NURSES’ TESTS

Grey River Argus, 8 September 1939, Page 4

NURSES’ TESTS

RECENT EXAMINATIONS. STANDARD SET DEFENDED. AUCKLAND, Scptmeber 3. A defence of the standard set in the May examinations in anatomy and physiology for pupil nurses was received by the Auckland Hospital Board at a meeting from the Nurses and Midwives’ Registration Board. The Hospital Board recently criticised the standard as being too advanced. The Registration Board stated that candidates from the Auckland Hospiactually there were a large number of tai' sitting the examination and the number of passes from the hospital, together with the number in most of the other hospitals which were also training schools, pointed to the fact that the papers were not of too high a standard for the pupil nurses concerned. "The Registration Board is of the opinion,” stated the letter, “that the questions asked were well within the scope of the syllabus. Naturally, the examiners in the State examination could not be influenced by the effect the result of the examinations mayhave on the supply of nurses available for institutions, and further, the Registration Board does not consider it advisable to lower the standard of training in New Zealand. “The board is of the opinion,” added the letter, “that public criticism of the questions and the results of the examinations will make it difficult for the services of satisfactory examiners to be retained.” On the motion of the chairman, Mr Allan J. Moody, the letter was received. Mr Moody said the letter was not very helpful. In effect it meant that the examiner should not be interfered with. That might be the opinion of the Registration Board, but he did not think it would be the opinion of right-thinking people.