"I'm not wonderwoman"

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 38, 10 March 1987, Page 3

"I'm not wonderwoman"

Here's a light-hearted look at a public health nurse's role in the community, discovered by Leigh Berry while at a seminar. This is the first of a fortnightly series of articles from our local public health nurses. The future articles will cover, more seriously, topics of interest to Waimarino readers. Why I Don't Think I Would Make A Good Public Health Nurse Dear boss I just finished the manual and I don't wanta be a rural public health nurse on account of 1 don't claim to be a superman or woman or a paragon — The only woman who ought to ever think of thisjob oughta be old maid's on account of they are the only ones who would give a lifetime to a community program and they wouldn't care if there wasn't any place to go when

they quit work except home. Moreover boss what worker could possibly have all those qualifications laid down in the manual — By the time she learned how to be a fileclerk, statistician case record writer family counsellor and what not as well as amateur psychologist funds collector and interpreter of what the board is and does and tactfully so to'o boss and has six years in college with courses in child care mental hygiene nutrition and home management just thrown in for good measure and three five years experience preferable community what I mean is boss she would be very aged no less and when she starts on the job boss and carried 400 families and covers 100 miles maybe without an auto and talks parents into giving orange juice to the kids and county fairs into giving restrooms and the state hospital to lend a psychiatrist and gets papa to see

the light and the children to see papa's side too all these she must do besides having judgement common sense patience and humour and a constitution unbeatable and boss the manual even expects her to remain friendly and to all free from prejudice and while in Rome to do as the Romans do though to talk about her and all that priceless personality boss for a measly amount per year it aint right boss really with all that she oughta be president at least and then boss in her spare time they want her to be an amateur photographer or butterfly chaser for her own recreation and boss while there is life in the old frame yet I don't wanta try it please on account of I cant take it. — Author unknown Fortunately for the people of the Waimarino we do have public health nurses who do wanta try it!

Ed