Workhouse Nursing: The story of a successful experimentNightingale, Florence
History
Workhouse Nursing: The story of a successful experiment
Nightingale, Florence
Nursing; Poor -- Medical care
As far, therefore, as my experience extends of the system of
trained nurses, whether regarding the saving of life, the
restoration to health, or the relief of the suffering, it has been
an undoubted success.
These reports were duly considered by the authorities; and after
some discussion, it was resolved entirely to discontinue, in the
male hospital ward, the employment of paupers as assistant nurses,
and to substitute an additional number of probationers. A
Sub-Committee of the Workhouse Committee was appointed to
superintend and report upon the working of the system. These
gentlemen devoted much time and attention to the subject, and at the
close of the year undertook a minute inquiry into the operation of
the old and new systems; examining personally the various officers
of the Workhouse, from the Governor down to the pauper nurses in the
female wards. Increased experience brought out in a yet stronger
light the superior advantages of the employment of trained nurses.
The very able, clear, and conclusive report of the Sub-Committee
leaves little more to be said on the subject. It determined the
Vestry to adopt the system in permanence, and to extend it to the
whole of the Workhouse Infirmary, a year before the period fixed for
the trial of the experiment had expired. It will be seen that the
report of the second year’s experience has a peculiar value, as
bearing on the question whether, or how far, women may be competent
to undertake one of the most delicate and difficult kinds of
feminine work—one requiring special knowledge as well as special
habits of punctual regularity, obedience, and thoughtfulness—without
receiving any special training or education for such a duty. If the
reforms about to be introduced into the pauper hospitals in London
and elsewhere are not to end in failure and disappointment,
provision must be made for training the nurses to be employed there,
either before they enter the hospitals or within them.
The report of the Sub-Committee of Superintendence is as follows:—
The Special Committee on Nursing, pursuant to resolution of the
Workhouse Committee of the 7th of March instant, report,
That the Men’s Hospital (exclusive of fever patients) is at
present exclusively nursed by skilled, _i. e._ specially trained
nurses and paid assistants, who are themselves undergoing training
as nurses; the staff consisting of the Superintendent, nine of the
nurses originally sent from the Nightingale School, five nurses
who have been trained in the Workhouse, and fifteen probationary
or assistant nurses.
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