Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 19, Number 1, DeMotte, Jasper County, 3 December 1948 — METHODISTS SEEKING TO ENCOURAGE MORE GIRLS TO BECOME NURSES [ARTICLE]

METHODISTS SEEKING TO ENCOURAGE MORE GIRLS TO BECOME NURSES

A meeting was held last Monday at the Salem Chapel Church near, LaPorte composed of the Presidents of the Womens Societies -of Christian Service and the pastors of the South Bend District. Mrs. Andrew Allen, Mrs. Clyde Story and Rev. W. D. Archibald represented the DeMotte Circuit of churches. One of the purposes of the meeting was to learn more about the need for recruiting more nurses for our hospitals and for the general health of all our people. There were 40,000 empty hospital beds last year because of insufficient numbers of nurses. There were 2,000,000 people who were denied hospitalization because of this shortage. The country needs a minimum of 33,000 new nurses each year. The need for nurses is felt because of the greatly field of nursing service. There are about 435,000 registered nurses in the country. This is about 135,000 more than' in 1940. In 1940 thee were about 10,000,000 hospital patients, but in 1946 there were about 15,000,000. The greatly extended Blue Cross Hospital Plan and many other such plans has greatly extended the need for nurses. And besides this there is and greatly expanded field of Public Health Nursing service and the employment of nurses in industrial plants. • ' \ As inducement to encourage more girls to enter the nursing profession it was pointed out that the nurse is held in high esteem as a part of the community. The opportunities for rendering inestimable service in times of life’s greatest needs is a challenge to make life count for most. The opportunities for a life of service is continuing to be extended as the years move along. The financial remuneration for nursing service is quite satisfactory. The cost of training for a nurse is not nearly so high as for a college At the Gary Methodist Hospital School of Nursing the cost for the three year course is $387.50. The student nurse has board, room, uniforms and medical care while in training. Supt. Milo Anderson said that any girl who desired to be a nurse and was faced with financial difficulties could be provided with a scholarship to cover her expenses. Gills who are interested may have the opportunity to spend a week-end at the School if previous arrangements are made. It is an interdenominational school. A majority of the students are from other than Methodist Churches. It is recognized that not all girls can become nurses. A high standard of scholarship is required. A girl in high school now should seek to keep her the upper half of her class. It

is serious study accompanied by service on the floor of the hospital and so sound health is important. The requirements for a good nurse make high .moral and ethical ideals important in all who would serve in the profession. The Methodist Hospital is a 200 bed hospital. It has recently been expanded to about twice its former size. The School of Nursing also has a building greatly enlarged so that all its appointments are new. The class rooms are quite well fitted with up-to-date equipment. Student rooms are well lighted and airy. Equipment is provided for recreation and social life. Another item of business which was discussed was the caring for the pastors of the Methodist Churches in Germany. It was reported that there was great want in many of their homes because of the poverty in the land. Those who were there agreed that the churches of the South Bend District would adopt 38 of the preachers and 11 preachers widows and support the preachers to the extent of SIO.OO per month and the widows at $5.00 per month supplementing the help they may receive from other sources.