HEALTH OF NURSES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 147, 23 June 1937, Page 12

HEALTH OF NURSES

SERVICE AT NAPIER

EVIDENCE AT INQUIRY

TREATMENT OF SICK

(By Telegraph—Press Association)

NAPIER, This Day.

The Hospital Commission resumed to. day with consideration of the treatment of sick nurses.

F. R. Burnlsy, Commissioner o£ Crown Lands, Napier, the father of a j pupil nurse at the hospital who con-1 tracted a fatal illness at the end of last year while a member of tha hospital staff, was the first witness. He said that his daughter died on November 16 after completing two years' service.. The girl was an athletic type and weighed 9st 121b when she joinea the staff. She worked periods of weeks on end without a day off and the lost leave was made up later. When she took her periods of leave, however, she usually spent the first day or two in bed in order to recuperate. She took ill after eighteen months, and her trouble, a severe pain in the back, was diagnosed as muscle trouble, and electrical massage was prescribed. This benefited her considerably, but she began to lose weight, and at the time of her second' illness, in October, she weighed only Bst. The girl's mother urged her to report sick, but she declined to do so, fearing that if she did another nurse would have to do "double duty" or another nurse would have to be recalled She was forced to report sick on the occasion of her illness in October, and when her condition improved sufficiently she was taken by her mother, with the.approval of the hospital matron, Miss Croft, on a holiday visit to Taupo. The girl again took ill and witness was summoned to Taupo on November 5. She suffered severe headaches, which the doctor attending her, Dr. Armstrong, could do nothing to relieve, and also nervous convulsion. Dr. Armstrong advised witness to take her to hospital, expressing the opinion that she was not convalescent but was still suffering from the original infection. When she arrived at the hospital her trouble was found to be tubercular meningitis and witness was informed that there was no hope for her. She died on the morning of November 16. IN THE INTERESTS OF THE STAFF. "I cannot speak too highly of the care and attention given to my daughter by the acting medical superintendent, Dr. A. G. Clark, the acting matron, doctors, and the nursing staff," the witness said. He added that he gave evidence only for one purpose, namely, in the interests of the nursing staff. He did not think it right, that nurses should work such, long periods without leave. ANOTHER NURSE'S SICKNESS. Dr. Arthur Gruchy Clark, acting medical superintendent during Dr. Foley's absence, stated that he examined another nurse who almost begged him to allow her to return to duty and as a result permitted he"r to do so. Three weeks later the witness and Dr. Gilray saw hsr together and it was decided that she should be given a month's holiday and be placed under a medical overhaul. Mr. Bate: If she had shown any sign of having scarlet fever, you would have seen her?—Oh, yes. Why did you decide to grant her a month's leave?— She was run down, and I am afraid I was rather influenced by the concern of her mother, who was unduly worried about her. Sir James Elliott: There is some question if the nurse was fit to take on nursing in Napier, was she perfectly normal on August 28?— Presumably so. How many times did you see her? — Medically, twice. I saw her once to see if she was fit for duty. Bacteriological examination of the throat would show scarlet fever?— Not very often. I put it to you that there is no way of testing the throat to show that a patient has scarlet fever?—-Vc* She worked among infectious diseases?— Yes. She comes back ill with a sore thror.t and in the' incubation period after scarlet fever. Have you any hesitation in saying with these facts that she had scarlet fever?—l do not think so. Had she had scarlet fever it would have been noticeable. But if she was not seen it would not have been. Would it be strange for a lay person with a logical mind to say that the girl was run. down and contracted the sore throat, being ill in bed for some time?—No, certainly not. It seems the girl was in bed for 18 days?— Yes. After being up for three days she went back to her duties. Was that not taking a risk with her health?— Yes. It would have been advisable to have given her a week's holiday. Would she have been a menace to the Nurses' Home if she had scarlet fever?— Yes. A POSSIBLE CARRIER. Dr. T. Gilray said that when he examined the nurse he saw that she was suffering from trouble with her tonsils and was nervy, but she said she was all right. She did not want to be put off duty. It was quite possible that she had scarlet fever and he considered it was time she was relieved of her duties. . Mr. Grant: When you examined her did you see any signs of peeling?—l did not see any. Would you say that the girl had scarlet fever? —There was a possibility. So that she might have been infectious and a carrier?— Yes.

It is possible that she did not have scarlet fever?—lt is possible- Throat trouble might produce lassitude after three weeks. It was also possible that the peeling was caused by the throat trouble. Sir James Elliott: When a patient is a nurse in a hospital and complains of sore throat it would be a duty of the medical superintendent to see that it does not spread?—lt wquld be.