Suggestions on a system of nursing for hospitals in India / [Florence Nightingale].

  • Nightingale, Florence, 1820-1910.
Date:
[1865]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Suggestions on a system of nursing for hospitals in India / [Florence Nightingale]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    3/18 (page 3)
    On a consideration of the whole circumstances, then, it appears that there are two things which may be set about immediately. First,—to put in operation means of training Matrons and Head Nurses for service in the general Hospitals and the civil and female Hospitals of India, to be employed on such terms and under such conditions as the Government of India may be disposed or induced to offer. Second,—to find a Matron fitted to be the leading pioneer in such a field, and to provide her with a well selected staff of Head Nurses and Nurses capable of showing what nursing really is, to be employed in such Hospital as the Governor General may determine after due con¬ sideration. Whatever aid I can give in obtaining suitable Matrons and Nurses shall gladly be given. The exclusion of all interference with the department of Nurses, so far as relates to discipline, as herein-after stated, is obviously indispensable. The Regulations given in the Appendix may, with trifling modifications, be adopted for India. If suitable persons can be found, Matrons and Nurses for more than one Hospital might be sent out, and the Governor General would determine to what Hospitals the different Matrons, with their respective establishments, should be sent. If several matrons, with nursing establishments, are sent out, then a General Superin¬ tendent of Nurses should go out at the same time, so that she may hold the reins from the moment of starting. Looking to the extent and population of the Bengal Presidency (including therein the Upper Provinces and the Punjaub), and to the presence of the Governor General, it might be expedient that the three or four Matrons and establish¬ ments first formed should be employed there under a General Superintendent for that Presidency. Madras and Bombay could wait for a time. In case you may consider it advisable to train Nurses in India, I have, in the following suggestions, given such an account of our method of training in England as might enable you to organize a system of training in India. % ' ; J, vs /Vav Wcl NtZLL > { CatfU. inrtlt 'L 4^4, 44 rn