NURSING RESERVE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 307, 29 December 1942, Page 6

NURSING RESERVE

TO MEET SHORTAGE

MINISTER'S ANNOUNCEMENT "(P.A.) OAMARU, this day. The Minister of Health, Mr. Nordmeyer. who is spending the holidays in Oamaru, announced to-day that, in view of difficulties being experienced by Hospital boards, particularly the small ones, in securing nursing staffs, Cabinet has approved the establishment of a Civil Nursing Reserve for the Dominion. The reserve, which will be under the control of the Nursing Division of the Health Department, will consist of both registered nurses and voluntary aids, and will form a pool from which may be drawn nurses for the staffing of temporary services' hospitals, as well as for the provision of temporary nursing assistance at ordinary public hospitals. The reserve will be supplementary to the regular staffs of hospital boards and the Department of Health.

"Staff requirements of hospitals constantly fluctuate and, under present conditions, the authorities of each hospital, during periods of reduced demand, must each retain a surplus of staff or run the risk of being unable to obtain the additional staff, when the need arises," said the Minister. "The reserve is intended to meet these constantly fluctuating staff requirements, and it will offer continuity of employment to a large body of registered nurses and voluntary aids, who are willing to serve in a nursing capacity in any part of the country." "Rates of pay, living-out allowances leave provisions and general conditions of service have been fixed !?m m » u them as attractive as posanrl 6 ' nn?f sa "Travelling expenses and uniform allowance will be Each hospital board availservices of members res ?£ve witt be required to reimburse the Department for reservists pay for the actual periods of service with the board. Applications ?, XT r * by advertisement, early in the New Year, when forms 2L„? PpllCa^onand conditions of service will be obtainable from fflt n h a U u rfit.» offlcers of the