Nurses on night duty

Press, 13 April 1978, Page 16

Nurses on night duty

Sir, —Last month yet another nurse was reported to have been assaulted indecently on her way home from work at night. Is it not time the North Canterbury Hospital Board provided protection for these girls on whom the lives of the sick and injured depend? The Government sees fit to subsidise the wages of the freezing industry because the workers are in a ‘‘vital” industry. Ask any relative of a patient in the intensive care ward which is -more vital — meat exports or the lives of their loved ones. The closing time for public bars now practically coincides two nights a week with the time nurses on evening shift come off duty. I for one can think of many far less worth-while causes my taxes are used for than the provision of taxis for nursing staff to get home at night.—Yours, etc., P. W. NICOL. April 3, 1978. [The chairman of the North Canterbury Hospital Board (Mr T. C. Grigg) replies: “The board has been concerned at the problems

which have evolved concerning the safety of members of its staff, including that of nurses. So that these problems could be fully investigated, a special committee was established and it has been very active in considering a variety of measures designed to over* come the present difficulties. It is expected that the board will conside at this month’s meeting recommendations from its sub-committee on security with a view to the immediate strengthening of security, particularly in the case of nurses who are rostered for duty on afternoon and evening shifts.”]