A Privte Duty Section

Abstract

THE advantages of private duty sections in districts can be explained best by first telling of some of the activities of the Fifth District of Virginia and of its private duty section during the past year. The Fifth District Graduate Nurses' Association, feeling that it was not adequately meeting the needs of all branches of nursing, decided to undertake a plan of reorganization; so the constitution and by-laws were revised, investing the Board of Directors with the authority to create or to discontinue sections. Also rules governing each section were inserted into these revised by-laws. After the acceptance of the revised constitution and by-laws, the Board of Directors, at a district meeting, submitted the question of the creation of sections to the three groups of nurses. Each group voted unanimously in the affirmative. The following month the president of the district called a meeting of each group of nurses for the election of officers. A second opportunity was then given to vote on the question of the creation of sections, and again the vote was in the affirmative. The following section officers were then elected: chairman, vice-chairman, and secretary. The sections have no treasurer, as the district treasurer handles all the money. The section program is planned in advance and the small expenses incurred by the sections are taken care of by the chairman applying to the president of the district, or to the Executive Board. The district secretary sends out announcements of all meetings of the section and of their activities. The duty of the secretary of each section is confined to keeping a record of the activities of the group. The publicity chairman of the district takes care of the publicity for the sections, announcing all meetings or activities through the newspaper. The district relief committee is responsible for the care of all indigent members. The chairman of this committee has asked that two members from each section be added to the committee to assist in the work. The chairman of each section is ex officio a member of the District Board