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112 THE NIGHTINGALE FUND.
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
1 The Council.—C. H. Bracebridge, Esq.; ...
In tlie appendix is given a table of tlie hours for day and night work respectively . Lectures of a practical character are kindly
given to the probationers by several of the members of the medical staff of the hospital ; viz ., Dr . Bernays , Dr . Brinton , and Mr .
! Le Gros Clark , as well as by Mr . Whitfield , the resident medical officer . The chaplain has also , twice a weekkindly given a short
, lecture on a religious subject . The probationers , while in the wardsare under the immediate superintendence of the sisterwho
keeps , a daily record of their conduct , specifying the manner in which , the several duties above referred to are performedand this journal
, is inspected and the result entered in the register , with other particulars , by the matron and resident medical officer . Thirty-nine
probationers had been admitted up to the close of the second year _, at Midsummer , 1862 . Of these , some were dismissed and others
resigned after a short probation . Twenty-two completed their training , so as to entitle them to be registered as certificated
nurses-Of these , some have been appointed to hospitals or union infirmaries in the provinces ; the remainder are at present retained as
nurses at St . Thomas ' s . Their wages vary from £ 20 to £ 25 , with board and lodging . It is considered desirable that the probationers
should , if possible , spend a second year at St . Thomas's as regular nurses . They are thus enabled to enjoy the advantage of a further
and very valuable experience before going out on a more independent footing . The annual expense involved in the execution of
the above scheme is about £ 900 per annum , or £ 60 for each probationer .
The next object which presented itself as affording * scope for the employment of the available surplus income of the Fund was the
training of midwifery nurses . It is believed that the want is deeply felt , especially in country parishes and provincial towns , of
women properly qualified to attend upon the wives of the poor in their confinements , and to take charge of the infants . As a rule ,
the class of women who are so employed are most incompetent , and oftenif fairly competentdo not bear the most respectable
charac-, , ters . It was therefore considered that , if means were afforded for acquiring the requisite training at a small cost , those who are
interested in the welfare of their poorer neighbours would be induced to select and send a fitting person to be trainedwith a
, view to their subsequent permanent employment in the immediate locality , and under the superintendence of those who should
undertake this responsibility . It is believed that women so trained , acting under the clergy and medical men , would be a great boon to
every populous parish , and that whilst probably requiring some pecuniary aid in the outsetthey would eventually be enabled to
, support themselves . There was some difficulty in fixing upon an institution which afforded the requisite means of . training , together
with that supervision over the pupil nurses , while not under
112 The Nightingale Fund.
112 THE NIGHTINGALE FUND .
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Citation
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English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), April 1, 1863, page 112, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01041863/page/40/
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