HOURS OF NURSES

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 13 September 1930, Page 7

HOURS OF NURSES

ST. HELENS HOSPITALS,

MINISTER BLAMED

Hours worked by nurses in St. Helens Hospitals were criticisied by Mr. J. McCombs (Lab., Lyttelton), when the estimates of the Health Department were under consideration in the House of Representatives yesterday morning. Mr. McCombs said he was not satisfied with tliei Minister’s answer to questions asked about the long hours worked by nurses. About a year ago the Minister stated he intended to take action to control the hours worked by nurses in private and public hospitals. In the case of private hospitals legislation might be necessary, while there were the hospital boards as far as public hospitals were concerned. St. Helens Hospitals, however, were under the direct control of the Minister and his department but the way nurses were treated in those institutions was scandalous. “Nurses at St. Helens Hospital at Auckland,” said Mr. McCombs, “work ten to fifteen hours a day for seven days a week. Ten hours are provided for in the regulations, but frequently they work fifteen. AH the Minister says is that he is going into til© matter.. Some of these fine women are having their health permanently injured because of the inaction of the Minister and his department, Tlie position is too serious for the Minister to continue in his procrastinating way.” The Minister of Health, Hon. A. J. Stall worthy, replied that during August the pupil nurses at St. Helens Hospital at Auckland did not work more than eight and a-half hours a day. They had twenty-four hours off in a month, with permission to sleep away from the institution. As far as the training staff was concerned, they worked from seven to ten hours a day, and a total of 53 hours a week. Mr. McCombs: That is only for a month. The Ministier said there was no ulterior motive in selecting the month of August, the only reason being that it was the most recent. Over a year ago he called for a report on the hours worked by nurses in all St. Helens hospitals, and following that he took steps ’to have the position improved, i The hours and general conditions m St. Helens and public hospitals had been materially improved. He also had an active programme for still further improvements.—‘ ‘The Dominion.”