"ON THE ROCKS."

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 210, 6 September 1927, Page 8

"ON THE ROCKS."

THE DIPLOMA IN NURSING. PROSPECTS FOR REFLOATING. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE NEEDED. There are 4500 nurses "in the field" in New Zealand, and 600 in training each year in the hospitals of the Dominion. In addition, there are 350 Public Health Department nurses who have had no other training but that under the Plunket system. These facts were gleaned by a "Star" representative this morning when discussing matters which affect them with nurses who are attending a refresher course in Auckland at the present time. The nurses gain a great deal of information and help from lectures and by coming into personal contact with one another, but the consensus of opinion was that the course did not go far enough, and it was thought that something better should be done.

With the idea of seeking more information, the "Star" representative made further inquiries, the discovery being made that some definite scheme had been launched in 1924, but the ship had gone on the rocks in 1926, mainly on account of want of finance. There are, however, prospects of refloating her.

Origin of the Diploma. In the year 1924 a diploma in nursing was instituted at the Otago University, the idea being to make it available to young women who were desirous of combining an academic course with one of hospital training. It was stated that the course was one of five years' duration, and during the fifth year provision was made for two separate courses—(l) teaching and administration in schools, and (2) public health nursing. Either of these was made open to all already registered nurses as a post-graduate course.

Two nurses were sent overseas by the Government to qualify as instructors in connection with these courses. Miss Janet Moore, AJLR.C, late matron of the Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, went to study at Bedford College, London; and Miss Mary Lambie, a school-nurse under the Department of Health, took a public health course at Toronto University. During the year 1925, in which the diploma of nursing was instituted, three candidates entered on the full diploma course at the Otago University. This diploma of nursing was intended to bridge over the period between a girl's leaving school and entering into a hospital for training. The course of five years was made to include the statutory term of three years' training in hospital.

Then the Crash. But during the year 1925-26 the hopes that were entertained for this postgraduate course for registered nurses were defeated. The University Council repudiated all responsibility for the salaries of the two nurses who had been sent by the Department to London and Toronto for special training. Expense had been incurred by the Health Department in sending these two nurses overseas, and the information they had gained proved to be invaluable. The result was that later they were absorbed by the Department. In the case of Miss Lambie it was found that this expert could-do almost as good, if not better, work in the special task of co-ordinating the various nursing services throughout the country; such as, for instance, establishing local health units similar to those in other countries.

Miss Moore was appointed to the Department of Health for the purpose of visiting the nurse-training schools of the Dominion, and there giving the benefit of her experience to those responsible for the teaching of the pupil-nurses. This, it was contended, has had the effect of distributing knowledge of up-to-date methods of teaching more widely, though naturally not so intensively as would have been the case had her sphere of action been limited to the University lecture-room.

Prospects For Re-establishing. This year's annual report of the Director-General of Health states that the prospects for a post-graduate course of training for registered nurses appear to be a little more favourable, the executive of the Hospital Boards' Association having expressed themselves as strongly in sympathy with the desire for the higher education of nurses who are to hold administrative or teaching positions. If the hospital boards of the Dominion thus recognise the necessity for raising the standard of instruction for those who will later be responsible for teaching and administration of schools of nursing it should not be long, states the report, before such a course is instituted. .

It is recognised that at best the scope of Miss Moore's work is far short of what was intended and the health authorities are seriously considering whether the diversion of a specially trained officer to travel the country in order to spend a few hours of each week in lecturing to nurses, as they can be spared, is making |he best use of her attainments. *

There is now a preliminary, training school in connection with each of the four main hospitals, Auckland having established one during the year with a specially trained sister-tutor from England in charge. But why have to import eister-tutors when there is just as good material in the Dominion if facilities for training them were provided? With the establishment of the nursing diploma it would be possible for the Dominion's own nurses to qualify for MH'h positions, few having the means to trevd to Europe in order to take the tow,'' of training now so readily available i»» other countries.