Nursing Precautions in Typhoid

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume IX, Issue 3, 1 July 1916, Page 161

Nursing Precautions in Typhoid

i>\ v. n.

The fact that so many of our trained nurses contract enteric m the execution of their duty, is a matter that seems to call for serious consideration as to the cause, especially as it is a generally accepted opinion m medical and nursing- circles that the use of the proper nursing precautions, as supposed to be taught nurses m training, should reduce the clanger of infection to the nurse to a minimum. After many years of observation m hospitals and with district and private nurses, I am forced to the conclusion that m many of our training schools these precautions are not now being sufficiently emphasised, at any rate, to as far-reach-ing an extent as is necessary. The teaching seeminigly is on too narrow lines only meeting the particular conditions existing m their own Hospital. Nurses should instead be taught during their training to adapt these precautionary measures so that they will be equally effective to the various other conditions and circumstances under which they may be called upon to nurse enteric patients, so as to ensure the necessary measure of safety to themselves as well as others who may have to come m contact with the typhoid patient. It may be that m hospitals where there are city drainage arrangements and sufficient lavatories to allow of certain sinks and closets being reserved for the disposal of typhoid excreta and the disinfecting of linen and utensils used for such patients only or m general wards where adequate disinfection can be used m the drains, etc., that the teaching suits those conditions, but nurses should be taught to contrive and apply the same measures of safety to widely different conditions such as exist. (1) In the country hospitals, where the drainage is by septic tank and where the use of the necessary quantities of disinfectants is considered harmful to the tank, and where frequently the same lavatom accommodation has to suffice for both JHff and patients,

(2) Or m houses, or emergency hospitals, where there are no soil pipe drains or no drains at all. In such cases as Xo. 1, it seems as if the only safe course to pursue is to contrive some other means of disposal for typhoid or other infectious excreta, and on no account to use the general lavatories, and this surely ought to be taught to the nurses. It has been a painful surprise to. discover on occasions that with a Matron ot herwise a well-trained nurse, the one lavatory was used alike for all female patients and staff, and also for the disposal of the typhoid excreta. May 1 be permitted to suggest that more attention should be paid m the nurses' coimse of training to: — (1.) The care of drains generally with special reference to septic tanks and their treatment m the matter of disinfectants or otherwise. (2). More than is at present taught m the way of general and personal hygiene; domestic and rural sanitation (especially if our nurses are to be really efficient as district and school nurses). (3.) The means to use for the safe disposal of typhoid and other infectious excreta in — (a). Private houses where there is city drainage. (b). Private houses or hospitals where there is septic tank drainage. (c). Private houses, camp hospitals, etc., where there is no drainage system and a danger of infecting a water plyTf some of the State examination questions could always embody these points, there would soon be an effort made for better teaching of these subjects of which ! know many of our best nurses are appallingly ignorant, and consequently cannot be the efficient helpers m the public health crusade that they should be, or efficient teachers of probationers.