Particularly gratifying to the Medical Art Department was the action of the recent Autumn Council at Battle Creek in adopting recommendations which came from the Presidents' Council, looking toward the strengthening of the medical missionary phase of our denominational work. Certain recommendations were passed, providing that each union conference plan to employ a full-time doctor or nurse as medical secretary ; that the Theological Seminary in Washington provide a course of instruction for ministers and Bible workers on how to present our health principles ; likewise that our colleges include in their curriculum similar training for gospel workers. Further, that our church membership restudy our heaven-born health principles to enable them to engage in active medical missionary work under the direction and instruction of physicians and nurses, to whom also an appeal was directed to give their services in our churches in imparting these principles, and training the church membership for active work. The actions passed, in detail, are as follows:
1. Union Conference Medical Secretaries
Whereas, We recognize that the time has come when advance steps should be taken in all our ranks in respect to the various phases of healthful living and medical missionary endeavor ; and,
Whereas, We recognize the need for qualified workers in the field to foster the interest of such work ; therefore,
We recommend, That earnest consideration be given by each union conference to the appointment of a full-time medical secretary who may be a physician or a nurse, and that in the selection of such workers the counsel of the General Conference Medical Department be sought.
2. Conference Workers' Responsibility
We recommend, That all conference workers be urged to recognize their responsibility in prominently presenting our health principles and in becoming prepared to lead our church membership in a more thorough study and practice of the balanced principles that make for health and that are so closely related to Christian living.
3. Health Principles in Curriculum
Resolved, 1. That we request the Theological Seminary Board to include in the curriculum of training offered ministers and Bible workers, instruction regarding how to present our health principles to the public.
2. That we request the boards of our colleges to include in the curriculum of training offered students in preparation for the ministry and Bible work, instruction regarding our health principles, and how to present these principles to the public.
4. Study of Health Principles
Resolved, That we encourage our church membership to a more earnest study of and faithful adherence to the principles of hygienic living as set forth in the Scriptures and in the counsels of the Spirit of prophecy, and in our health magazines, tracts, and other literature as well.
5. Training to Give Simple Treatments
Resolved, That we appeal to all physicians and nurses in our ranks to join with conference and church leadership in teaching and preparing our people to give simple treatments and various lines of home care to the sick in view of the value of such instruction to the individuals and also in view of the impending perils and epidemics of the last days.
A second series of recommendations from the Medical Council was also passed, which had particular bearing upon some of the policies in our institutions with relation to transfers of workers, and encouraging the physicians and nurses in our sanitariums to take an active part in Sabbath services, health talks, and other activities that are a part of medical missionary work. Another recommendation affects the medical college and our young graduates who need encouragement in planning to connect with our institutional work. A further recommendation applies to our nurses, in which an appeal is made for them to enter actively into the medical missionary program. These, with other recommendations, we trust will have a favorable reaction in the field, and will result in materially strengthening medical missionary work.
Transfers of Key Workers
Whereas, The utmost co-operation among our denominational medical institutions is highly desirable ;
We recommend, That in calling physicians and other key workers from one medical institution to another the integrity of staffs already operating be respected, exceptions being made only after the subject has been taken up with the administration of the institution affected, through the regular channels.
Medical Missionary Activities
We recommend, That our physicians be urged to study the ideals of medical work given us in the Spirit of prophecy and that we encourage them to take an active part in Sabbath services, health talks, and other activities which are a part of medical missionary work,
Recruiting Medical Workers for Institutions
Whereas, The maintenance and growth of our organized medical work require a constant inflow of well-trained and spiritually prepared physicians; therefore, to secure the proper staffing of our medical institutions,
We recommend, 1. That the place of medical institutional work in our organized movement be held before the students in our medical college throughout their course of medicine, and that to this end the medical college faculty be asked to arrange for visits and talks by our sanitarium and conference workers, who may thus unite with the faculty in educating and inspiring the students during their college and intern years to devote their lives to our denominational medical work.
2. That greater effort be made by our institutions with which the young physicians are connected to assist them in becoming adapted to our institutional work.
Medical Graduates
We recommend, That our medical school faculty encourage the junior and senior classes to seek, as far as opportunities are available, internships and residences in our own medical institutions, thereby saving many of our doctors for denominational service.
Recruiting of Nurses
Whereas, The maintenance and growth of a medical missionary nursing program require a constant inflow of well-trained and spiritually prepared nurses ;
We recommend, That the place of the medical missionary work in our organized movement be held before the students in our schools of nursing throughout the basic professional course, and that, to this end, the school of nursing faculties be asked to arrange for visits and talks by our sanitarium and conference workers, who may thus unite with the faculty in educating and inspiring the students during their training years to devote their lives to medical missionary nursing.
Staff and Private-Duty Nurses
Whereas, Many new fields of service are open to the graduate nurse today other than nursing service in the sanitarium; and,
Whereas, It is recognized that the factors which make for satisfactory working relationships are also those which will attract qualified personnel to the nursing staff ; and,
Whereas, It is believed that adequate numbers of Christian nurses who desire to devote themselves to missionary nursing are essential to the plan of organized medical work in the denomination; and,
Whereas, The qualified graduate nurse is a financial asset to the medical institution when she becomes a permanent member of the graduate nursing staff ;
We recommend, That general staff and private duty nursing in our institutions be regarded as desirable specialties, and that encouragement be given to the graduate nurse to enter these fields, and that, in turn, the institutions include these groups, who are on the institution's registry, as members of the institutional family and privileged as such to derive benefits available to all other sanitarium workers.
Operating Costs
Whereas, We are in a time of rapidly increasing costs and no one can accurately predict the future trend ;
We recommend, 1. That careful study be given by each local institutional board to the question of increasing rates to patients;
2. That very diligent attention be given to collections ;
3. That efforts to educate our workers in the avoidance of waste be intensified in our institutions ;
4. That purchases of new and expensive equipment be avoided as far as possible during the present emergency.
M. A. H.
