Nurses’ Bureaus by W. A. R.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 2, 1910

Nurses’ Bureaus

By W. A. R.

For many years there has been growing among us a sentiment that better care should be taken of the nurses who are graduated from our various sanitariums from time to time. We have always been more or less careful to provide for the graduates from our educational institutions, but little thought has been given to providing avenues through which our nurses could secure entrance to denominational work.

The idea of nurses’ bureaus has been advanced many times. This plan, if carried out, would enable us to provide employment for these nurses, who are almost always desirous of connecting with denominational work, and would be a great help to the denomination in carrying forward its work. The fact that from two to three hundred young people are graduated from our sanitariums every year, is sufficient reason for our giving special attention to this subject.

If we could establish nurses’ bureaus in such a way that our nurses could be associated with the conference work, laboring as nurses where necessary, as Bible workers, or as medical evangelists, a great work could be accomplished. A movement of this kind has for some years been in operation at Loma Linda. The entire country about that institution has been thoroughly covered by nurses who are taking their course at Loma Linda. No special organization has been perfected, but the work has been done.

Of late a praiseworthy organization has been started in connection with the New England Sanitarium at Melrose, Mass. This is known as the Greater Boston Medical Missionary Bureau. It is established for the purpose of carrying forward the work in Boston, as outlined in the Testimonies.

The following is quoted from resolutions passed at a joint meeting of the Central New England Conference Committee and the sanitarium board:—

“That this joint session select an executive committee of seven persons, three representing the New England Sanitarium, three the Central New England Conference, and one at large to conduct and manage this organization.

“This executive committee shall organize itself to select its own officers and agents to carry forward its work.

“This executive committee shall be elected yearly by a joint meeting of the Central New England Conference Committee and the board of managers of the sanitarium, at the time of the annual meeting of the New England Sanitarium. This executive committee may have power to fill vacancies in its executive board.

“The primary object of this bureau shall be to promote and carry forward work in Greater Boston in the line of nursing the sick, giving Bible readings, scattering literature on health and religious topics, conducting schools of health, and by such other methods as may seem best to the executive committee. All workers connected with this organization shall be under the direction of its executive committee.

“We would recommend, (1) That the New England Sanitarium, the Central New England Conference, and the Atlantic Union Conference each advance the sum of $150 to the treasurer of the bureau to begin this work.

“(2) That the executive committee arrange a thorough course of Bible and other instruction as may be needed for this bureau.

“(3) That all graduate nurses employed by the bureau receive a monthly salary of $20, with room and board, and car fare or railway fare to and from their field of labor.” W. A. R.