ONE DAY'S REST

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 58, 6 September 1920, Page 10

ONE DAY'S REST

SIX-DAY WEEK FOR NURSES.

Several members made complaint in the House of Representatives on Friday with regard to the hours and pay of trainees for the nursing profession. The Minister of Public Health (Hon. C. J. Parr), in reply, said that he was svware that there were complaints from trainees and their relatives. He was inclined to think from his survey of the position that there was some substance in the complaint. He was satisfied that the young trainees were asked to give too long hours to work and lectures. They were called upon to work seven days a week for as much as eight hours a day. The time had corns when ij> should not be necessary to make a demand such as this in the interests of economy. He was informed that in four years there had been 24 cases of breakdown caused by the long hours and the strain of the work. He proposed to ask the Department to redraw tne regulations to provide for one day of rest in seven. Thai would be brought into operation shortly, and hospital boards would be obliged to conform to the new rule. As to the pay, it must not be forgotten that the trainees were receiving training for a profession that would enable them to earn their living, and that they also received board and lodging under conditions that were a great improvement on the conditions of a decade ago. The hospital boards had not been unmindful of their duty in this respect. The remuneration compared very favourably with that paid in other countries. He thought the new scale which had been approved by a general conference of thd hospital boards should be given a trial, but he would inquire into a point raised with regard to payment in the fourth year, when the training had been completed. Later, the Minister promised that ha would go into the whole question of pay during the recess. He proposed to take up the superannuation of nurses. Already a scheme had been prepared by which superannuation could be given under the National Provident Fund. Legislation would be brought down which would enable something to be done.