TRAINING OF NURSES

Evening Star, Issue 19386, 21 October 1926, Page 16

TRAINING OF NURSES

POST-GRADUATE COURSE ADVOCATED DISTINCTIQHS RAISED BY DIPLOMA “ They would be well advised to drop tho diploma course and make a great effort to introduce a post-graduate Course, for the groat majority of nurses are showing that they want advanced training and knowledge by taking Karitano and maternity work after hospital training," said a Dunedin nurse to-day, when asked by tho ‘ Star ’ for her comments on the decision of tho Otago University Council to delete the nursing diploma from its calendar. Of the diploma course now to bo deleted the nurse said she did not approve of girls obtaining a University course before they had had hospital training, because no one could tell that the girls would become good tutors or administrators or of good class for the higher nursing _ positions before they had actual hospital training and experience. Tho need for a post-graduate course for trained nurses was stressed by the nurss. who expressed great concern over the delay in tho instituting of the course. “ I think it is very essential for tho nurses,” she said. “ I think that not only the Trained Nurses’ Association, hut tho associated hospital hoards should take tho matter up and force the Government to help. Tho hospital boards have a fair amount of responsibility themselves, for they must have the highly-trained nurses for tho big positions. Tho highly-trained nurse is of the greatest value to tho community. Some people are afraid that nurses will know too much and exceed their duties if they are trained too highly. That is a mistaken belief, for tho hotter trained nurse will not take too much responsibility. She realises her limitations, which is a safeguard for the public." No regrets over tho decision to delete tho diploma course were expressed by tho nurse, who said that she had opposed that course from its inauguration. Tho diploma course introduced two classes of nurses into the hospitals, and that was highly undesirable. The course was harkening back to the old days, when girls paid to go into hospitals for training, and did not do the same _ work as the girls who received their training in return for services. Of course, the diploma course would not have brought about any distinction as regards work, hut still it would create two distinct classes of nurses—tho well-to-do girls ' and the girls without money. Tho second class of girl would bo prevented from taking tho whole of tiio University diploma course. “ They would bo well advised to drop the diploma course and make a great effort to introduce a post-graduate course, for the great majority of nurses nro_ showing that they wan: advanced framing and knowledge by taking Karitane and malcrnity work- after the hospital training,'’ said tho nurse. Tho money offered the University Council by the Trained Nurses’ Association was to help to pay the salary of a tutor, but now no one else was prepared to take the responsibility of finding tho additional amount required. Tho post-graduate course was one which affected tho hospital hoards ns a whole, lu fact, tho hospital boards should go further than tho financing of the past-graduate course, and offer bursaries to tho girls they wove training, and enable tho selected girls from their own staffs to take the course. Tho bursaries wotdd enable the right type of nnrso with brains, and perhaps no moans to got tho training. ■“The nursing profession must advance,” she said. “Wo can’t stand still. We must forge ahead on these lines. For tho post-graduate work wo should pick out tho best girls, and it will bo only tho best and most ambitious women who will he trained for the higher positions, and not only the moneyed girl as under tho present diploma course.” Tho public could show its interest, she added, by some person founding a chair in post-graduate nursing, Tho public owed a groat deal to nurses, and they would get the chair money back in better service, not only in tho hospitals, but in tho general community. Tho scheme would be on fho lines of the diploma in nursing held by the Universities of London and Leeds. Tho diploma in tho Old Country was intended for those registered nurses who have undertaken further training and study so as to qualify for responsible posts, and it would generally bo taken after a nurse had been qualified for at least two years, one of which must have been spent in a hospital or a public health department. Before entering for the diploma the nurse would have to produce evidence of having attained to “a suitable standard of general education.”