HOSPITAL NURSES

Evening Star, Issue 14040, 22 April 1909, Page 1

HOSPITAL NURSES

AT THE FEVER. HOSPITAL. At the Hospital Trustees' meeting yesterday, the Chairman said that some time last year the Hospital Board had applied to the Trustees to secure nurses to attend at the Fever Hospital. Their reason for doing so was on the ground of economy. As thp Fever Hospital was not continuously iti use it was not thought advisable to keep a permanent staff of, nurses. The request had been the fees of these nurses had been paffl-by the Hospital Board. The fees were paid, not only for the time of. actual work at the Fever Hospital, but for the necessary period of isolation before they were; 1 allowed to recommence duty at the main hospital. The hospital staff and the matron had now objected to the nurse's being sent to the Fever Hospital, and the House Committee agreed with them. It was not fair to ask nurses who had come to do duty in their hospital to go and act at the Fever Hospital. Of course their going was purely, optional, but no nurse liked to refuse. The question of economy did not justify them in risking the lives of their nurses. Dr Batchelor said that an important question was involved. Every nurse when she entered the nursing profession should be prepared to take all risks, just as a soldier or a doctor. The Trustees were quite justified in sending them to any case. The Chairman said that the nurses came as nurses to the hospital where there was comparatively little risk. It was no part of the bill.that they should go anywhere. For example, if the plague broke out the Trustees would have no right to order them to go and attend to the patients. Mr Gallaway said there would be no need to call upon the nurses to go to any case however dangerous .to themselves it might be; the trouble would be to prevent their going. It was finally decided to let the matter stand over for a month, the chairman to consult with the chairman of the Board in the meantime.