Firland Sanatorium School of Nursing - Fir Log Yearbook (Seattle, WA)

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if 11212 ' t' 'fi . at-A DIME' V. P .gvigitnfim .4 4 W m i . everything that's new in baby care, or most likely everything modern not so good regarding this baby care unless under the direction of their family physician. Beside baby clinics and more balty clinics, our little cadet informs us that she is going to visit a juvenile Court in session and that she is posted to spend two days Boarding Home Inspector. These two phases in her new Health Nurse brought a hidden thrill to her voice and eyes, one hears so much nowadays about Juvenile Courts, Divorce are the same by any means, but they often do overlap-as to homes for children, that too, is quite the modern invention. most interesting and instructive for our little cadet to get the with the Children's experience as Public for she confided that Courts, not that they supervised boarding Wie knew it would be low-down on these much talked of institutions. VVe were also informed that a day would be spent observing the technique of the Quarantine Division, followed up by assisting at a Dental Clinic, and later at the General Clinic, with an oppor- tunity of visiting the Social Service Department of the Department of lflealth in Seattle. Our little cadet also will have the opportunity to familiarize herself with the Confidential Exchange which often has proven itself an asset, economically and professionally. and as a saver of time and energy when dealing with the various social, economic and medical family problems which are encountered during the course of her daily routine. As we live over these moments of whirling activity- you, too, have found it most interesting and instructive and we hope productive when you, too, take on the little blue uniform and stroll down the avenues of Post Graduate work in the knowledge of Public Health Nursing Service. Before we Hy on to our hnal held of service, T wish to tell you that along with the foregoing nursing and professional procedure in this field work, excursions were taken once or twice a week to various organizations and institutions of interest to Public Health Nurses. Each excursion is supervised and accompanied by lectures and demonstrations of great value to each cadet nurse, who dreams of the day when she, too, will utilize her knowledge in the term called service. M ay we wish her well along her rugged path and with sympathy and loving kindness let us welcome her. lVe shall take our Final Hight into the held of the Tuberculosis Clinic. As we are ushered into the room we see many familiar and smiling faces which greet us with a memory of good old Sanatoria days when a steady, regular, daily routine proved not only a faithful agent of health, but also a helpful one. Today these same 'health graduates' were here for a recheck in a physical examination after a release of some six to eighteen months previous to this time, from a supposedly fatal bed. As we glance up we see coming in the door no other than our little smiling cadet. XYe learn that she has just come from the home of a tuberculosis mother who wished to make preparation for an entry into the Sanatoria, so as to protect her family, and her friends, as well as to learn to live with tuberculosis so that she may continue to serve her family, her friends, and her community. We note that our cadet has four small children with her, whom she has brought to the clinic for a recheck physical examination and for a Mantoux reading. She tells us how she lost her way in search of these little ones, and of how complicated the streets seemed upon her lirst visit to the home, and of how difhcult it was to see the house. somewhere beyond a huge bluff or cliff. and that after she got that lar it was still dozens of yards to the little home, but now that she found it, she nas -50-

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ing and filing cases by mail, by phone, by wire,-to this doctor, to that doctor, to the County Social XVelfare Department, or to some county or state official, depend- ing upon the nature of the case. Wfhile here, we get a glimpse of her interviewing a young mother regarding her new baby. There, we see her interviewing an elderly gent who wishes transportation to his home in the southern part of the state, or even to California, and over there, another man waiting his turn in requesting much needed employment because of his ever-increasing family. Over there, in waiting, a mother with her crippled son anxiously waiting the returns of a con- ference regarding orthopedic aid. Then a call by phone requests a placing of a post-Sanatoria arrested tuberculosis patient in a desirable home until her family find the means to take her to their home. These and many other problems of similar nature confront this pal of public service. That evening we learn that our little cadet has, by special invitation been admittedito the District Medical Society Conference, as a co-worker for the good of the cause. Tomorrow there is to be a meeting of the County Commissioners, at which she is to report to them this, that, or the other civic problem which bears heavily upon the health or finance of the citizens of the county. The following week we note she is listed to speak at the Business Men's Club, the Garden Club, and this followed by a luncheon date with state officials who are surveying the health conditions of the county. Wfe note, too, that the District Public Health nurses are holding a conference of note and which we learn our cadet is planning to attend. As we Wave good-bye to our little cadet nurse, our motor speeds rapidly over mountain and valley as we leave the county. In leaving we are more than ever impressed upon the grave responsibility that is given our public health nurses as health teachers and public servants. NVe realize more than ever the need of thoroughly trained, capable, broad-minded, and far- visioned young women with the idea of true service at heart and a pure mind to serve all who need her care. In dealing with the numerous medical duties and problems she must also be capable and ,prepared in carrying and meeting civic, economic, as well as social disturbances that arise along her journey of service to the citizens of the county she serves. From here we will step into the Child Wfelfare Division of the Department of Health of Seattle. Needless to say, but over there we notice our little cadet, all starched up in her dainty blue uniform, all in readiness for two more weeks of very fascinating, instructive and productive field work. Here, as in the previous branches of the required service she is under constant supervision of the Child Wfelfare Director and her fine staff of assistants. NVhile in this department our little cadet again has the opportunity of putting her previous academic and prac- tical knowledge into effect and again learn by observing and doing. Here she adds to her knowledge of organizing and managing baby clinics, but this time it is in a large city. Here she assists with the weighing, measuring, and recording of each case, assists with the eye, ear, nose and throat examination by a specialized Specialist. She brings infants and small children to and from the clinic wherever illness is in the home and no one else about to do so. Here she has the opportunity of acting as a health teacher in the homes of these children in such subjects as daily infant routine, in nutrition and the cookery of certain baby foods. along with instruction to the mother regarding the doctor's orders. Here she also distributes health literature and advises the mother upon good modern reading regarding f-4,4 ,- ulc- gs A , Q 59 9 6 if' at

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-f a i n' ::e'i ' ff--'M-vri - - , ' ' 'fit ,,s'vrg,1s:frt-'1iv-- f,g.1r::'f . ,...., -s i. .. .1 A..,, , . N . , A g t 1 happy. That afternoon our cadet was posted to visit the homes of several health grads or post-Sanatoria patients, who have post-graduated in the art of living with tuberculosis for something like five to twelve years previous to this time. Some of these were anxious to learn more about f'what's new in tuberculosisf' so have sent for requests on new literature available, others wished to know when to come for another physical examination, and still others wishes to be reassured of their well-being regarding more strenuous employment, while others wished a visit from the clinic nurse, so as to be reassured of their understanding the methods of daily post-Sanatoria routine. As we drop in to the Tuberculosis Division on a regular clinic day, we find dozens of patients waiting their turn in having their temperatures, pulses, and weights re-checked by the clinic nurses. Some of these were waiting their turn for physical examination, or for a conference with the medical director or with one of the medical staff doctors, or waiting for a chest X-ray, for a sputum report, or for a pneumothorax, or for a history of past illnesses to be written, or perhaps waiting to report a suspicious case in the family, or that of some neighbor who was anxious. In the far corner, we see the clinic director conferring with a per- spective tuberculosis patient who wishes Sanatoria care. Tn days, out of clinic days, the held nurse calls upon the homes of these same patients, checks upon their health conditions in the home, reads their temperature, records their pulse, and advises them as to the disposal of the sputum g advises them as to ,proper ventilation, and proper nutrition, rest, and exercise, or she may prepare them. for Sanatoria care. Though tuberculosis visiting nursing may appear dry and uninteresting to the majority of outsiders, those who know its duties, understand them, and fathom the intrinsic complications arising from a tuberculosis infection, and knowing that when it is discovered and checked in the earliest stages of development, there is a fine opportunity of a good recovery and a freedom from the active disease, providing, of course, that a proper treatment is executed with a knowledge of their own condition, along with a good dose of self-discipline, and guidance by their physician. VVe hnd the supposedly unfortunate become most fortunate once he learns how to live with his condition, thereby enjoying true happiness in living. He has been forced to take time to study himself, along with the finer points of interest in this thing called life: therefore this phase of the required service proves itself one of the most worth-while of all the field work we have experienced. Our four months of visiting nurse or held work is over. As we glance u:pon the paramount factors of interest during our sojourn in this required service toward a Public Health Certificate we feel, and we know, that the energy, the time, the interests, expended have all been worth while, instructively and pro- ductively. As we look upon the vista of years to come we know that humanity will be the better for having served and been served by those who have gone forth with the spirit of true service at heart and with a pure mind to serve. This has been a long journey too much, but that factors of what we ington while taking and a rugged, but I have succeeded call held work the post-graduate interesting one. T hope I have not tired you in pointing out to you some of the salient in affiliation with the University of XN'ash- course at Firland Sanatorium. -K,-XTHERINE BTAGDEL PRUs.xK, R. N. , at '- 31 1 E' 1 - u