Nursing shortage

Press, 22 June 1985, Page 18

Nursing shortage

Sir, — The Nurses’ Society has estimated that nurses are leaving at the rate of about 120 every month for Australia, the United Kingdom and North America. This means that the present number of hospital vacancies of 1500, will rise to 2000 in only two or three months because of the smaller number of nurses being trained and accepted. The Chief Nurse of the Canterbury Hospital Board was reported as saying we need 110 nurses in our local hospitals and that now Christchurch needs to recruit overseas. I can it is necessary to actively

recruit the 400 to 500 foreign nurses, but it seems odd that the Health Department is basically only recruiting from the United Kingdom. I have heard that highranking trade union officials prefer British stock, but a hospital staff crisis is no time to make it difficult for American, Canadian and Australian nurses who wish to work in New Zealand. — Yours, etc MARY ANN BROWN. June 18, 1985.

Sir,—l have been nursing in New Zealand and overseas for 15 years, and feel that if hospital administrators were more flexible, they cotild utilise the talent that is here, instead of having to advertise overseas. They have adopted the attitude of “nurses do what we want,” whereas an attitude of “we do what the nurses want” would be more effective. For example, letting senior nurses choose their hours, or job-share, while junior nurses do shifts, would enable those nurses with families to work and fulfil family commitments. — Yours, etc., H. WOODS. June 20, 1985.