but decide for him…

But the ideal nurse, the one worthy of her high calling, is inspired by love, not policy, and her sympathies are broad and universal…

“Love never faileth;///

Love suffereth long, and is kind;

Love envieth not;

Love vauneth not itself, is not puffed up,

Doth not behave itself unseemly,

Seeketh not her own,

Is not easily provoked,

Thinketh no evil….

Beareth all things, …hopeth all things,

Endureth all things.” (Page 24)

Sorry about any typos. Sairy Gamp was (from Google) created by Charles Dickens Sairy Gamp, the fat, old midwife and nurse with hoorifice voice and red nose. For over fifty years she was the negative metaphor for midwives and nurses.

Hope you all enjoy. I will post more next time about nursing care.

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

"To the doctor, the first duty is that of obedience--absolute fidelity to his orders, even if the necessity of the prescribed measures is not apparent to you. You have no responsibility beyond that of faithfully carrying out the directions received..."

Well, there's one tradition I'll happily leave in the past.

[lpn1313]

Unimpaired health and power of endurance, intelligence and common sense, are primary essentials for a nurse.

Common sense:uhoh3: , I think I'm in trouble

She should be a person of even, cheerful temperament, not easily irritated or confused

I've been called many things- even tempered is not one of them!

some manual dexterity

.

YES! I'm convinced that you have to be able to hold and use at least 10 things at the same time

She needs to be quiet, neat and systematic, and capable of eternal vigilance…

Can I post this at work?- especially the neat part?

Even a nurse is but human;

I've met a few whose humanity I question:devil:

To the doctor, the first duty is that of obedience—absolute fidelity to his orders, even if the necessity of the prescribed measures is not apparent to you. You have no responsibility beyond that of faithfully carrying out the directions received…

And thank you so much Doctor. When I'm done with this, may I starch your shirts? Faithfully carring out the order?!?! Only if the doctor's gonna pay my bills when that lawsuit hits me for doing such a dumb thing!:trout:

among the ignorant, and still more unaccountable, is the dread of clean clothes…

Don't let them hear you call them ignorant...

do not call upon him for decisions, even of small matters, but decide for him…

Excuse me, have you seen my patient's bill of rights laying around? I seem to have lost it.

Wow, that's some really funny stuff. Although I can think of a few people that sort of nurse would appeal to nowadays:uhoh3:

]

[zumalong]

I remember hearing from older nurses when I first started (now Im the older nurse...sigh) about how they used to get up and give their chairs to the docs even it was the first time they had sat down in 12 hours. Yeah--right. Then I worked at a very small hosp in a rural area teaching LPN's and I saw several nurses do this for the docs. I never did fit in on that unit...wonder why???

[oramar]

"To the doctor, the first duty is that of obedience--absolute fidelity to his orders, even if the necessity of the prescribed measures is not apparent to you. You have no responsibility beyond that of faithfully carrying out the directions received..."

Well, there's one tradition I'll happily leave in the past.

You know, I think that statement is related to the belief back then that every woman had to be supervised by a man all the time. Father, husband or in this case doctor. People would not have been able to handle the idea of a female functioning independantly in those days. The truth was that a LOT of women were functioning independantly back then, unfortunately the societal delusion that these nurses were being supervised by a man every minute had to be maintained. Then as now, a nurse would be responsible for the welfare of large numbers of sick and injured people and would have to had made a lot of independant judgement calls. I am positive that is one thing that has not changed.

[buddiage]

"To the doctor, the first duty is that of obedience--absolute fidelity to his orders, even if the necessity of the prescribed measures is not apparent to you. "

Call me ignorant, but don't you think doctors are happy if we catch potential mistakes? And just think of nursing history- the dregs of society once were assigned the duty of nursing...and it used to be something entrenched in the church...

Clearly, this was written in a time where men ruled over women (hey, women couldn't vote). There weren't women doctors and there weren't male nurses. Sticking to hard core gender roles was totally normal (and somehow, men, nations, and leaders have invoked God as needed for centuries for whatever cause they personally benefited from).

So glad to have been born in the 1970's... I think I would've been a trouble maker had I not been.