THE DEPARTMENT'S REPLY

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 23, 28 January 1926, Page 6

THE DEPARTMENT'S REPLY

Inquiries have been made from the Departmnt of Health with referonce to the points raised by "Fair Play," and the statement was made that the suggestion that the pupil nurseß undergoing training in the State maternity hospitals are paid no salary in order to make Jip the deficit caused by failure to collect patients' fees is' absolutely unfounded. When the St. Helens Hospitals were first established (some twenty years ago), pupils not only received no salary, but were actually required to pay for their training—in the case of a registered nurse £10 for six months' training—in the case of an unqualified woman £20 for twelve months' training. This was in accordance with the procedure adopted ,in other countries with regard to mid.wifery training—a procedure which still obtains elsewhere, though in New Zealand the fee has been reduced to a merely nominal one as indicated by the writer. With reference to the complaint concerning hours —it was explained that these must naturally depend upon the exigencies of the work, it being impossible to regulate the course of labour, and where the pupil nurse must actually deliver and be responsible for the nursing of a definite number of cases, it is essential that she should remain on 'duty sufflci-. ently long to carry out her obligations. There are usually many occasions when work • is slack, and full advantage is taken of such opportunities to give pupils days off, in turn, for rest and recreation.