Nurses’ conditions

Press, 15 July 1985, Page 12

Nurses’ conditions

Sir,—N. W. Milanovich (July 9) sounds like today’s answer to Florence Nightingale. I suggest she sign up for the current refresher course available for nurses who have been out of service for some years, when I envisage she would soon be struggling with increased technology, work loads, and having to work week-ends, nights, and evenings to earn the $270 she claims is a nurse’s average wage. — Yours, etc S. J. ANDERSON. Amberley, July 11, 1985. Sir,—lt is not for sour grapes that I have continued to do very heavy nursing at intervals during the past 20 years, until moderate neck problems forced me to give it up. Again, how would high pay have compensated? I still believe that if nurses, or any group whose working conditions are “atrocious,” would protest, not about the pay but about the conditions, the public would begin to support them. After all, the voters still hold the power for change. Today determines the future, and I do not see our present money system surviving,. because it operates on the principle that in order to survive we must all work harder and harder for more and more money. Paying higher and higher wages, employers could continue “justifying” worse and worse conditions. That way no-one will be content. — Yours, etc., N. W. MILANOVICH. July 11, 1985.

Sir,—lt is obvious that N. W. Milanovich has not worked in a public hospital in recent years. The average wage for a first-year staff nurse is not $270 a week, but approximately $220 to $230 net. The wages paid to senior nurses are too low to attract staff. They find better hours, increased pay and less responsibility elsewhere. Medical technology has advanced rapidly in the last 20 years; and many lives are now able to be saved. This requires an increased workload, knowledge, responsibility and more intensive care from nurses. Nursing is no more a laborious and menial job. It has become a recognised professional career. To obtain a position of charge nurse or above requires some form of post-graduate studies. When more staff nurses are attracted to hospitals, the high stress level felt by all nurses will be decreased. — Yours, etc., N. J. HURNDELL. and seven other Christchurch Hospital Staff Nurses. July 10, 1985. Sir,—l never cease to be amazed by the Government’s handling of the nursing problem. I have just read that free air fares are offered to British nurses to come here to relieve the present shortage. Why do we persist with these palliative measures? Why cannot the Government departments involved get together to make nursing a lot more desirable to take up as a career and a lot more attractive as a profession in which to stay? We have a wealth of knowledge and nursing experience in our own community. Surely the cost of air fares could be put into setting up job-sharing positions and setting up creches for nurses in already-empty nursing homes.— Yours, etc., JOHN DUFF. July 11, 1985.