Nursing : its theory and practice being a complete text-book of medical, surgical, and monthly nursing / by Percy G. Lewis.

  • Lewis, Percy, 1862-
Date:
1897
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Nursing : its theory and practice being a complete text-book of medical, surgical, and monthly nursing / by Percy G. Lewis. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    and fomentations, dressings, washings, dustings, every- thing that takes place in a ward, should have a fixed time, and should be done to the minute; one or two things done late, or after the time, may throw everything else out of gear. Should the medicines be five or ten minutes late, and a bad accident or two bad accidents come in, making a call on all the staff of the ward; how much later then will the medicines be ? Of course, it is often very difficult to make everyone as punctual as one- self, but it can, and should be done. In the arrangement of the ward, neatness and cleanliness are the chief points to attend to. There should be a place for .every- thing. All medicines should be kept in one place, all stock medicines and poisons in another. The bed- clothes must be so arranged that the nurse can see under each bed. The lockers should be turned out and systematically inspected at least after every visiting day; the closets and sinks should be well flushed out at least night and morning. No soiled dressings or Unen should be allowed to remain an instant in the ward after removal from the patient. When a nurse goes off duty, she should see her successor, explain the nature of any new cases or symptoms, and give i% writ- ing any instructions she may have received. The second nurse should then initial the order sheet, as a sign that she has received and understood the orders. All these things are mentioned here as instances of the kind of things sisters and nurses are required to do and organise. At the end of this book will be found some rules for nurses, which, with some slight alterations to suit local requirements, might well be adopted in most hospitals and infirmaries.