]
The patient's room may always have the window open. But the passage
outside the patient's room, though provided with several large windows,
may never have one open. Because it is not understood that the charge of
the sick-room extends to the charge of the passage. And thus, as often
happens, the nurse makes it her business to turn the patient's room into
a ventilating shaft for the foul air of the whole house.
[Sidenote: Uninhabited room fouling the whole house.]
An uninhabited room, a newly painted room,[11] an uncleaned closet or
cupboard, may often become a reservoir of foul air for the whole house,
because the person in charge never thinks of arranging that these places
shall be always aired, always cleaned; she merely opens the window
herself "when she goes in."
[Sidenote: Delivery and non-delivery of letters and messages.]
An agitating letter or message may be delivered, or an important letter
or message _not_ delivered; a visitor whom it was of consequence to see,
may be refused, or one whom it was of still more consequence _not_ to
see may be admitted--because the person in charge has never asked
herself this question, What is done when I am not there?[12]
At all events, one may safely say, a nurse cannot be with the patient,
open the door, eat her meals, take a message, all at one and the same
time.
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