DUTY FOOTWEAR FOR NURSES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 162, 6 April 1944, Page 4

DUTY FOOTWEAR FOR NURSES

Government Blamed For Delay

Resentment at the failure of the Government to bring about any improvement in the long-standing and acutely serious position regarding nurses’ duty foot-wear was expressed by members at a meeting of the National Council of Women held in Wellington. The president, Mrs. M. J. Forde, said that she had been informed by nurses that members of the profession generally were very dissatisfied with the Government’s handling of the problem and its failure to bring into operation a scheme, promised months ago, whereby nurses in .hospitals would 'be supplied with serviceable. correctly-fitting shoes through the same medium as women attached to the armed forces. Mrs. Forde said her attention had been drawn to a newspaper cutting, some weeks old, which voiced the protest of retailers to the Government’s proposals. Since no statement has been made by the Government jt was thought in some quarters that in view of the protests. the Government was disinclined to continue with the scheme. Since the matter was of vital concern to a large section of New Zealand women, and had a direct bearing on efficient nursing service in hospitals, she felt it was right to introduce it for discussion. Mrs. Forde stated also that she had been in communication with officers of the Health Department who had said that the department was greatly concerned at the present unsatisfactory position regarding nurses’ footwear. She had also spoken with Mrs. A. Donner, secretary of the N.Z. Registered Nurses Association. who had told her that the Nurses Association had been negotiating with the Government for over a year in an endeavour to effect an improvement in the quality, design and quantity of shoes available for nurses’ duty wear. Mrs. Donner, who was present at the m 'ting, explained that the deterioration in the quality and quantity of shoes of the type suitable for nurses to wear.on duty had been progressive since the import restrictions were imposed. The New Zealand-made shoo which bad replaced the imported shoe was a very inferior product, and footwear troubles among nurses had commenced at that time. At the annual general meeting of the Nurses Association in 1943, the matter was brought forward as a remit, and discussion revealed tht position to be desperate in all parts of the country, and since then it had continued to decline. The Government was first approached in March, 1943, and extracts of the correspondence which had passed between the Registered Nurses’ Association and the office of the Minister of Supply were read. The Government had premised to supply duty shoes to nurses in hospitals, through the fitting service for Army women, but the executive of the Registered Nurses Association and nurses generally were very dissatisfied at the delay in setting the scheme in motion. The Nurses Association was informed by the Minister ot Supply that it. would be December. 1944, before all nurses in hospitals in New Zealand had received one pair of shoes. In the meantime, nurses were suffering extreme foot discomfort which was affecting their health and their work. Whole-hearted support for the nurses was expressed by the meeting and the following resolution was adopted unanimously:— . . “This meeting resolves that in view of the seriousness of the position which has existed for some time past in regard to the very unsuitable footwear available for nurses’ duty wear, the widest publicity be given to the needs of the nursing profession in this matter, in order that speedy relief may be brought to an intolerable position. “That this meeting of the Wellington branch of the National Council of W omen takes a very serious view of the lack pt action on the part of Hie Government in meeting the needs of the student and graduate nurses in the mutter of duty shoes and Hie delay in bringing into operation the State shoe fitting service promised by the Munster of Supply early in November last year. It is established that many foot disorders arc caused and aggravated by Hie badly-fitting shoes of inferior quality which at present are the only ones available for nurses duty wear, and which undoubtedly have an :idvei<jp effect on nurses’ health and working etueieiiev. This meeting resolves that the matter be placed before the Dominion executive of the National Council ot Women for urgent consideration and action by that body.”