NURSING EXAMINATIONS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 216, 12 September 1944, Page 6

NURSING EXAMINATIONS

TIME OFF FOR CANDIDATES After some discussion the Auckland Hospital Board last night adopted a resolution moved by Mr. G. F. Bartley that the time spent by nurses in training in sitting hospital and State examinations for nursing be counted as working time, and that when they sit such examinations on their day off duty they be given equal time off duty at a time to be arranged by the lady superintendent, or that their annual leave be increased by such time. Dr. Hilda Northcroft said she thought the board was adopting a wrong attitude by considering the nurses were to be pitied, and she compared their pay with that of factory workers and their hours of work with medical students. She considered that if the nurses had a much larger proportion of their time off duty than on duty they tended to lose interest in their cases. "I don't think the nurses work under the wonderful conditions Dr. Northcroft outlines," said Mr. Selwyn B. Morris. He considered that the nurses were being asked to know far more .than should be expected. The chairman, Mr. Allan J» Moody, pointed out that the board was hot responsible for the curriculum. "I have said for years that the nurses are too technically trained. We want nurses, not young doctors." Mr. J. Grierson said that in every professional office time off for examinations was counted as working time. He was 100 per cent in favour of the motion.