because of this large increase that schools of nursing have been able to supply nursing care for over half of the patients in civilian hospitals and to send senior cadets to the military hospitals in growing numbers. That these students have successfully shouldered such a large share of the Nation's civilian and made a small contribution to military nursing is due to the efforts of nursing-school teachers and administrators. Because we believe that schools cannot go on admitting such large classes if the number of teachers and administrators is further depleted, we urge that a directive be sent to the commanding generals of the service command, placing greater emphasis on the need to declare as essential in her civil capacity any nurse who is engaged in the teaching or administrative activities in a school of nursing, such as directors of schools and nursing services, their assistants, teachers, supervisors, and head nurses. Respectfully yours, RUTH SLEEPER, R. N. In closing, I repeat, the National League of Nursing Education supports in principle a selective-service act for women, with a draft of nurses as the first step, in order to meet military needs, and a national service act to meet civilian needs. STATEMENT OF RUTH HOULTON, NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING Miss HOULTON. The National Organization for Public Health Nursing, comprising a membership of 10,247 nurses, 351 public health nursing agencies, 833 nonnurse citizens interested in the maintenance of community public health nursing services, and 21 State branches, has concurred in principle with amendment of the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 to include nurses if this becomes necessary in order to secure good nursing care for our soldiers and sailors. The following resolution in regard to a nurses' draft was passed at the annual meeting of the board of directors of the National Organization for Public Health Nursing on January 26, 1945: The board of directors of the National Organization for Public Health Nursing endorses in principle an amendment to the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 to include registration and selection of all women who may be needed for the inilitary. In proportion to its numbers, the nursing profession has responded on a voluntary basis more generally than any other group of women, nearly one-third of the total number of active graduate registered nurses having applied for service wiht the armed forces. However, because of the urgent need for nursing serviee on both military and civilian fronts, and because of the length of time required for professional training, special action with regard to the selection of nurses may be needed as a preliminary step toward drafting women if the course of the war requires it and recruitment of nurses on a voluntary basis does not meet the need. The board of directors also expresses its belief that the Procurement and Assignment Service of the War Manpower Commission should be maintained and strengthened at this time and that its classifiction be used as a guide to the selection of nurses. The National Organization for Public Health Nursing reemphasizes the importance of maintaining a minimum of essential public health nursing service for the protection of local communities and suggests that all public health nursing agencies and nurses abide by the Procurement and Assignment classification Public healt hnurses are trained for and experienced in giving care from home to home on an hourly basis, supervising nursing care given by others, and teaching household members to give needed care. In this way they make an important contribution to the economical use of the restricted amount of nursing services available to the 70840-45- -9 civilian population. In addition to care of the sick, the work of public health nurses is recognized to be of importance in protection against and control of communicable diseases, in maternity and child health services, such as those provided for women and children of men in certain grades of military service, and in keeping the industrial worker on the job. The N. O. P. H. N. believes that the classifications set forth by the Procurement and Assignment Service should guide the selection of nurses as an aid to maintaining minimum essential community nursing. (A letter submitted by Senator Kilgore follows:) WEST VIRGINIA STATE NURSES' ASSOCIATION, INC., Hon. HARLEY M. KILGORE, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR KILGORE: This letter is in reference to H. R. 2277, soon to be considered by your Senate Military Affairs Committee. We trust if it is agreed that a draft for nurses is necessary, that all amendments suggested by the American Nurses' Association and now incorporated in the bill be retained. We trust, also, that a draft for nurses will be but the first step in a selective service act for all women, and that it will be seen that a general service act to secure personnel for civilian hospitals is also necessary. We firmly believe, however, that your honorable body will feel a draft of nurses is not necessary when you review the following facts: 1. That while 14,700 nurses volunteered and submitted applications to the Army during January, only a very small percentage of them were processed by the Army. 2. That the school of nursing credentials of many of these nurses, we understand, are yet to be evaluated by the American National Red Cross. 3. Nurses have volunteered in large numbers in West Virginia; have sent in applications to the Army and waited as long as 3 months for assignment. 4. That male nurses and Negro nurses have not been accepted by the Army in face of what is said to be a dire emergency. 5. That the Army has changed its quota so often that nurses are unimpressed with need, but are impressed with confusion and delay. 6. That registered nurses are still being rejected for very slight physical defects. 7. We understand that there are but three of the nine service commands which require registered nurses to bring bed linen and blankets with them to large established Army hospitals. (Officers are required to take bedding when reporting for field service but not when reporting to large well-equipped hospitals in which they pay for maintenance and quarters.) The Fifth Service Command is one making this unnecessary request. This has caused much delay, as nurses in West Virginia have earnestly sought markets where linens and blankets could be purchased. Both wholesale and retail stores carry little or none of these commodities, and hospitals are reluctant to sell any of their small stocks. Why such a compulsory rule for three commands when six others do not require this? 8. The bill, as it now stands, does not provide for "clearance" through War Manpower Commission Procurement and Assignment Service if drafted. This will mean a distinct disruption of nursing education staffs. The West Virginia State Nurses' Association cordially agrees with the statement of Surgeon General Thomas Parran that, "All that is really needed is the instigation to get our nurse power working in the right channels." To assist in solving the problem of adequate care for our wounded, we beg leave to recommend for your consideration the following requests: 1. Clear channels for enlistment by eliminating the American National Red Cross. Request the Army to follow the example of the Navy (since January 1, 1945) and permit the nurses to join the Army direct if they are graduates of large hospitals already approved for Red Cross membership (the nurse to present all necessary papers herself). In order that Army standard may be maintained, however, we suggest that the Army request the American Red Cross to evaluate only schools of nursing which have not, as yet, met Red Cross standards. 2. That the Army[set a quota for registered nurses and stick to it for at least 3 months. 3. That rejections following physical examinations done by one medical examiner be referred to an appeal board of physicians. 4. That the services of conscientious objectors, now in civilian public-service camps, be used in Army hospitals. 5. That civilian patients be cared for in civilian hospitals, thus freeing Army nurses for the care of our wounded. 6. That, since this and every other State nurses' association, has borne all the expense of the entire military recruitment of registered nurses to date, our agencies be implemented with a Federal budget. Our West Virginia nurses have volunteered in large numbers; the 13 nurserecruitment committees in this State have worked long and faithfully; our 1945 record is excellent; we are proud of our accomplishments. Therefore, we see no reason why the nursing profession in this and other States (with its splendid record to this date) should be charged as being unpatriotic since November 1944 on account of bottlenecks caused by the American Red Cross and the Army officials. These facts became very evident during the hearings of the House Military Affairs Committee on this bill. We feel it is indeed a pity that the 30 night workers employed by the American National Red Cross, in March, were not employed when needed in January. When 200 applications from this State remain in "seclusion" from 2 to 12 weeks, neither old graduates or recent ones are impressed with cries of "dire need." Twenty-seven nurses, from Fairmont and Morgantown, answering General Kirk's radio calls in December, were not assigned until March 5, having waited in idleness all these weeks expecting a daily call to the Army. When they were told by radio every 3 hours to "apply direct to the Army and at once," they did so, only to meet the hurdle of "evaluation of credentials" and slow military assignments. We know that there will be no need of placing WAC's with 6 weeks hospital training to care for our men if channels are cleared and assignment expedited for registered nurses. Assuring you of the sincere interest of every member of our entire association in this all-important task, we are Very truly yours, WEST VIRGINIA STATE NURSES' ASSOCIATION, (Mrs.) MARY S. TURNER, R. N., President. (A telegram submitted by Senator La Follette follows:) Senator ROBERT M. LA FOLLETTE, JR., MADISON, Wis., February 26, 1945. Washington, D. C.: National Board of Public Health Nurses went on record as approving in principle draft of nurses, if necessary, for military needs. We want military nursing adequate in amount and kind. We wish to bring to your attention bill H. R. 2277. One, standard would be lowered if nonregistered nurses were accepted. Two, if graduates from very small hospital schools were allowed military service, lowering of standards would endanger safe nursing care. Three, registered nurses should be inducted before graduates of Cadet Corps are called. Four, bill should include married nurses without children. Five, both volunteer and drafted nurses should be commissioned. Six, inactive nurses put back in nursing at discretion of procurement and assignment committee. GENEVIEVE NESBIT, Madison Visiting Nurses Board. (Whereupon, at 11:30 a. m., the hearing adjourned.) X PHYSICIANS AND DENTISTS TO MEET HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS SEVENTY-NINTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ON S. 637 A BILL TO AUTHORIZE THE RELEASE OF PERSONS FROM 72356 MAY 1, 1945 Printed for the use of the Committee on Military Affairs UNITED STATES WASHINGTON: 1945 MAY 22 '45 |