NURSES’ APPEALS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 55, 28 November 1942, Page 8

NURSES’ APPEALS

Desire To Become Tram Conductors COMMITTEE REFUSES (By Telegraph.—i’resu Association.) AUCKLAND, November 27. A further two cases in which mental hospital nure’es wished to leave their work came before the Auckland Manpower (Industrial) Committee. The eases were those in which Miss E, M. JlcGuire and Miss M, F, Hart appealed against the decision of the district manpower officer in refusing to allow them to leave their employment ■it the Avondale Mental Hospital. Appellants stated that they were thoroughly tired of ■'lie work and felt they could*not carry oil with it. They were suffering from; nervous (strain due to the nature of the work and the long hours Both appellants stated that they wished to leave the hospital with a view to becoming conductors on The chairman, Mr. J. O. Liddell: If you did that you-would find the work is hard, ami there is also a possibility that you would find that some of the people you would have to deal with there would be more difficult than those you are dealing with at present. Dr. Buchanan, superintendent at the hor’pital, admitted that the nurses were working long hours, but-that was due to the staff shortage. At present the institution was 34 nurses short of the normal staff of 111. Loss of the two appellants would mean an extra burden on the rest of the staff. Every endeavour was being made to obtain more nurses’, bur it was very difficult. Both appeals were dismissed. Decision that appellant should' be allowed to leave the Tokanui Mental Hospital, conditionally on her joining the staff of the Avondale Mental Hospital in a similar capacity was given by the Auckland Manpower (Industrial) Committee in a case in which Miss Catherine Mary Sonntag, probationer nurse, appealed against the decision of the Hamilton district manpower officer in refusing, to allow her to leave her employment. The appeal was heard on Thursday. In her evidence to the committee, appellant, who wished to take up general nursing, said her home was in Auckland.' If she were allowed to work at Mater Misericordiae Hospital she could be of considerable assistance to her mother iu her spare time.