NURSE'S DISMISSAL

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 112, 17 November 1928, Page 17

NURSE'S DISMISSAL

LETTER TO A PRISONER REFLECTIONS ON MATRON (By .Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.') AUCKLAND, This Bay; Circumstances associated with the summary dismissal of a nurse from the Auckland Hospital staff arc unusuak It is alleged that she sent an.indiscreet letter, to. a prisoner in Mount Eden Gaol. A petition wits sighed by :i number of nurses at the institution in support of the nurse, but it was decided not to press the matter. The chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, Mr. W. Wallace, seated today that the facts of the case we're as follow:—A prisoner hhd been receiving treatment for nine days at the hospital, and when he returned to gaol the nurse sent him a letter which is alleged .to have contained reflections' on the matron. This letter v. is intercepted by the gaol authorities, and eventually jshown to the Medical Superintendent, Dr. C. E. Maguire. The matter then camo before the Hospital Board, and it was decided to dismiss, the nurso summarily. l! \ '.■'■' Tho story from the nurse's point of view is that she felt pity for the prisoner, and decided to send him, after he returned to gaol, a letter and, a packet of cigarettes. She knew nothing of tho prison regulations, and was'very surprised when she received a letter back with the intimation that the prisoner in question was a married man. She then tore the letter up, thinking no more of the matter. Later en she was taxed by the hospital officials, and her instant dismissal followed. The Medidal Superintendent, Dr. C. E. Maguire, stated that a grave breach' of discipline had been committed. He said that the letter was written in very familiar terms, commencing with "Hello! Old Chap," and containing reflections on the matron. There was also a reference in it to tho nurse getting into her room at 1.30 o'clock in the morning through the window. It was a difficult matter to keep discipline amongst 225 nurses,- and they had to consider the parents of members of the nursing staff as well. „ • . Dr. Maguire, in reply to a question,said that fasteners had been providedfor the windows on the ground floor, of the Nurses' Home to prevent surreptitious entry after hours. ■ In the case of the nurse in question, it had been discovered that the fasteners had been removed. He was sorry that drastic action had to be taken, but it was neees- ( sary in the best interests of the institution. The nurse had a midwifery certificate, and should have known better. Ho was of opinion that the board would have been failing in its duty, if the matter had boon lightly passed over. Tho matron of tho institution, Miss Taylor, said that the nurse admitted undoing the window fastenings. It was not an easy matter to control a largo staff of young women, and the maintenance of discipline was essential. In/ the Christchurch Hospital the nurses had, to be back to the institution at 9 p.m.', while in Auckland they were allowed out to 10.30 p.m. In addition, thoy could get later leave if application was made in the proper manner. The nurse in question was duo to leave-on her holidays, and no financial hardship had been inflicted on iicr, although her homo was in the South Island.