When people think about the medical community, their thoughts often go directly to doctors or perhaps it may go the other direction, toward first responders. Nurses, however, provide the bulk of the work that is done in many medical settings, from local doctors offices to hospitals.
As a medical professional, nurses provide services that help save people’s lives. In addition, they also provide us with other benefits as well when we aren’t feeling our best, such as comfort and kindness.
Looking back through time, it is interesting to see how the progression of the profession has changed over the years. As an example, looking back only 128 years ago to 1887, there were specific rules that nurses had to follow. These guidelines are quite different than what they are today.
In addition to being responsible for caring for 50 patients each, a nurse had to follow each and every one of these strict guidelines. If you think that the job is tough today, wait till you see this.
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.
4. The nurse’s notes are important in aiding your 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 7 a.m. and leave at 8 p.m., except on the Sabbath, on which day she will be off from noon to 2 p.m.
6. Graduate nurses in good standing with the director of 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 payday a goodly sum of her earnings for her benefits during her declining years, so that she will not become a burden. 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 faithfully and without fault for a period of five years will be given an increase by the hospital administration of five cents per day.
Via: Little Things