The Daily Alaska Empire

(This is the first of three articles by Miss Edna Peterka, Senior Public Health Nurse at the Juneau Health Center, on the work of the Public Health Nurses in the Gastineau Channel Area.)

I am often asked by local residents and in letters from home, "What type of work does a public health nurse do in Alaska?" So I have tried to put down briefly the kind of work the public health nurses do in the Gastineau Channel area. This article cannot indicate all the wide variety of situations a nurse has to deal with, or the immense satisfaction of helping families in the community, and especially their children, to a better knowledge of healthy living.

The Juneau Health Center has been in operation for the past 12 years, and at present is staffed by two public health nurses, myself and Miss Anne Lello; and a secretary, Miss Betty Loudon. A share of salaries for personnel and an automobile are furnished by the Alaska Department of Health, while the operational costs of the Health Center and part payment of personnel are the responsibility of the city of Juneau.

School Health

Since September we have been giving physical inspections to children at the local parochial school and assisting the local doctors with physical examinations for children at the Territorial schools under our supervision. The school health examination helps discover physical defects at an early age and provides an excellent opportunity for teaching sound health habits.

In cases of vision and hearing defects, we confer with the teacher to obtain better seating since it has been found that in many instances a supposedly dull pupil actually suffered from inability to hear instruction or to see the blackboard. A report of these defects is sent home to the parents and medical attention advised. In many instances home visits are made to discuss and interpret individual needs and medical plans for the child.

As the Department of Health furnishes free X-rays to children who are contacts or suspects of tuberculosis, arrangements are made through the Health Center for this service for those children.

The importance of disease prevention is recognized through the immunization clinics which are held once a month. These clinics are conducted by the City Health Officer in the Juneau Health Center, the public health nurses assisting. Approximately 50 children receive this service monthly.

Nursing supervision to mothers and children is another major function of the public health nurse. Mothers are visited once a week at the two local hospitals shortly after their babies are born. We explain what public health nursing services are available, and an appointment is made for a home visit to help the mother with infant care, including the infant bath, and to help her understand the needs of the new baby.