HOSPITAL NURSES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 105, 30 October 1925, Page 13

HOSPITAL NURSES

EFFICIENT STAFFING

Dr. D. M. Wilson, Medical Superintendent of the Wellington Hospital, submitted to the board yesterday a report on the training of nurses, in which he said:—"l am desirous, after consultation with the matron, to bring before you certain aspects concerning the training of our nurses, and the.efficient staffing of the hospital. Ido so now, as I consider the efficient staffing of the Hospital one of our most serious present problems, and if I bring the subject before your notice now members. will have some time to study the question before the beginning of another financial year. By way of fintroduetion, x I may state that there has been a world-wide movement in recent years to better the methods of training nurses and to improve their .status. "New Zealand has led the way in providing an eight-hour duty daily, and gone further by instituting as a policy the one whole day off in seven. However, it is doubtful if we have been so progressive in our methods of teaching and training. Tho modern _ trend in nursing education is to divide the teaching standard into two main classes. The one to give nurses a general education much' as at present, and the other to produce a more highly-trained nurse who has made a speciality of one branch of her profession. With the progress of medical science and the more businesslike management of institutions, it has been felt there is a pressing need for nurses specially trained in adminstrative and teaching duties. These nurses require a higher primary education, and their training is done as university students. Tho Health Department has realised this, and next year, in conjunction,.with .the „ Otago.. University, is commencing a university class for matriculated" students who, after five years' study will receive a diploma in nursing. I have no doubt that in future all seniorhospital nursing appointments will be ■made from those trainees.

TUTOR SISTER,

"The Health Department has asked us to co-operate with them in inaugurating their scheme by nominating a sister to be sent to Dunedin in. February in 1926, for special, training as a tutor sister. This sister would take the fifth year course of the above-mentioned five years' university course and train twelve mouths. The fee for the course is £25; and should one of the staff be sent, I would recommend the nurse's expenses and salary be paid.

CHILDREN'S MEDICAL WARD,

"As a large proportion of the children treated here are babies a

fow months old suffering from errors in feeding, I would advise it be the policy of the board to always appoint to the position a trained nurse who has had a special course in methods of infant feeding at Karitane Hospial or similar institution. It may be necessary to offer a slightly higher salary, but I consider the board and public would be amply repaid by the improved results of treatment."

The suggestions of the medical sup. erintendent were adopted.