Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/2114

1904 the monthly nurse in good time, as, if she be competent and clever, her services will be sought months beforehand, a good nurse having seldom much of her time disengaged. There are some qualifications which it is evident the nurse should possess: she should be scrupulously clean and tidy in her person; honest, sober and noiseless in her movements; should possess a natural love for children, and have a strong nerve in case of emergencies.

Receiving, as she often will, instructions from the doctor, she should bear these in mind, and carefully carry them out. In those instances where she does not feel herself sufficiently informed, she should ask advice from the medical man, and not take upon herself to administer medicines, etc., without his knowledge. The advantages of employing a nurse who has gone through a systematic course of instruction at one of the recognized lying-in hospitals are obvious.

A monthly nurse should be between 30 and 50 years of age, sufficiently old to have had a little experience, and yet not too old or infirm to be able to perform various duties requiring strength and bodily vigour. She should be able to wake the moment she is called—at any hour of the night—that the mother or child may have their wants immediately attended to. Good temper, united to a kind and gentle disposition, is indispensable; and, although the nurse will frequently have much to endure from the whims and caprices of the invalid, she should make allowances for these, and command her temper, at the same time exerting her authority when it is necessary.

The duties of the monthly nurse in the way of cleaning and dusting the sick-room depend entirely on the establishment that is kept. Where there are plenty of servants, the nurse, of course, has nothing to do but attend on her patient, and ring the bell for anything she may require. Where the number of domestics is limited, she should not mind keeping her room in order; that is to say, sweeping and dusting it every morning. (But if fires are necessary, the housemaid should always clean the grate, and do all that is wanted in that way, as this dirty work would soil the nurse's dress and unfit her to approach the bed, or take the infant without soiling its clothes.) In small establishments, too, the nurse should herself fetch things she may require, and not ring for everything she wants. She must not leave her charge, of course, unless she sees everything is comfortable; and then only for a few minutes. When downstairs, and in company with the other servants, the nurse should not repeat what she may have heard in the sick-room, as much mischief may be done by a gossiping nurse. As in most houses the monthly nurse is usually sent for a few days before her services may be required, she should see that all is in readiness, so that there shall be no bustle and hurry at the time the confinement takes place. She should keep two pairs of sheets, thoroughly aired, as well as night-dresses, flannels, etc., etc. All the things which will be required to dress the baby the first time should be laid in the basket