Acute Nursing Shortages Overseas

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 September 1946, Page 8

Acute Nursing Shortages Overseas

It is well known that the staffing of our New Zealand hospitals is causing much concern, both to members of the profession and to hospital boards. No Now Zealander can be in doubt that New Zealand is short of nurses, but probably there are few outside the profession who realise the truly dreadful plight of overseas areas formerly occupied by the enemy. Conditions during the occupation made the proper conduct of training schools impossible, and this, with war damage, means that these countries are now extremely short of nurses, hospitals in which to train nurses, sufficiently experienced people to conduct the training, text books with which to teach, and uniforms for trained and trainees alike.

Help From Dominion. The New Zealand Registered Nurses’ Association has been endeavouring for some time to lessen the hardships cf its fellow professionals overseas. Individual parcels of food and clothing are being sent regularly by all branches and through the National Florence Nightingale Memorial Committee, bursaries amounting in value to hundreds of pounds have been sent to enable nurses from Poland, Greece and China to travel to America or Great Britain. Here they can take post-graduate courses, see conditions in other, countries, and subsequently return to give their own people the benefit of their experience. The great need is made plain by the following letter written by Miss Z. Tsoukala, sent by the New Zealand Registered Nurses’ Association to Toronto, at a cost of £625. , “Please convey to your committee my sincere thanks and appreciation for the general scholarship given me. I came from Athens where I was working as instructor for five years in an independent school for nurses and public health nurses. The history of the nursing school in Greece is about 30 years old, but the number of graduate nurses is only 500 for a population of 9,000,000. “During the war-time, the school continued to work, and very often classes were held in the shelter. We have from this school 120 graduates, and all of them work in the public health field. In 1944, as the need for nurses was great, we made two ad-

missions a year. More than 300 candidates came, but after the x-rays were taken, we were able to select only 50 students. ‘T take here nursing education and teaching, and in the United States will be doing a programme of public health work. I hope when I go back to be able to make improvements in nursing education and be worthy of this scholarship. Food Shortage in Greece. “After eight years of mental starvation due to lack of knowledge, I am now having the benefits of all'modern facilities. After the terrible years of occupation I had in Greece, I am here in a land of beauty and freedom, with the best available knowledge at my disposal, and kind and interesting teachers to guide and teach me. This year in Toronto will be for me a great event in my life. Seeing again happy people, laughing children, made me forget the misery of my own people, until the student nurses wrote me from Greece, and I quote: ‘The news from our class is bad —three students stopped because of illness. We try to keep in good health. Try to enjoy your life. We go to bed sometimes without food, but are lucky epough to have tea.’ ■‘Reading ■ such letters, I awake from the happy dream of my present life in Canada, and my mind wanders off to those who suffer. UNRRA has done a lot of work in Greece and caved many lives, but the needs are great. “I hate to speak about suffering, but it is only to give you a slight idea of how grateful I am for providing me with this scholarship. In my prayer will be the wish for all of you, God give you health and wisdom.” Post Office Drive for Clothing The Post and Telegraph Department, in conjunction with the Post and Telegraph Association and the Ladies’ League is making a Dornin ion-wide drive among the department’s own employees for clothing to alleviate the position of P. and T. workers in Greece. Mr F. Mairs, chief postmaster, Greymouth, yesterday received a congratulatory telegram from the head office, Welliangton, on the efforts of the Greymouth branch. The telegram also stated that the drive was meeting with tremendous success throughout the whole of New Zealand.

. .Wedding . 1 Morrish—Haddock. ' i The marriage took place recently at St. Patrick’s Church, Greymouth, of Eileen Bridget, third daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. Haddock, Hari Hari, to'William George, only son of Mrs. and the late Mr. G. Morrish, Preston road. The Rev. Father Healy celebrated Nuptial Mass. During the Mass Mrs. M. Kelly sang “O. Salutpris.” ■ The bride, who was escorted by her father, wore white organdie over taffeta. The frock was full-skirted and gathered to a V in front inset with frills edged with lace. The bodice was relieved with lace edging on the yoke, waist and Peter Pan collar, and was buttoned from the back of the neck to the waist. The veil of uncut tulle fell from a coronet of orange blossom and beads and she carried a bouquet of camellias, freesias, stock and maidenhair fern. The bridesmaids, the Misses Teresa (chief), Carmel, and Noeleen Haddock (sisters of the bride), wore white organdie featuring heartshaped necklines, frills from shoulder to hem, and full skirts. They wore frilled organdie juliet caps and carried blue and white bouquets. The chief bridesmaid wore a gold locket and chain and the bridesmaids gold crosses and chains, the gift of the bridegroom. The flower girl, Esme Smith (niece of the bridegroom), wore white net finished with frills and edged with lace, and a Dutch bonnet. She carried a gathered net muff relieved with blue. Mr. Harold Webster was best man and Messrs. Lester and F. Gardyne were groomsmen. When leaving the church the bride was presented with a lucky horseshoe by Raelene Gardyne. The reception was held at Harkers. The bride’s mother wore a navy pinstriped costume, blue hat, and navy accessories, and a blue and white shoulder spray. She was assisted by the bridegroom’s mother, who wore a black frock, coat, and accessories, and a blue and lemon shoulder spray. Mr and Mrs. Morrish left for the North Island. The bride travelled in a midnight blue frock relieved with gold sequins on shoulders and waist, black halo hat and accessories, and grey fur coat. Hints and Recipes Milk Rolls Take Boz. plain flour; 1 heaped teaspoon baking powder; lloz. shortening; pinch salt; enough milk to make firm but not a hard dough. Sift dry ingredients, rub in shortening . and form into a dough with the milk, divide into equal parts (about 12) and form into finger lengths. Brush over with milk and bake in hot overt for about 15 minutes. Apple Buns and Nuts Take 2 level cups plain flour, 4 dessertspoons sugar; 2 level teaspoons baking powder; 1 tablespoon lard; 1 tablespoon dripping; 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind; 1 cup diced apple; J cup milk; 1 egg; A cup chopped walnuts. Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add sugar and chop m lard and drinping or it may be rubbed in lightly with the linger tips. Add nuts and apple, the well beaten egg and milk. Fill well greased and floured patty pans .1 full and bake in a hot oven for about 20 minutes. Breakfast Potato Cakes Use half as much plain flour as mashed potato, a little chopped parsley and a little dripping. Rub the dripping into the flour unless it is added to the potato. Form into a dough and roll out. Cut into rounds and fry in a little hot fat until brown on one side', then turn and brown the other side. Serve with grilled bacon. Brown Sugar Buns Use 6oz flour; 2oz brown sugar; 2oz shortening; 3oz sultanas; 1 heaped teaspoon baking powder; 2oz candied peel; 1 gill milk. Sift dry ingredients, rub shortening in lightly, add sugar, peel and sultanas. Beat egg, add milk, then add it to the other ingredients; mix well and bake in well greased and floured patty pans lor about 15 minutes. Personal Notes Mrs. J. Baty. Coal Creek, returned ■ on Thursday from Christchurch. Mr. and Mrs. D. Costello left today on a holiday visit to Wellington.

' Meeting of Townswomen’s j Guild 1 The monthly meeting of the Townswomen’s Guild was held on Wednesday. The president (Mrs. Pearson) was in the chair and there were 24 members present. Further letters were received "from the Combined Seamen’s Institutes of Wellington in connection with the I forthcoming appeal. The garden • : circle offered to run a flower shop for . Ithe appeal. • The report from the hospital visitring committee showed that patients ; appreciated the visits. Mesdames v Boucher, Bohmann, R. W. Smith, and Walters were appointed visitors for • I the month. II The president appealed to. members ■ to join the Friends of the Hospital Society and said that good work was being done by this society. ’ During the afternoon two solos t were sung by Mrs. Kelly. Sister Rae gave a talk on her experiences while > she was overseas serving with the ’ New Zealand Nursing Division. Fancy Dress Carnival at ! United Pavilion There was a large attendance at i the fancy dress carnival held in the ' United Pavilion on Thursday even- ! ing and a varied assortment •of ex- ’ cellent costumes was seen. Prize winners were as follow: Best dressed woman, Miss E. Muir; best t dressed man, Mr. B. Murphy; most , original woman, Miss M. Robertson; most original man, Mr. L. Groom. , Statue dance, Miss E. Arnott and ' Mr. McDonald; runners-up, Miss B. ' Frost and Mr. J. Elcock; lucky spot, Miss B. Frost and Mr. A. Dodd; Wo- ’ men’s consolation prizes, Miss Mc- . Grath, Miss Moore, Miss Wootton. ' Successful Flower Shop Day The Flower Shop Day conducted by the Gardening Circle of the Townswomen’s Guild proved very successful, and the funds raised will be added to those raised in the street appeal and shop day for the Merchant Navy which will be conducted on October 4. Honour for N.Z. Nursing Director (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 20. For the first time a New Zealander J has become world president of the Florence Nightingale International 1 Foundation. She is Miss M. I. Lambie, 0.8. E., of Wellington, director of Nursing Services. Because of the war, there has been no regular election of the world president. Miss . Alexander, of South Africa, is the retiring occupant of the office. , The world headquarters of the . Foundation are in London. The or- ' ganisation was founded in 1934 to i establish a permanent international memorial to Florence Nightingale in the form of an endowed trust for post-graduate nursing education. The foundation works through affiliated national committees, which raise money for endowment and grant scholarships, usually to nurses from their own country. American Servicemen’s Wives (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 21. The wives of United States servicemen, who have not their husbands’ transport requests which would enable them io leave New Zealand but who are still married, may go to America on the payment of their own fares. On the production of their husbands’ discharge certificates and mariage licences, such wives will now be granted passages to America. Settan wives are ready to make use of the new arrangement. However, it wifi probably be January or March next before they will be able to leave. The deposit of a substantial bond will not be necessary, as this applies only to the fiancees of United States servicemen.

Announcing the new scheme Mrs. Sviatko, president of the New Zealand Eagles Club, said it was still hoped that it might be possible to arrange free transport for these wives.