untitled

The nurse who knows self by the same token can

love and trust the patient enough to work withhim

The nurse who knows self by the same

token can love and trust the patient

enough to work with him professionally,

rather than for him technically, or at him

vocationally.

professionally, rather than forhim technically, or at

him vocationally. Her goals cease being tied up with

“where can I throw my nursing stuff around,” or “how

can I explain my nursing stuff to get the patient to do

what we want him to do,” or “how can I understand

my patient so that I can handle him better.” Instead

her goals are linked up with “what is the problem?”

and “how can I help the patient understand himself ?”

as he participates in problem facing and solving. In

this way, the nurse recognizes that the power to heal

lies in the patient and not in the nurse unless she is

healing herself. She takes satisfaction and pride in her

ability to help the patient tap this source of power in

his continuous growth and development. She be-

comes comfortable working cooperatively and con-

sistently with members of other professions, as she

meshes her contributions with theirs in a concerted

program of care and rehabilitation. (1958, p. 5)

Hall believed that the role of professional nurs-
ing was enacted through the provision ofcarethat
facilitates the interpersonal process and invited the
patient to learn to reach the coreof his difficulties
while seeing him through the curethat is possible.
Through the professional nursing process, the pa-
tient has the opportunity of making the illness a
learning experience from which he may emerge
even healthier than before his illness (Hall, 1965).

The Loeb Center for Nursing

and Rehabilitation

Lydia Hall was able to actualize her vision of nurs-
ing through the creation of the Loeb Center for
Nursing and Rehabilitation at Montefiore Medical
Center. The center’s major orientation was rehabil-
itation and subsequent discharge to home or to a
long-term care institution if further care was
needed. Doctors referred patients to the center, and
a professional nurse made admission decisions.
Criteria for admission were based on the patient’s

need for rehabilitation nursing. What made the

Loeb Center uniquely different was the model of

professional nursing that was implemented under

Lydia Hall’s guidance. The center’s guiding philos-

ophy was Hall’s belief that during the rehabilitation

phase of an illness experience, professional nurses

were the best prepared to foster the rehabilitation

process, decrease complications and recurrences,

and promote health and prevent new illnesses.

She saw this being accomplished by the

special and unique way nurses work with

patients in a close interpersonal process

with the goal of fostering learning, growth,

and healing.

She saw this being accomplished by the special and

unique way nurses work with patients in a close in-

terpersonal process with the goal of fostering learn-

ing, growth, and healing. At the Loeb Center,

nursing was the chief therapy, with medicine and

the other disciplines ancillary to nursing. A new

model of organization of nursing services was im-

plemented and studied at the center. Hall stated:

Within this proposed organization of services, the

chief therapeutic agent for the patient’s rehabilitation

and progress will be the special and unique way the

nurse will work with the individual patient. She will

be involved not only in direct bedside care but she will

also be the instrument to bring the rehabilitation

service of the Center to the patient. Specialists in re-

lated therapies will be available on staff as resource

persons and as consultants. (1963b, p. 4)

Nursing was in charge of the total health pro-

gram for the patient and was responsible for inte-

grating all aspects of care. Only registered

professional nurses were hired. The 80-bed unit

was staffed with 44 professional nurses employed

around the clock. Professional nurses gave direct

patient care and teaching and were responsible for

eight patients and their families. Senior staff nurses

were available on each ward as resources and men-

tors for staff nurses. For every two professional

nurses there was one nonprofessional worker called

a “messenger-attendant.” The messenger-attendants

did not provide hands-on care to the patients.

Instead, they performed such tasks as getting linen

and supplies, thus freeing the nurse to nurse the

patient (Hall, 1969). Additionally, there were four

CHAPTER 10 Lydia Hall:The Care, Core, and Cure Model and Its Applications 119