Document dXYX52ax2YwR7rXVv6yeBqM6
WEDNESDAY MORNING SESSION
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October.?, 1936 .,
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The panel discussion oh "Industrial Nursing",, held Wednesday morning; October 7, -
in the Atlantic City Auditorium, was 'built about the theme that industrial nursing
_pays in relation to industrial health and safety. .
The session was called sto order ' by Miss Hortense Gruber, Group. Liaison. Nurse, .
Metropolitan Life ..Insurance cCompany, NewjYork City,, and Chairman, Industrial
Nursing Section, National Organization for Public Health Nursing, who presided.
Participants in the panel included' Dr. Loyal A. Shoudy, Chief Surgeon, Bethlehem
Steel Company, Bethlehem, Pa.; David S. Beyer, Vice President and Chief. Engineer,
-Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., Boston; Charles. Zeitler, Industrial Service Department,
Oxweld Acetylene Xompany.cNewark, N. J.; C. H. Edgar, Otis Elevator Company,
.New York City;* Miss Marion Dowling, R. N., Lowe Paper Company, Ridgefield,
N. J.; and Min Joanna M. Johnson, R, N., Director of Nursing Service, Employers-
Mutuals, Chicago. '}
Chairman. Gruber1: The industrial nurse's job can .be inhibited by an inadequate
knowledge on the part of the employer as to the potential value of her service in'
; dollars and cents. Management, is .out for production. The employer should have
adequate-knowledge of'how'her service can best; be utilized to produce dollars and
cents for him. ' -
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The qualifications of the industrial nurse are also important. If-nurses are to
accept responsible jobsi, they must .be qualified for them.'
Miss-Gruber introduced. Miss rJulia Weder, R.N., Director of Health and Safetyj&o.
Giant Portland Cement Co;, Egypt,-Pa., and former Executive Secretary and Director-i;
of Nursinl^pfSthe American Red Cross in Allentown, Pa.'- Miss Weder'assumed)'.
the chair toNake charge of the panel discussion, introducing Dr. Loyal A. Shoudy w
as the first speaker.
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Dr. Shoudy: Any0nurs'e--who wants to the shifts of eight dr ten, or three or
do industrial work must be a graduate four, then her problem becomes greater,
of a Class A Nursing School and have a. . She must he able to build up good
desire to'*do the work.. ,, c
will .between herself and the personnel of
Let us ^ take for-, granted, then, her the plant or the shop; In a nurse who is
ability"in the technique-of nursing, her- handling a job mainly by herself, execu-
interest in her feUowmen, her .willingness . tive ability is essential; As the head of
to work among all classes of people and * a department she should have th^ ability
to do a good job. She .must join the , to fit-in with the other departments:.;. In;
doctor in,the "department of human en- a.small plant .she may -have to. help*this
gineering." _ ` '*".*
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.superintendent, the supervisor, the em--
. If she is .connected with0a plant where1 ployment manager, and do part of the
there is a full time medial man on duty, physician's job.
a nurse must be able to carry on in the'-' The .other-- thing she ''still must do in
. way that the doctor plans the .work. If, :inany cases is seir her services to. those
however, she is in a smaller , plant where in charge, of the plant--and at the^same
she is the "king pin," add 'the doctor- time hot oversell them.;.
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comes only 'occasionally; where she has All good hospital nurses do not make
the responsibility for the whole time of good industrial nurses and all good nurses.
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70 Twenty-fifth National Safety Congress
who can go into the sick room at home operation and' obedience to the physician
do not come into "the industry and make -:-in charge, the employer will look .to the
good nurses. You have to have an in* nurse for. the same constructive suggest
dustria! viewpoint How are you going, . tions, constant progress andjmprovement
to get it?
. as expected from any other department
You,, who have.been pioneers in the of Its. head.
game have been fortunate enough to pick An industrial nurse should not be en->
it up and have it drilled into you. Prob- gaged with the thought that she is merely
terns hit you,, and you took a look -and' an assistant7to the-industrial physician,
did what seemed necessary.
but instead that she should be a' wide-,
We mention courses in public health awake, alert sub-executive.
nursing. There are courses` in social .Her interests are those of management
work but every good public health nurse as they reach into the fields, of employ
is not necessarily a . good industrial nurse ment, safety,. health and welfare. Her
, and every industrial nurse,would not make interests'and relationships likewise should
a public health nurse.
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extend beyond the plant, and. reach into
C. H.* Edgar: An industrial nurse the social, health. and,welfare organiza
should be a. registered' nurse, thoroughly tions of., the' community?
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experienced in the. profession, with good . The importance of an industrial nurse
personality, and selected with the aid of cannot be . over-emphasized.' She has a
the industrial physician (whether full or two fold task, and must represent both
part time).
^ the viewpoint of the employer, and the
The same searching analysis and care, interest of the employee, i
should be followed in engaging an ih-"' "' A successful, industrial nurse is not one '
dustrial nurse as in engaging any other who confines her work to nursing. . She
employee in a highly' responsible tech must stand out as .a leader in accident
nical or professional field whether the and illness prevention. She should be
individual is to. be trained as .an ultimate prepared to ' aid and advise wherever>
sub-executive, or used for the immediate health and family welfare are involved.*
assignment as such. Personality and tact The . extent of her services may vary in
are necessary.
different types and,,sizes of business or
The Industry that feels the need, for industry, but whatever , the conditions are,
developing industrial nursing appreciates she possibly has closer personal contact
the waste caused by human inefficiencies, with a greater number of. individuals
and anticipates that this waste can and within'the organization than anyone else,.
should .be reduced to a minimum.
Her task, therefore, requires. not- only
The employer,-however, is not eafpected education but initiative in developing and
to ' know the complete application of expanding undertakings for a' healthier
medical and nursing knowledge that ac and. safer place .to work, and a healthier
companies these,. professions.' The em and happier group of employees.
ployer does know that he is* creating David S. Beyer: Wh^^p^vestablished..
another division and thus adding to .the the- first schedule rattm^sysym^ about
combination of departments already estab ; twenty years ago, we iqcludedyan item of
lished. He knows that its scope and ' five per cent direct renttetidn in all of
'development must be handled' on an the compensation insurance premiums
economical and business basis. Its growth where-there was adequate nursing sendee
and justification' will depend upon the in plant hospitals.
service it can render beyond mere first That-^s one way in which it has been
aid. .
recognized for many years by engineers
Management .will demand that .it be' as paying's very direct dividend, and with
equipped and' started properly; will ap the schedule rating service, the benefit,
prove and autiiorize.'its policies, but it is still there for the' employer who is
will not interfere with minute details , or broad minded and intelligent enough to
attempt to govern its operations.
use the nurse in the plant hospital. .
This means that, the employer must From an insurance standpoint, and that
seek the applicant well equipped with a means the standpoint of the employer,
diversified and extensive nursing ex too, because the insurance companies
perience; In addition to expecting co-` merely collect" the money from the em-'
Industrial Nursing
71
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ployers and pay the accident expenses these conditions in . an industry.'are in- .
with it, pays bycuttingdown lost'time,, valuable.
=
, and this!s true with even such - minor oNof long agoone.,of our men had his
J illnesses, as colds.
` : " ,< only son in the hospital to have-his tonsils
There .are many minor treatments which out. To you-doctors ..and nurses that
can be given ataplant hospitalwhich ' doesn't sound very bad-'but..tb a lay per-
,.will reduce lost-time; and this will mean son it is very important. . The father was
'continuity, increased prodnctioncand sav- doing.a particular piece of work that^day
.ing' by `preventing ^minor("injuries from. ,and underneath he was bothered about His .
developing into. major-.ones.
child in-the hospital.
Que of the? first fatalities our company I jyent to the hospital to see the boy
had^to deal with, was th'it. of a janitor, apd when I- came, back I could, report, "1
who when taldng ah ash can ,opt one,, have seen .Junior. He is out of. ether, his,
morning cut^or bruised hisankle. -He pulse is good and the nurses say that he
received mo attention and died of blood is a good boy." . 0
poisoning.
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He said, "Whee-oo, what that means
From the ? standpoint of the safety en-: .to'me you-will never knowl". He then gineer the greatest help he can-get is the . went-about the job In . fine- style, having constructive ' assistance of a nurse. Acci - been relieved about his. youngster. dent frequency is a `symptom to the en-. "Chairman Weder: One of Dr. Shoudy's _ gineer just as the temperature^>f a patlenf remarks bririgs up a point that should, be '"is a symptom to the doctor.' The-nurse impressed on industrial nurses--hot only who follows the accident can find the oii: them but on nursqs in general--that .causes and give the engineers, the little is the question, of standing orders. intimate details that often are of the Miss Hortehse Gruber: c- Let's look at
greatest assistance in solving the. prob-r, it from this, point of view:
lems.
SUppose you were a.private nurse and
I have a..list here of about a hundred concerns that have anywhere, from tyro hundred thousand;, to-.eight million hian hours without' a lost-time accident.' A record of eight million man hours without an accident was made by a large New England,concern that has a foundry. This would be equivalent to a hundred-mad plant going for forty years without a lost time accident The majority of the larger plants with iow .accident-crates have in
your patient was your employer, and the
doctor on the case was your doctor. Sup pose your patient said to^you, "I have a headache. I wish you would give<me a dose of aspirin." Suppose you gave the tiose-bf aspirin and about "a half an hour later your patient had a reaction, and you had to call the doctor. Suppose yd didn't have an order to., give the aspir** and when the doctor said, "\Yhat?s wrong with the patient? What ` did you give
dustrial nurses.
him?"--you answered: >.
Mr. Zeftler: A good ;industrial nursing
job does pay {dividends1 both to the em
ployer and to thev employee. [The in
dustrial nurse plays a very important part
ur the mothering advice she often ad-
= ministers? to the- employee. ' It. creates a '
feeling of good'fellowship1 between the
employee and.the employer. We feel<that
she is a necessity in industry. .
a;'
. "Well,. Doctor, I gave? him a, dose of.
aspirin."
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The doctor would surely say, "Who
gave you the authority to give medicine."
Aren't, you practicing medicine?.- Isn't
that exactly the same situation that exists
in industry when we assume.the responsi
bility of giving even a- dose of. sodium,
bicarbonate without a doctor's c>rder,. and ;
aren't- we making* ourselves liable, vand
Miss Dowling: Industrial . Nursing does aren't we making our company .liable?
pay dividends to the nurse, the . employer Maybe we have, gone on for years doing
and the employee.
o this; but -just' suppose some shyster
The chief concern yaf industry is pro lawyer gets, in -touch with~a case thai has
- duction and production proceeds- most, had' at 'severe reaction from, a dose of
smoothly and efficiently-when the workers - medication.
are happy and well. "Satisfied! nurses.who Isn't that "enough to. make us .feel.'we
have the proper-training and teinperament don't want to work without standing
and are willing to work to- bring about orders; There is no phase-of nursing in'
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Twenty-fifth National Safety Congress
which we- can carry -on without a doctor should be an interest in people, and-it-
attendance, and therefore we ''can't seems .to me that the nurse should have
in an industry without a; doctor. a few .other qualifications:. Is there any
ould like to tell you myQ>wn ex-. discussion?.
pqnerit:e with standing orders.
Mr. Beyer: ^Doctor, what were your
When I went to my [second industrial reaspns 'for saying that you should have
job, the employer said I might change the ^different qualifications .for these different
doctor if I wanted to.
"kinds of nursing?
I said, "You- have worked with him, Dr. Shoudy: A man may be good in
why not continue?." .
One job <and not in another. A nurse
As it happened, the doctor left, and it can be-verjQgood in hospital nursing but
was necessary to employ another. I was'' - another job and a. different environment
the first nurse in that 'industry.^ pi kept create different problems altogether. -
a'record of all requests for medication^br A^Tfar as the public, health. nurse is^ '
various ailments,' such as indigestion, concerned, hep function is that of one
colds in the nose, pains in the head and handing out on the outside rather than
many other things. ^ That was the way theja^nction of the industrial nurse who, S
tliat I' built up my~ standing orders. I outfit? inside, is trying to make contacts
sent a list of the requested medications all^ffie time.
to the doctor and asked, for his approval. To me these require two different types
Standing orders far various' first aid of persons. The jobs are different. The
treatments were also obtained from out jobs of the public health nurses involve
industrial physician. Our medicine cabi- the whole! public and community. The
net -looked? comparatively empty, as it ^ work of the nurse inside the .plant does '
contained only the medications which touch on some of. the problems of public
were called for in the standing orders. health but it is a great deal more con
With the standing orders, I did not have cerned with the direct plant and per
to send any employee, away from the first sonnel. Some of you may -say. that in
aid room without-giving him some...treat certain places your plant inay be the
ment. /My job was to keep the man on indirect public and that is quite time. In
his job. ^
such cases the:two types of .nurses will
In compiling the standing, orders I did have problems a great deal more in com
not draw up one list for the doctor to mon.
sign, but' had the orders typed so that? Consider the problem of a nurse in a
enough space was left between each item . small plant of five hundred or under and
to allow for the doctor's signature. This, tl{sfty>f the, nurse in a plant of fifteen or
I felt, made for added protection-'and thirty thousand. One:is on her own and
; would forestall any ^future question as to doing the job a hundred per cent plus,
the doctor's approval.
with visitations from the doctor, and the
Working with the Metropolitan.- Life other is working .on a shift of eight hours
Insurance Company,~T contact finany in*, with many others. -The jobs Vary. How
dustries. I always ask if an industrial ever they never vary in the human ele
nurse is employed. One of the first ment, and. the ability to make good
things I discuss With the nurse is stand personal contacts is a very fine thing in
ing- orders. When I find the nurse is an$4utfae'who is going to work in an
working without standing orders, I ex industry.
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plain how necessary it is for her to have Miss Dowling: Whether the people we'
them, for her protection and that of her [ care for are .fifty dr fifty thousand, they
company.
r are still the; public, and public health '
Chairman Weder: Those of you who nursefs are trained- to . teach health; I
do not have standing Orders' signed by t$nk a public health background is very *
the>doctor should obtain them when you ' important to the nurse in industry.
return home. .
Dr. Shoudy:- Yes. The more a niirse
Dr. Shoudy said he felt-a good hospital knows, the better it is--
nurse might not makers good industrial Mr. Beyer: Dr. Shoudy, granted that nurse, and a good public, health .nurse if they have different technical problems
might not make n good industrial nurse. they need certain different education and -
He .said that among the qualifications technical training, .don't you believe that
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Industrial Nursing
73
the--same sort of personality nd ability Dr. Watson: There is no state in the
to sympathize with? the patient and sell United States where^the nurse can. prac
die patient--^that sanfe - sympathetic per tice medicine, o. Practicing medicine con-
sonality--would he beneficial in private . sists in making diagnosis, and., you don't
duty.or any-cither type of nursing.ac have to do anything in the way. of break
tivity?'
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^4 ing the law in taking care of'the injured
Dr. Shoudy: That is "quite true but^I -. person inc- an accident, because the . an
think mqre is required of the nurse in swer is.solved in "This is an emergency";
industry. . ' i
and when-you give an aspirin-rit is given , r
Mr. Beyer: She gets more varied prob on the "emergency basis". "When you
lems.
. havelarge groups of .people, you have to
Dr. C: H. Watson (President, National bear in-mind that'legal requirements have
Safety. Council): 'Standing orders are a to be riiiet income fashion; .If you can
very valuable thing .-in. medical depart- say it is an emergency, tHen it is. all right
mentab-work. Close medical supervision ^Chairman Weder: Thjere>are other
isn't available all the "time, but-on the things'.to .be done besides giving out
other hand you solve only one; question drugs.,. In the first .aid room the nurse -
with standing orders. - When acting with must have orders-for burns* - cutis and-
out the orders, the -nurse ^practicing abrasions and types dissolutions and so
medicine. Pn.the other-hand, if you are on. Many men come^ihto the first aid
going to' use your medical measures in - room.- We-encourage them to come in.
handling first, aid'; the nurse has' to make ` with the. very tidiest scratches! -At times
a diagnosis, ;and. when-she. makes the when these are beipg^dressed,. the 'man -
diagnosis,- she us practicing medicine , top. uses the nurse: more^pr^less as a safety
It is very useful . to have ' standing valve. -.She does dp other things besides
orders. However.- There may be times iri. giving out drugs. uJ
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emergencies when1 we have to-step in and '( Dr. W. J.. McConnell (Metropolitan i
do things. - -
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Life Insurance Co,): The average in
The physician 'should . be available as dustrial physician hesitates to write' stand-
arsons Come in with- various ailments, .... ing orders because he doesn't want' to,,be
ut.if Hundreds are. coming in,;,standing responsible,;, and he - recognizes the fact
orders should be, used by the nurse, to, that the physician alone is responsible,
facilitateJhe work. - __
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In' other words, Jjfp| standing0 orders
devoid of .medical /pkrticipatipn in the
problem are solved wm-we basis of view
ing every -sick casenmat comes .to the
nurse and. industry as ah emergency;;'The
nurse can do Anything in an emergency.
o - Standing orders don't necessarily mean that the nurse, must use them-to ..cover
` any diagnosis. They "are intended to in struct the nurse -how to - handle certain
symptoms, and the -nurse- doesn't necesr. Warily make a diagnosis..
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Anyone could.
,, If a man tells her, for. instance, that
Chairman.. Weder: What about the , he has a severe ..pain the abdomen, she
small' industry wherea doctor comes" in .. doesn't- have -to, diagnose it as appendi
only once a day? Don't you think it. is citis; her standing order .would perhaps
necessary for the nurse to-Have certain instruct her that; finder... no condition
standing orders' for certain situations?
should she give that man-a physic. It.
' Dr.''-Watson: She... must' view 'those -may instruct her that.in.all such cases
cases .as emergencies;'in that way she 'the man should, be.rsent. home .or to ..the
can get around the law. V
= doctor immediately, or. that>his. temper
Miss Blanche Francis (Garpehter Steel ature -should be taken, .and if he .has 'f '
Co., Reading, Pa.):- I like the standing -temperature, he. should ,;be referred to the*,
orders, though I. think,they- should be , doctor./^
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only for-the simple things. .However, I .The. doctor- may^ suggest.a.dose of fa
don't think that we should give-an .aspirin vorite cold pills in the event , that a par,
without first looking at the physician's , tient.complains of a cold,-and I tbjnk '
examination'cards to see that there isn't that in the absence of a 'temperature and
an ailment-of the heart, and if 'this is. true, other symptoms, the-.doctor would in-
we-certainly sliouldn't give ait; aspirin , struct. the . nurse, to. give these , tablets
then.
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: .until. he. had an opportunity to. see - the
74 Twenty-fifth National Safety Congress
patient rather than give the patient ab -Miss Dyott '(Insurance Company Of
solutely nothing.
Northv America): I know of practical
Again, he should give her standing or attendants who are working In industries
ders and tell her. what she should do that have, registered nurses in some of
about removing foreign bodies from die 7their plants. The employer `thinks these
eye. Some doctors hesitate to give a attendants fine .because they have been
nurse a standing order to remove d for ` with the industry a very long time. The
eign body from the eye and others give doctor will say nothing-about this. What
- them permission to- do so. Tor instance, are we to do about this situation?
. standing orders may instruct nurses not Miss Francis: ' I want to support Miss
to use a sharp instrument but permit Dyott. Recently I wrote to the Depart
them to' use a cotton wad. There are ment of Labor in Pennsylvania asking for
any number of things-that shouljcLbe cov- . -> a list of industries vphich had full-time
ered in standing orders. The trohble'is' -nursing systems and the list included
that the physician doesn't wkht^'to sit more than three" hundred. I. found six
down and determine those things and on the^ fist that did not have nurses at
those "conditions.
all, but simply had. first aid attendants.
I do feel that there should be standing Industries are gettitig credit for having
orders in every dispensary because, after full-time nursing which do not have grad
all, the doctor is -responsible, and the uate nurses at alL
nurse is really responsible to die doctor. Chairman Weder: I feel that if the
F. M. Ward (Otis. Elevator Co., Yonk nurse In industry takes advantage of all
ers, N. Y.): I believe that if the'indus her^opportunities, it-won't be long before
trial nurse expects to have a selling ar the employer will recognize and use
gument to the employer insofar as the nurses with background instead of first
lost-time question is concerned, she is aid attendants.
obligated to construct some-means by Graham Cole (Safety Director, Metro
which she can help the employer. v~- politan Life Insurance Co.): The. reasons
Injour company,-where we haverJstand- for this.situation are the insufficient sup
ing orders, men will come into our med ply of properly trained nurses and the
ical clinic and some will-have colds, oth fact that we have not sufficiently sold in
ers boils, and things. of that character dustrial'management the need of trained
and through the assistance that the nurse nurses In their dispensaries.
can give him, a man is able to stay on This- results in many plants doing what
the' job and he will mot be obligated to they think is enough and utilizing what
go home or to the doctor. - r
they think is proper--bringing in an at
In case of colds or- something-of'the
sort, she arranges with^the. garage to.
have, a car. take the man home with the
understanding that he call his own phy
sician.
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tendant to take care of the situation.
We need to create a demand for in dustrial nursing by selling management
more effectively the need of these nurses, and having created that demand, we need to create a supply of properly trained
If the plant has no full-time doctor, it is going to work a hardship on the em
jsnd qualified nurses for industrial organr izations.
ployee if he is made go, to the doctor to Speaking of the attributes of a good
cure a headache or a boil or. something pi that character-jand lose that time and
nurse, I think of those qualifications that would , fit in most effectively with what
money. To the employer it would also I want to accomplish--the prevention of-
/be a loss because when a man goes out accidents.
it interferes with production.
You, the nurse, attend to the Injured
Miss Ruth Waterberry (Metropolitan employees under the doctor's instructions
Life Insurance Co.): . How about the and standing. orders.
practical nurses and lay people who are You receive the employee, frequently,
in charge of the plant dispensary? They when I, the safety engineer, have failed
give surgical treatment and dispense med-:. and when 1 have been unable to prevent
icine! There is quite an army of them; that Individual from getting into diffi
I have observed, some of therii who have culty. You and the doctor are the peo
had only six lessons in.first aid. ...
ple that I am then depending upon to
o Industrial Nursing
7:
'keep that ease from ' becoming serious When the man comesin to your dis
and raising iny severity rate on the .basis pensary, you are in a position!;to talk to.
of which I may either' be promoted: or him regarding the^cause of the accident
discharged. -1 look to you to help keep and other conditions, in the plant, aiid'he
that severity, rate , down..by . preventing in will tell you things thaf he won't tell.'
fection and by getting the. employee back .'you twokours afterwards.- You are in a
on the job as quickly as ypu can.- When splendid position, and you-have a splen
I'fail to keep him fjrofn being', hurt, then did opportunity to help the safety, engi
I have 3o rely, on the. medical depart neer by assisting in finding out -the situa
ment to keep him fromcbecoming one' of tions iii the plants which come to'your
my serious accident statistics, .
0 attention ^through accidents.
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This is a. logical 'and proper phase. ofw Dr., Shoudy: In order for a nurse to
your work.
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. give you;that information, it is important
I have mef two' types of nurses in en- - that the nurse, should know <her~industry.
dustrial plants. One has a job and is in Mr. Cole: Absolutely: There is one
terested in. keeping it.7 She knows her other phase of the*-problem in which the
job is to carry out the order o her doc nurse' can help. . We feel that there is a
tor and to give the proper treatment.... She definite correlation between"an accident
is looking forward to the weekly pay "and the physical condition of the human
envelop and to having a permanent posi being. Where should we` go. to get defi
tion on thepay .roll. Unfortunately, we. nite-information? . You are-in close daily
do have. that - type. of niirse in industry, touch with the people in your organiza
The-other type is a nurse who. has de tion. ..I would* like to see the Industrial
veloped the view that she .has an import ..Nurse give^-some attention to .the-rela
ant place'-in that industrial organization.- tionship between accidents and the- phy-
She has not'erred' in assuming medical , sical conditions of. the human beings.
or executive responsibilities that are not If, for-example, ;an employee .te.com
hers. But-she has foijnd her-niche in that ing in every two or 'three days and asking
organization and has''found that she is for aspirins, that indicates that, something
an influencing factor in that~company.
may-be wrong' with his. general condi-'
When I have found that type Of nurse, tion. The nurse should watch those cases
I have found the industrial- plant 'more aqd if she finds that-;a number, of those
and more: sold,on the'value of'the nurse. individuals .finally : come in to have a.,
She .has built herself into that organiza finger tied, .up, I* want to knoyv about
tion.
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''that' relationship.
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Twenty years ago jri industrial work, a . -If I am to expect, all of that from you,
safety/engineer was regarded, as .ar>nui- -what should I do to help you in-'carrying
sance around the plant, and sometimes I out-.Jhese responsibilities? "Sou can't re-
think the industrial burse has been re port .on conditions, in a plant if you Have
garded in the same, light. It is ,necessary never seen. them. You . can't,' teil me '
that the nurse buildJiersfelf up from' that about things that I want to know-unless
classification.- Your position is rindispen- . you have some' idea of what I want to
sable in industry, but every employer know:. To. what extent - should I. as a
.doesn't know that.Cl '
Safety Engineer, help you so that) you
The industrial safety engineers are in Ccan aid me in. removing-hazards? Should)
terested -in the prevention of- accidents. I provide an opportunity'.for you to go
The-industrial nurse is in a splendid po-. out into the plant so that you'might see
sitioh 'to assist apd advise me in my job. it. first hand and,see the situations under"
She receives the. employee -when he is which the employees are meeting these
most ^amenable to discussing. accidents. accidents?...............
The total number of persons injured is Miss Dowling:: The industrial niirse
infinitesimal in comparison wfth the total need hot wait to - be taken to the site of
number in the United States, and yet the an accident, bgf. might go of her own ac
'person who has hot been injured. is the cord to investigatCfthe matter. Of course,.
most difficult to approach because he this-would depend on ;the size of the
hasn't experienced the situation and that plant and Whether or pot a safety engi
is the crowd that we are most anxious to: neer were employed. We found that
reach.-
where the men needed goggles,only oc-;
76 Twenty-fifth. National Safety"Congress
casionally.they would not: use them; I " any safety department or medical depart
bad'the idea of bringing an extra supply ment, :there ` would-;!;still>cbe>tite Job; ifor
to 'the- first* aid room, and saying that. tiieVidiuM^whp'vhaa-uluul^jPfi^^^^M^1.
when .they wantetbthem for-a specific job training.'ftWhen;: she};&^lled'-intb: the "
theycould askfo^them. Eachtimethey fanulytpjtivef^^
were used, the'goggles^ were boiled and ; the ;fatnjiyftsoIve: b6tn' the medical and
put away in a closet ior use again. > We social;.imblem8.
didn't have any more trouble after that. Miss ; Laubscher (American ^Seating.
H.ftN. Welch (Bloomfield/ -N. J.): I Co., Grahd Rapid, Mich;)i We try!.to
have the safety end of personnel work, eHminate the simple' ailments by finding
and the nurse is one of my very valuable out the causes of them. We once had a
co-workers. I find that it is quite fre man. whtf -came in frequently Jor an as
quently important to go with her; to the pirin. I asked; about Ms; personal/ habits ,
scene of an'accident- and let her -get the. and' foundthat the man would .eat his
exact picture; She.-will be able, then, *o lunch hurriedly and .itse. the .rest of the
learn conditions-under which the employ time, to: play-cards^. :Herdidn't get any]
ee works.' The safety manager must co exercise. .1. got .in - touch with his family
operate.' with the - nurse and give his and asked the.mah.to cooperate'by going
knowledge of plant conditions to her in home, to a simple;) lunch ,such as I would
filename manner' that lie expects her to help , his -wife plan; %He- cooperated and
keep-.him posted, in cases, of min,ojr in abandoned the injurious habits. .Later
juries Which mights subsequently become he/becaihe a'.member, of our "House, of
major ones. .
Representatives":and was sent to the
- Chairman Weder:. . Does your nurse . Chicago; Congress of-the National Safety -
function as a member of the safety com 'Council That is an example of the
mittee? .
3
things we have. done.
Mr. Welch: Indirectly. In some cases 'Another, thingr-how are we to know '
she has been a bona fide member of the who. want -to be industrial nurses? In
safety committee.:''
.our city we have, three training.schools':
-Miss Nevada M. Evans (Philadelphia,'5 for nurses, and often th& senior. class from ;
Pa.): Should an industrial nurse .attend one of those , schools is. invited to my
safety meetings?
place. Some executiye from the hospit- -
Mr. Cole: The nurse should be happy . als is.also invited, and we:have instruc
to - attend- committee meetings if she is tions as to what; we would.'do- about the
entitled to take part There, are Certain simple' things. Sometimes we have a .
conditions where it .would not be''best, . mock accident- and/wmeh' the girls rise
and others where it-would be highly de to the emergency. \/
sirable.* .
*
*
Chairman Weder: Do you not-think
- that she offers a valuable contribution to '
"the Safety Work just by her. attitude,
when, an injured man comes into the first
aid'room/ when he comes-in with a tiny
something? If a nurse shows the man..
that she' is concerned over the small'
things,, . that is a contribution- to the
safety work.
n
I. haye. a safety. score card in my first
aid. room, and our men watch it. Qn
the deft* hand, of the safety , score aboard I
haVe the departments and on the. right
hand I have a number--rthe number rep
resenting the number of months that the.
department hasgdne without a lost-time
accident.
. *
,
; The men watch this score board very
closely to see that their slate is kept .
dean.
Mr. Cole:'There is ^one other thing--if When a new man is employed, Jie goes
the nurse has developed the right land of to our-.emptoyment department and. then
relationship with the supervisory force, is sent'tor'me, and our. doctor, examines.
and they are sold-on her work; they trill him. I call attention .to the score board -
provide an opportunity and give her. time, and the safety program. I tell the-ap
to go through the plant;
plicants that the men . expect cooperation
Chairman Weder: Mr. Beyer - has 'from new men coming in; otherwise we
asked about the. industries too small to don'j^wjabt them .to work. We get won-
afford a nurse] ' There are 'jobs that a demfi-rriSsponse. . .
nurse can do, and even if there weren't SMiss Mary MacDonald (Retired ---
Industrial Nursing \
77
iubber, Copper'and Sfeel,; C^mpinjrSerr Dental work has been done;,on practically
vice}:'; ;We kept a llst/pf -.f^
by . aH^the'casesw
departments. . 11 had a greatjmany* fater' . onei of the : most: important contributions
mehycommg id" from .^e- depattoentsi to^ . fhat;;.industrial ^nurses ;can :make,yandkif
see how many a(xidenti . had . actuaUy ' creates- g' demand;; foritiie services: ofrthe
happened Catid tKe V machihes/ oni which'- doctorsinthcco
. :
; they occurred." Thetfofemea-wquld go . ^Ston(fihg;"OT
a, .fine ,v thing,
back andlook jover these machines, "and . though i they haveijjeeh? a problem fpr'
it was.veryhelpful. V
- V mostbfuisrin-.industty^
Chairman Wedert i .There are a great, . them. Justhowtheyare to be arranged,
many things that a nurse can do, such a? must be worked out -withVthe doctorand
'conducting healthr classes for: .a group, the nurse in'each, industry.
helping supervise,;: taking some part, in The Wisconsin State Medical Society
- recreation;, all of those things.may-. nqt . has issued. a pamphlet. containing stand-.
be in our 'estimatidhf.the: work, of the ing orders. - That list-is simple. -.- ...It* is
nurse, but nevertheless,' they.do make for :, brought to; the individual plant-physicism
good will betweenithe employer and. the ' and then left at the plant. ; This may not
employee.
'V..'
. be a big' help, but it. makes us feel.,that,
Mis: Joanna.. M. Johnson (Employees. .wb are .working.with'the Medical Society
Mutuals, Chicago) : One .point we- and - that ` it- appreciates our. power ..to' do
,,.haven't?, touched. is.' - .the. followrup of a gbod. -. ^>3 ... 1;
'physical examination., In - large-plants :: The duty of"the nurse."agThn educator..
this is. done .by the doctor, -whoi.is. giving
full time toithe .work.': That: isn't- true'
in. the smaller plants.:
' ..
is vastly, important. ' She Wes the - man at thCtkhe that he is.; most interested in. the .inJtfrjr'Tie has .received; At that time
. Physical examinations if, propfcrlyfol- -`she.'Oan help: the safety, man. most.by. en
lowedyup .will fit the man: ..for ;the. job. couraging; employees- to report .promptly.
Getting goggles rwhen ' the man.:, needs, . The ntirse going through ;the..plan't has
them is . an example of this;' .There, must j a definite 1 influence in -creatipg a better
be . someone, to. encourage' they man to ~ place for. the men to Work. ,'She ..does'that
^follow up,- his-. defects:
; ' ; by -making comments. ais to the plant
/ The- doctor's hi^industry-. don't,jtake care. housekeeping, conditions of - paint,--' and
of these, cases; they can't*: Blit employees .. other, things. 'The -men will try. to make
can be referred to the family doctor,: who - . the Splace . look better .when she comes
knows more about the cOhditiori of the again. . ' -- c '
;
person than: would an outside doctor.
There is no. .use -for the man to know
about his defectP unless he does some
thing about- them. We. as nurses,can en
courage .these, men to have their, defects
followed itp.
'- .
. -
There is a clever stunt, that one of the
nurses .has^one at the Beloit Iron Works.
<... The requirements and the qualifications
' of. a nurse must depend on industry. ,She;`
must'.adapt -herself to the - industry, and;', be. big'enough.for.her job and thb prob
lems ShC will nieet.
.
THey;probiem - of- education is primarily
that"of educating empl6yers as to what
She has a, little: red clip placed on the"- the industrial nurse can do for the men..
card for a heart case, perhaps a.- blue clip It. is not so simple to.'tell the emplqyer
for bad teeth,-, a yellow- clip for podr.. as it is: to show him How. the: nurse can
vfsion, ,and soiforth. _ ' - ' ;
. help through-, the-figures' of. reduction of
- At that plant about 95- per . cent of the lost-time ^accidents!'
poor vision cases have been cqyfected. Miss Gruber resumed, the, chair. <>
adjournment
3
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J