Augustana Hospital School of Nursing - Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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' ...m. 1rM112fQsfQ smear Letter From an Augustana Nurse But Don't Expect Him to Love You. Cur days are growing longer. Last Friday, early morning, I spent in my hiking outfit, and with five ofl my very best friends-all girls-whom I have met during my nursing career. Vocaf tionally they are a cook, a stenographer, a saleslady, a student, and a teacher. We walked two miles into the country, and enjoyed breakfast with a dear little widow, whom we have searched out some time ago. She is such a fine cook, and mother to us, believes young ladies should hike in the open before eating, and plans her meals accordingly. On our way to her little abode we were quite riotousg and upon our return, infinitely happy. It was altogether a pleasing adventure. On Saturday I wakened thinking of my pleasant jaunt of the morning before and wishing with all my heart that I could soon nurse out there where I recently felt so happy. Then almost in accordance with my wish, the lady at the registry called me to go even farther into the country than where I played the day before. A trolley brot me, however, within a mile of my destination. I walked the mile for my luggage was light. My approach toward the little stucco house with its pretty natural surroundings and ample stables was a pleasant and peacefinspiring one. The front door opened directly into the livingfroom, from which I heard fwhile removing my galoshes and shaking the snow from my wrapsj a woman's voice say, They are doing it in the city dear and Iwill do it, even in spite of you. And then the man's reply, I will endure anything on this earth but that-a bobfhaired wife. Vxfhy, remember dear you are the mother of my two sons, you must retain your dignity. The man's voice was rather impatient, so it was time for me to rap loudly on the door. He who opened and politely bade me welcome seemed quite disturbed. His wife was reclining on a couch in the living room and told me she was compelled to send for me, as she had spent a week in the city Chicago, where she had eaten something which made her very sick and unable to care for her baby. She explained that he would not take food, except in his bottle, consequently he was becoming undernourf ished. Here the man interrupted with, L'Pardon me young lady, but are we to lose faith in the trained nurse? We have had four nurses in our home within the last four months, and each one has failed to make our baby take the solid food which he needs so badly. He did not wait for my reply, but left the room abruptly and the almost immediately returned with my patient, a thirteenfmonths old baby, in his arms. A volley of shouts and shrieks and my inaudible, Hello sweet baby, I have come to help you eat, completed our introduction. Very much frightened the little fellow wrestled his way out of the iather's arms and 1'3.11 into the kitchen. I folf Page sixty-four

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,i..lt.- iTH4IIE7Q5!Q 5355! lowed to find that he took refuge in the arms of a dear little old Norwegian lady, who was the housefkeeper here. The rest of the day was spent in trying to learn much about baby. He took the half of his bottle feeding each time for the rest of the day, only under one conf sideration, that I would leave him and keep far from him. After giving his bath, I felt very much as if I had had ai shower bath myself, and decided as long as he could kick like that, he could do much besides, perhaps even eat solid food. Eavesdropping once more, and unintentionally, on the way to the dining room to have dinner with the family, this I heard, Mother, I wonder if this nurse is a disciplinarian. I have made up my mind long ere this that nurses pinch spoiled youngsters when they put them to bed, hear him cry, will you? Father, I think this nurse knows her business. I have asked her what foods baby should have at thirteen months of age, she seemed to know without a doubt. I like the length of her uniform, the long sleeves and high neck of it, her kind voice, straightfforward glance, also that knot of gold on the back of her head, sensible to say the least. I just feel she'll make our baby eat. Do you really like the knot on the back of her head, and think she is sensible, mother? Well! Well! My coming into their presence at this time silenced them. At the dinner table the mother said to me, XVe are leaving the baby to you entirely, please let us know what we can do to help you, but don't expect him to love you. He doesn't take to people, especially nurses I have found. Later, upon longfdistance telephone conversation with the child specialist in the nearby city, I found that serious symptoms of malnutrition had already appeared in the child, and that the lack of proper nourishment at this time, was looked upon with great concern. Sunday, baby was every bit as much afraid of me as before. Neither of his morning feedings at six or ten were satisfactory. Each bottle was only half taken, and no success with solid food, for I found that he was as much afraid of a spoon as he was of me, At the two o'clock feeding I prepared a tray with his share of the family dinner, fone baked potato, one tablespoon boiled carrot, and a dish of apple' saucej. And with a promise from his parents that they would not interfere, I took tray in one hand, baby on the other arm, and went to his room, putting him onto his back in his bed, I held him down the best I could with my left hand and man' ipulated the spoon with my other. With an occasional look of horror at the tray he screamed and fought every bit of the food. I was sure, however, that he tasted of each, for I ascertained that he swallowed in sympathy with my pantomine of chewing and swallowing for his benefit. It was a great surprise to me to ind that instead of crying for sympathy when he first saw his people after this ordeal, he only said, 'LDa, making a fhappy-tofhavefit over withj smile for all around him, except me. At five in the afternoon I put him in his higlvchair at the table to eat his cereal and prune pulp, which he did very nicely, and held out his spoon afterward saying, LLMo, meaning more, a word he had previously learned in regard to his Page .vzxly