Nurses’ Hours

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32265, 7 April 1970, Page 14

Nurses’ Hours

Sir,—On behalf of several members of the nursing staff of the Christchurch Hospital, I would like to express my disgust at the nursing “hierarchy” forcing staff to work shorter hours on Good Friday and Easter Monday. This was done at the patients* expense as wards were not covered by the usual quota of staff. Their reason for this was that extra money did not then have to be paid to staff for having worked on a public holiday. A nurse wishing to dp this on any other day would be told in no uncertain terms, and quite rightly so, that “the patients must come first” The notice boards said that we may finish early on the said days. What nonsense! The matron herself told ward sisters that they and their staff must finish morning duty by 2.30 p.m. instead of 3.45 pjn. —Yours, etc., SPOKESMAN. March 30, 1970. [Dr L- C. L. AveriH, chairman of the North Canterbury Hospital Board, replies: ’Tn order to allow nurses who wished to do so to attend church services or to participate in holiday activities on Good Friday and Easter Monday, the matron of Christchurch Hospital advised the nursing staff that they might work shorter hours on those days provided their wards were adequately covered by registered staff. There was nothing mandatory about the proposal and ail nursing staff were at liberty to accept the offer or not as they chose. The arrangement was possible without any detriment to patients or their welfare. The work load on the two statutory holidays concerned was less than normal. The move was not one designed to save expense. It was simply an endeavour'to allow nurses the benefit of at least a portion of the two statutory holidays which most workers in other employment received.”] .