NURSES’ HOURS.

Grey River Argus, 17 June 1927, Page 6

NURSES’ HOURS.

Grey Hospital Board. REFUSES REDUCTION. A decision was last evening taken by the Grey Hospital Board on the question of reforming the hours of the nursing staff in the direction of a sixday week of eight hours a day. Tn regard to the shorter week, the Medical Superintendent (Dr Moore) reported as follows: — Staffing of Hospital: I beg to submit the following report on staff additions necessary to permit a six day week for the nursing staff. This refers, no doubt to an 8 hour day. Tt is difficult in a small hospital to law down any rigid system of staff arrangement, I since the unexpected, such as the sickness of one nurse would unset arrangements indefinitely unless extra help could always be employed at once. This difficulty in arrangement is most noticeable in the case of a ward like the isolation ward, where work is frequently verv light and where consequently one nurse alone, on 24-hour duty can carry on, since there is perhaps not more than six hours actual work to bo done daily. The admission of one serious case of diphtheria would imme diately require a nurse on night duty, and if an eight hour day is required, throe nurses would be needed. To give a six day week to these Nurses an extra half-time nurse is then needed for the isolation ward alone. To allow uniform six-day week, one relieving nurse extra to x each six nurses of the staff as needed. The hospital staff is at present: Ono Sub-Matron, one Sister Old People’s Home; one Night Sister, three Ward Sisters, 24 Nurses, one Theatre Sister, total 7—24—31. To give all on--» day a week, five relievers are required for holidays. One extra Sister and one nurse since there arc roughly 54 holiday weeks to be supplied the Nurses yearly and 48 weeks for Sisters and trained nurse holidays. Tn the theatre, to obviate the necessity of giving each member of the staff some theatre attendance during training apart from their regular theatre duty it will be necessary to provide two extra nurses to enable the work to he carried out. This then provides a total of nine relieving nurses without providing for any contingency such as sickness, special nursing etc. We have at present two relievers, one relieving for holidays, and one for days off, the nurses receiving a day off each fortnight. The co-4 of this w’ill amount for the year: £3OO for six nurses’ salary, £5O each; £l2O for one extra Sister; £7B each yearly for maintenance; £lO each for uniforms. The salary increases are each £lO yearly. The cost then would be for the first year, £430 plus £546 board, plus uniforms £7O, total £1046. Second year, no uniform allowance, £490, plus £546 board, Total £1036. Third year, uniform renewal, £79; £560 plus £456, total £1176 Fourth year, no uniform allowane-’ £6BO plus £546, total £1226. The number of staff required may be deduce ! another way. The aggregate of hours worked by the staff weekly is 1665. To allow 48-hour week thus thirty-five are required with three extra holidays, 38 of a staff are needed thus seven more than our present staff of 31 arc required. Mr Turley said that he did not want

to see any nurse overworked. They were just as much entitled to reasonable working hours as anyone else. He moved that an eight-hour day and sixday week for nurses come into force on the Ist of August. Mr McTaggart seconded the motion. The Chairman (Mr J. W. Hannan!

asked Mr Turley if he knew where the finance would come from to provide for I extra nurses and housing if his (Mr i Turley’s) motion was carried. Mr Turley replied that no one should begrudge the extra cost if it meant better working hours for the nurses. As regards the extra housing that would be needed, the nurses had been ' accommodated all right before the now , Nurses’ Home had been erected. Mrs O’Brien said that it was only fair for the nurses to have reasonable hours. Everyone else had them, and the nurses needed them just as much as any’ other working person. The Chairman then put the motion, the voting on a show of hands being as follows:—For the motion—Mrs O’Brien, Messrs Turley, McTaggart, and Barrowman. Against—Messrs Hannan, Robinson, Brislane, Irvine, and Harker. The motion -was thus lost by five votes to four. QUEST FOR NURSES. Mr Brislane said he thought the action of the Matron in applying through the Hospital Association for a House Sister without letting the Board know was not in the best interests of the Hospital. He thought that applications should be called, and the appointment made through the Board Tie thought that it was the Board’s duty to see into such matters. Mr Barrowman said the Visiting Committee were satisfied to leave the matter in the hands of the Doctor and Matron, and, failing their obtaining satisfactory replies, the matter to come up before the. Board. Mr Turley said that he was in accord with Mr Brislane. He thought that all important positions in the Hospital should be made through the Board. In the past many’ appointments had been made without the Board’s knowing of it for several days. Mr Turley thought that Dr Valentine bo written to asking him to meet the Board more frequently’. The Chairman explained that Dr Valentine was not obliged to meet the Board, and that it was only’ a matter of courtesy on his Mrs O’Brien said that she also was in agreement with Mr Brislane, ami that all such appointments should be made through the Board. After a general discussion, it was decided that all appointments, from assistants upwards, he made through the Board.