Nurses ‘Must Seek New Experiences’

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31321, 17 March 1967, Page 2

Nurses ‘Must Seek New Experiences ’

The nurse was tempted to dig herself into a rut, the matron-in-chief of the North Canterbury Hospital Board (Miss D. R. Newman) told nurses at their graduation ceremony last evening.

The nurse’s exacting training and heavy responsibilities invited her to retreat into an area she could respond to and understand. She would frequently fight all comers who wanted to change it, Miss Newman said.

After grasping the essentials of her profession and announcing herself “trained” the nurse would consider it exceedingly hard if she had to re-educate herself and revert time and time again to a “learning situation.” Daily Growth “Yet if sfce is to grow daily, as a professional woman and an individual, this is exactly what she must do,” she said. “The nurse may claim the knowledge she has, but she must never think that knowledge ends with what she knows. Every day will bring new experiences." Registered nurse-graduates had to work side by side with students and there were 600 of them at various stages of the three-year general programme in the Christchurch School of Nursing, she said. In other nursing programmes under the aegis of the North Canterbury Hospital Board there were 200 students in community nursing, maternity nursing, the registered nursing aid course or in postgraduate courses of midwifery or plastic surgical nursing. “This means a continuing

responsibility which rests on all registered nurses as members of the staff associated with the schools of nursing,” she said.

Staff nursing entailed not only the giving of expert care to patients but the acceptance of responsibility in learning more and more about leadership and the art of administration.

“The graduate nurse will learn that staff nursing is also teaching and that she can have a part in the planning and co-

ordination of nursing education and the nursing service in New Zealand," Miss Newman said.

The guest speaker at the ceremony was Dr. P. J. Lawrence, professor of education at the University of Canterbury and a member of the Christehureh School of Nursing education committee. Mrs Lawrence presented the diplomas and prizes.

Diplomas war* presented to the following:—Nurses F. D. Adams, C. K. Austen, M. J. Barnes, G. L. Basher, J. O. Bell, M. E. Blackmore, M. Blakely, V. G. Bruce, S. J. Clark (honours, surgical nursing), B. D. Climo, D. M. Cocks, C. Conroy, S. I. Craig, J. A. Crane, P. A. Curry, V. C. Elgin, P. A. Fairbairn, M. E. Falfeingham, M.-K. Fogarty, G. H. Fowler, S. J. Gardner, G. A. Grant, M. Hogan, P. W. Halstead, F. M. Hood, M. A. Jackman, J. R. Leitch, S. M. McConway, M. R. McDiarmld, G. D. Mclntosh, A. McLeod, P. B- McMeekan, A. G. Wes. P. M. Muir. P. . Noonan, P. D. Nordmeyer, G. S. Page, B. M. Parker, N. M. Patterson, D. M. Pawsey, J. S. Read, J. I. Revell, M. A. Rogers, P. G. Ruston, S. M. Sanderson, A. N. Simpson. L. J. Spiith, D. M. Sunckeli, C. W. Syme, G. J. Symes, E. A. Tovey, S. M. Vincent (honours, medical nursing), J. F. G. Waitace, S. H. Ward, A. M. Webster. P. A. WitHams, C. V. M. Wilton, J. E. Wyltiie, and H. B. L. Walker. The prize list was as follows: Florence Nightingale medal, Nurse S. M. Vincent; fi.N.A. prize for practical nursing, Nurse P. A. Curry; Hugh Acland prize for surgical nursing,, Nurse S. J. Clark; Fenwick prize for medical nursing, Nurse S. M. Vincent; Wendy Watson prize for obstetrical nursing, Nurse S. M. Vincent; Jocelyn Scott memorial prize for practical nursing (The Princess Margaret Hospital), Nurse S. Knowles; Class la. Nurse S. M. Vincent; Class 2, Nurse J. M. Holland; Class 3, Nurse L. M. Glucina and Nurse J, Phillips; Class 4, Nurse M. R. Eastmond and Nurse B. Wooten; Class 5, Nurse D. Sutton.