Pbs Documentary Takes A Look At The Nursing Profession

With nursing, medical care and hospitals the hot topics they are today, it's difficult to remember that the whole health-care profession is little more than a century old - just one of the many provocative facts in ``Sentimental Women Need Not Apply,'' an important documentary PBS will air at 7 p.m. Wednesday on KCTS-TV.

It says the terrible conditions of hospitals and heath care during the Civil War were largely responsible for the creation of the nursing profession, and points out that the first nursing class was formed at New York's Bellevue Hospital in 1873. Before that, most sick people were nursed by their families and friends.

The film was created by Diane Garey, herself a registered nurse, and Lance Hott. They have pretty much taken a chronological approach, charting the rise of the profession (which, like teaching, is often greatly praised but badly paid). Occasionally one of the nurses or experts interviewed will ponder wkhat it means to be a nurse, but for the most part the hour is content to show us how far the profession has progressed.

We also learn of the shameful conditions of hospitals before the advent of nursing: The ill would almost rather die than be confined in them. Also shown are clips of movies that have attempted to makes heroines of nurses. (No movie has ever done it better than the old CBS series, ``The Nurses,'' which isn't represented here.)

It seems clear people seldom become nurses for the

remuneration. The best nurses speak of the importance of ``caring for people'' as the reason they entered the profession. And it appears this quality still is highly important in the formation of a good nurse, many of whom appear during this hour.

3 on 9: That enlightening PBS series, ``Power in the Pacific,'' ends with a thoughtful examination of the new economic power of Japan in the episode airing at 9 p.m. tomorrow on KCTS-TV. Titled ``Power Without Purpose,'' it looks not only at what has caused Japan to become the leading economic power in the world in the decades since World War II, but explores possible effects Japan may have on the world's future. It takes into account the Japan-bashing that has gone on in recent months, but its value lies in going beyond the surface to look at larger issues. ``Power in the Pacific'' has been one of the most valuable public-affairs series PBS has aired this year.

A lot more people are interested in the lottery than in world politics - although it's difficult to see why after watching ``Betting on the Lottery,'' the lively and engaging documentary on PBS' ``Frontline,'' airing at 8 p.m. tomorrow on KCTS-TV. James Reston Jr. is the reporter for this unblinking look at what a huge gamble the ever-more-popular state lotteries are. While Washington's state lottery isn't included, the program does look at lotteries in Maryland and Illinois, with a focus on the latter as directed by Sharon Sharp, a hyper director who works hard to make lotteries fun, fun, fun.

The early days of the ``race for space'' are the focus of ``The Satellite Sky,'' the film to be shown on PBS' ``American Experience'' at 9 tonight on KCTS-TV. It places the space tragedies and triumphs of the 1950s and 1960s in historical perspective. The amazing thing is how dated much of the film (and the attitudes) have become in such a short time.

Video notes: Colleen Dewhurst makes another guest appearance, as Murphy's mother, in the episode of CBS' ``Murphy Brown'' airing at 9 tonight on KIRO-TV. . . . The second episode of KCTS-TV's ``Fire on the Rim'' looks at earthquakes in Los Angeles and Mexico City, tonight at 8 on KCTS-TV and 8 p.m. Wednesday on KTPS-TV. . . . Earthquakes are also the subject of PBS' ``Nova'' at 7 p.m. tomorrow on KCTS-TV - not to mention NBC's two-part earthquake drama, ``The Big One,'' that premieres next Sunday night on KING-TV. . . . Cable's Arts & Entertainment channel airs the David L. Wolper documentary, ``The Making of the President: 1964,'' at 9 tonight, a prelude to tomorrow's elections, which will be extensively reported tomorrow night on TV, which will often preempt regular programming. . . . Cable's Arts & Entertainment repeats a music special that takes on a special poignancy because of the recent death of Leonard Bernstein: It's ``West Side Story: The Making of an Album,'' which documents Bernstein's exuberant conducting of the recent recording of the hit show, tomorrow at 6 and 10. . . . NBC's Bob Costas interviews Hal Holbrook on his show airing at 2 a.m. Wednesday on KING-TV.

John Voorhees' column appears Sunday, Monday and Thursday in The Times.