NURSES’ CHRISTIAN UNION

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 110, 7 February 1928, Page 13

NURSES’ CHRISTIAN UNION

WORK IN MISSION FIELDS

The annual conference of the Nurses’ Christian Union of New Zealand was held over the week-end, under the presidency of Miss Hester McLean. Although only a few delegates have been able to come from other places, owing to the exigencies of tlieir profession, there have been a number of proxies in Wellington, and the interest in the meetings has been well maintained. The delegates were welcomed at the Nurses’ Home at Wellington Hospital on Saturday afternoon, and entertained to tea, and a very pleasant hour was spent. In the evening a public meeting was held in St. Mark’s Schoolroom, when Or. D. M. Wilson presided over a large attendance. A number of medical men were present, as well as nurses and others interested. Or. Wilson gave a resume of the movement, and congratulated the union on its advance during the past few years. He then introduced Dr. Elizabeth Bryson, who gave an address on the aims of the movement, which is an undenominational one, and which aims to provide means for the development of the Christian life among nurses. The union is formed of local branches, and these meet for Bible study and prayer, while a prayer leaflet is sent out monthly. It aims, too, to preserve the highest standards in the nursing profession, and Dr. Bryson urged that these should never be forgotten. Dr. Phyllis Haddon, of China, also spoke, and gave interesting details of work in the mission field in China. Yesterday afternoon the conference met in St. James’s Schoolroom for Bible study and business, and after afternoon lea had been partaken of addresses were given by Miss Bargrove on China, and Miss Wardell on the Melanesian mission.

Miss Bargrove spoke of a conference of the Nurses’ Association of China, a body which has united together all the nurses in that country, Chinese or European, and has raised the standard of the profession wonderfully, when it is remembered that nursing used to be considered beneath the consideration of the coolie class. Miss Bargrove, who is at Nankin, stated that the association had 118 G members on the roll, 112 schools of nursing, and 1700 nurses in training. The state of the towns

was appallingly unhygienic, but the public health committee was trying to make conditions better, though so far it had succeeded only in a few places.

The education committee was trying to raise the standard of entrance requirement for nurses. One of their chief requirements was translation of text books, and in China all the nurses sat for their examinations on the same dav, a great achievement, when the size of the country and the distances between the hospitals were considered. 'There was no State registration at present, and there was no central Government, but the N.A.C. certificate was recognised everywhere, and the standard was as high as in other parts of the world. The Chinese themselves

took great interest in the work, and many of them became Christians. In concluding, Miss Bargrove urged all those in training among her hearers to take up missionary work. They would find the life a very happy one. Miss Wardell added the same note of joy and happiness in the work of a missionary. The life in the Melanesian Mission was very simple after what Miss Bargrove had said, and they had very few nurses and doctors. All the clergy had to do medical work at times, and some of the nurses were sta-

tioned far away from the hospital. It was, however, a very happy life, and well worth while for all who had their heart in their work.

Itfiss McLean warmly thanked the speakers for their interesting addresses. In the evening, when the business meet-

ing was held and officers elected, Mrs. Tythe-Brown, who has been organising secretary, and has travelled on behalf of the union for the past six months, outlined several alterations it was' proposed to make in the constitution, chiefly to simplify the clauses dealing with the aims and objects of the union. Dr. Phyllis Haddon then gave a talkon China, dealing with the work of

missionaries and doctors there. Hearty votes of thanks to Miss McLean for presiding, to sister Milne (headquarters secretary), Mrs. TythBrown (organising secretary), and tlie retiring members of the committee, were passed.