Final answer:
During the Rural Nursing Service's operation under the American Red Cross, nurses were resourceful, often using hot bricks, salt, or sandbags as substitutes for hot water bottles when medical supplies were scarce.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the time when the Rural Nursing Service was operating through the American Red Cross, a nurse would have likely demonstrated resourcefulness by using hot bricks, salt, or sandbags to substitute for hot water bottles. This type of ingenuity was crucial in a time when medical supplies were limited or difficult to acquire, especially in rural areas. Nurses had to adapt to the circumstances, using whatever materials were available to provide care. This approach helped to manage patients' body temperatures and alleviate discomfort when conventional hot water bottles were not available.
The other options, such as testing well water for pollutants, teaching school and developing curricula, and providing post-surgical care, were also tasks nurses might engage in, but using alternative materials as substitutes for medical supplies is a clear example of the resourcefulness that characterizes the service provided by nurses during the era.