The time of the day at which medicines are given is extremely important. We will give you an example of this. We ordered Mrs. —— a sleeping draught containing chloral to be given at 9 P.M. The nurse, Mrs. ——’s daughter, forgot to give the draught at the time stated, so she gave it her as soon as she woke up in the morning! If you forget to give physic at the time stated—especially if it is a draught to be given at bedtime—do not give it at all until you have again seen the physician. But there is no excuse for anyone to forget to give the patient his medicine at the right time.
Before the physician calls see that the room is tidy and the place well arranged. Of course we can do our business as well in a coal-cellar as in a palace. But you have no idea what a difference it makes to yourself and your patient if the physician is not inconvenienced in any way. We are all human, and if we see that the nurse is doing her best to make her patient comfortable, it stimulates us to do all that we possibly can. And if the nurse is an amateur, and we see that she is giving her whole attention to her work, we are more likely to relieve and instruct her as far as lies in our power. If when we call we see the room is in disorder, with stale food about the place and signs of negligence on the part of the nurse, we are inclined to get away as soon as possible, knowing that whatever we order stands a very fair chance of remaining undone.
One last word. You have a very great advantage over trained nurses in that, as you are related to the invalid, you can cheer him, you can read to him, and generally comfort him.
We have nothing to say against trained nurses. In some diseases the help of a woman skilled in nursing is essential. What we want to do is to impress upon every woman the fact that it may become her duty to nurse her relative or friend, and that, if she will put her whole mind into the work, she will be as competent to nurse invalids through most diseases as are her specially skilled sisters.
[SHEILA’S COUSIN EFFIE.]
A STORY FOR GIRLS.
By EVELYN EVERETT-GREEN, Author of “Greyfriars,” “Half-a-dozen Sisters,” etc.