Job description for floor nurses in a hospital in 1887

[JohnRN]

conlor sent me this one.


In addition to caring for your 50 patients, each nurse will follow these regulations:

1. Daily sweep and mop the floors of your ward, dust the patient's furniture and windowsills.

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. Wash the windows once a week.

4. The nurse's notes are important in aiding the 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 you will be off from 12 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 without fault for five years will be given an increase of five cents a day, providing there are no hospital debts outstanding.



I'm petrified....

[odannyboy]

Great post John.You know, this was an early indicator of why labor unions sprang into existence, starting with the Ford Motor Company and growing from there. Remember, those horror stories you hear from Third World countries existed right here at the turn of the century. Remember the worst industrial fire ever, the Triangle Shirtwaist fire, was women working under similar conditions.

http://www.historybuff.com/library/refshirtwaist.html

[filthybeast]

I might be interested in the ones who Drink and Smoke! Send Pic's

[se0sea]

thats the way it was back then.hard to believe.

Odannyboy,tanks for the link. my grandmother witnessed that fire. I remember her telling us about it one night at our house. she worked in the sweatshop directly across the street.she too was a seamstress in that kind of environment.

[JohnRN]

I'm debating if I ought to share this with my Nursing class listserv...

[JohnRN]

I can't imagine using the words "courting purposes" now-a-days

[se0sea]

Originally Posted by John.

I'm debating if I ought to share this with my Nursing class listserv...

go for it John