The nurse

Doris Zimmerman, head nurse at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD, narrates film sequences of her typical daily work. In addition to her technical skills, she stresses that interest in and care of the patient is most important. Zimmerman also performs accurate recordkeeping duties, teaches and supervises auxiliary hospital workers, and interacts with adjunct professionals such as dietitians, social workers, and occupational therapists. In all cases, teamwork provides quality care. The work of pediatric, orthopedic, public health, and general staff nurses is discussed, emphasizing their close patient contact. Zimmerman notes that medical advances challenge nurses to keep up to date and to advance their education. She holds a B.S. in nursing, but points out that there are other ways to enter the field and recommends that high school students seek advice from their guidance counselors. The pay scale for nurses "compares favorably with that of other professions open to women," and nursing is a flexible occupation with full-time or part-time work available nearly everywhere.