CHANGES IN NURSING

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33669, 19 October 1974, Page 6

CHANGES IN NURSING

The change of emphasis in nursing in New Zealand from concentrating on care of the acutely ill and hospital nursing, to preventative nursing and nursing within the community, is an important refleetion of trends in Britain and the United States, according to two members of a group of American nurses visiting Christchurch.

i “The whole emphasis in • health care has to be on j “well-ness, rather than > sickness” Miss Rosamond [ C. Gabrielson, president of [ the American Nurses ) Association, said. ! With rising costs the I emphasis had to be on keepring patients out of hospital.! I Thw would mean a reap- [ praisal of the whole system,: j|by both doctors and nurses, j ; Miss Gabrielson, and Dr: [iEleanor C. Lambertsen, dean; (jof the School of Nursing at; I Cornell University have [attended a conference in; and will leave for; I Australia on Monday. [ HIGH STANDARD .: They said that the role of ( •nurse.s must change in New J Zealand as it has elsewhere.; Although the hospitals, and the nursing skills practised • here were of a high stan- ! dard. more emphasis was needed on community ser- : vice.s for the aged, the house i bound, and the middle-aged; New Zealand was far behind in terms of service. Maori health services ( were impressive, they said — more integrated than serI vices in the United States for the American Indians, who had largely been forgotten. They had separate medical facilities, but were only: just beginning to organise to 'improve their conditions. The dramatic changes in ! nursing education in this ( country were exciting. University, and under-graduate I and graduate courses were needed. New' Zealand nurses Ishould be involved in plan-1 ning, take more responsibility and be prepared to be! (leaders at a younger age. EDUCATION Standards of nunsing edui cation were not as high in (New Zealand as in the United States. Some hospii tal-based courses, still existed but 50 per cent of student nurses were enrolled in university-based courses.) There were 1300 nursings schools, and 59 graduate; courses. Students did not receive payment for work in: the wards, and vvere not: •' used as regular hospital staff. All nurses completed a general training before specialising. The number of men within the profession (was increasing also. Young; 'people were more concerned 1 with service, and men were; i valuable in community ser- ; ivices, dealing with families; and children. Men were also moving | into teaching and adminis-'

itrative positions within the profession. In the United States clinics staffed by nurses and visited by doctors were cominion, often attached to hospitals. Both women praised the Auckland Hospital Board’s flying squad service. ; and other extramural services. RURAL AREAS ; As in New Zealand rural (areas, these areas in the ! United States were often poorly served with both doctors and nurses, but modern (transport was making the (treatment of patients in remote areas easier. At present bills were being considered in the United States to establish a (national health insurance i scheme, based on the idea that health is a right, irrespective of economics.