Nursing Curriculum “Very Limited”

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32392, 3 September 1970, Page 8

Nursing Curriculum “Very Limited”

(N.Z. Press Association) 1 ! WELLINGTON, Sept. 1. ! New Zealand's nursing 1 curriculum is very limited, I according to Dr Helen Carpenter, a Canadian who has Just spent three months in New Zealand studying the country’s nursing education system. Dr Carpenter came to New Zealand after the New Zealand Government had asked the World Health Organisation for a consultant to study the country’s nursing education' system.

Lagging Behind “The nurse-training system) here is not keeping pace with changes in the field of health. The system does not permit this,” she said, in a recent interview. “Here, there is too little teaching all the way through.) The student nurse is too soon ! in the wards after her pre-! liminary training. “Hospitals should not rely!

ion student nurses for service before they have the (knowledge for the job. A (hospital is a busy place,” she 'said. Dr Carpenter said that one of New Zealand’s most serious problems was that the tutors were not well prepared. “Only 29 per cent have gone a year beyond their basic qua- ’ lification,” she said. , The New Zealand nursing j curriculum was “modest to , say the least.” It was very JI limited. Report To W.H.O. : Dr Carpenter leaves New ijZealand this week. She will i! report to the World Health . Organisation which in turn, t will report back to the New t Zealand Government. “If changes are to be made > in the New Zealand nursing- .) education system, they will i(have to be made gradually, (without jeopardising the preIsent quality of patient care,” 'lshe said.