The Nursing of Tuberculosis

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume VI, Issue 2, 1 April 1913, Page 41

The Nursing of Tuberculosis

Despite the great amount of interest which for the last few years lias been taken m the campaign against the great white plague by professional people, and by the public generally, we fear that the nurses of New Zealand have not yet awakened to the fact that m all the plans for the conduct of the proposed campaign, the nurse is an indispeiv ible factor.

We say they have not awakened, for few indeed are those who have m any way qualified themselves to take any responsible part m the warfare.

In past times nurses m their ordinary training saw' more of the phthisical patient for be was treated m tic general wards. Now he is sent to the various sanitoria, and only those who are too far gone to require or

respond to treatment are nursed m their special department of the general hospital. The nursing treatment of consumptives does not greatly appeal to the ordinary trained nurse, though she, as a rule, has to administer much of the treatment prescribed such as giving injections and watching their effect, alloting diet and watching over exercise, work and recreation. The reason may be that she is not taken into the confidence of the doctor and interested m the scientific side of the work. She has not the knowledge to appreciate the finer details or the objects of the treatment, and so cannot understand it or be so keenly interested m it as she can a surgical operation. We have read m late journals of the attempt to prepare nurses for

their work which has recently been inaugurated at the Brompton Chest Hospital. It had already been intended to start some such course of training m the sanitoria of this Dominion, which arc qom four m number, and advantage has been taken of the example set at Home, and the curriculum of training there commenced to draw the attention of the Hospital Boards controlling the sanitoria to the necessity for providing instruction for the nurses required to act as dispensary nurses, and otherwise aid m the work of tuberculosis treatment.

We hope that m a short time, with the co-operation of those m charge of the sanitoria, a course of special post graduate

training may be available. This m conjunction with staff positions, carrying a fair salary, should induce women who wish t<» learn something of the modem treatment of the disease which above all others occupies the attention of the whole civilised world to-day, to seek eagerly after the positions which now are so hard to fill by nurses who are competent to help to bring about the good results obtainable. In this age of specialisation it is well for every nurse of ambition to add to her general training any other branches of professional knowledge available, and then to choose m what direction she can devote her energies to the best advantage possible.