Subsidiary Notes as to the Introduction of Female Nursing into Military Hospitals in Peace and War

by Florence Nightingale

1. The Nurse’s day-room should be on the ground floor.

2. Ward-Master’s Sleeping-room.

2. The Ward-Master should sleep in his room on the second or highest floor; should the Nurses sleep in the Pavilion, the Ward-Master should still sleep in it.

In the event of the Pavilions being arranged end to end, as already suggested, the difficulty in regard to Nurses’ and Ward-Masters’ rooms would be materially diminished.

3. Where should Orderlies Sleep?

3. I think, but am not sure, that the Orderlies had better sleep away from their wards, but I would leave this to be settled by the Doctors. In cases of sudden outbursts of danger, delirium, or drunkenness, from the results of concealed spirits, and of the Surgeon being sent for, it is useful to have, at once, other than the Night Orderly at hand. And a part of what has been said as to the importance of the Head Nurse sleeping near her ward, applies to the Orderlies. Yet there are important reasons why the Orderlies should not be or feel too much at home in their wards; and if the authorities are disposed to try the plan of lodging the Orderlies together, away from their wards, they are probably right, though I should not be surprised if, after a fair trial, it were found better to revert to the having them near the ward. The Pavilion Plan, which, on the one hand, gives all concerned more liberty of doing wrong than the block plan, and which, on the other, renders it more difficult to call in help, whether of supervisor or of Orderlies, if help is suddenly wanted in the night, makes it the more desirable to let the authorities take quite their own way, as to this.

4. Where should Orderlies Dine?

4. I think the Orderlies had better have their cooked meals sent them into the wards. Of course, they can only eat together in detachments; but in many cases, the absence of even one of the Orderlies would be very inconvenient. Perhaps just as the bell rings to summon to the common meal, something is going on which requires all the ward service; the man either goes late to a cold dinner, or goes away just when he is wanted. If his dinner is brought to him in one of these emergencies, it is put by to keep warm till it is over. Regularity as to meals, as far as possible, should be strictly attended to; and is, in all well-regulated wards: and it is well, where, as in some Hospitals, there is a fixed hour for meals; but it would seem better that the meals should come to the ward servants than the ward servants go to their meals.

5. Should Orderlies be brought together?

5. In the case of Civil Hospitals served by women, it is very important that each Head-Nurse, and each set of Assistant-Nurses, should sleep, eat, and live in the ward and its appertaining rooms, and not assemble together more than can be avoided. With Orderlies the case is partly different. Still I would not unnecessarily bring them all together, any more than allow them to be too much at home in their wards.