NAPIER HOSPITAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 121, 22 April 1938, Page 2

NAPIER HOSPITAL

COMPARISONS WITH PALMERSTON NORTH. . NAPIER, April 21. “The impression we gained on our tour is that the sitting of the Royal Commission at Napier has had a detrimental effect on this hospital, in as much as matrons, medical superintendents and secretaries, when questioned on this matter, stated that in conversation with various nurses they had found that nurses were very reluctant to apply for positions at the Napier Hospital,” states a report issued for publication by Mr C. Lassen and Rev. R. B. Gosnell, who were specially deputed by the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board to visit Dannevirke, Palmerston North, Wanganui, Hawera and New Plymouth to study the organisation and working of the hospitals there.

“It is recommended that in future, when advertisements are inserted for trainees, a photograph of the hospital should be included in the advertisement.” the report continued, “Of the hospitals we visited, Wanganui and Palmerston North are the only ones who experience difficulty in obtaining trainees, New Plymouth having a waiting list of 50. Palmerston North insist that all nurses must have four years’ training before they will be appointed as staff nurses; At Palmerston North every nurse is periodically examined to ascertain her susceptibility to tuberculosis.

““We found that the number of nurses a l>ed was approximately the same at other hospitals as here* Now Plymouth having one nurse to 1.75 patients, and Palmerston North one nurse to 1.9 patients. At Palmerston North they have a matron, sub-matron, homo sister, diet supervisor and two tutor sisters. The senior tutor relieves the sub-matron occasionally, who also has a staff-nurse in her department to allow for time off. This gives continuity of service. At all hospitals visited we found no special preliminary schools, and matrons generally favour the idea, of preliminary schools in the four main centres, each hospital sending their own probationers and receiving the same ones back. “The Palmerston North Board supplies its porters with neat uniforms purchased in 6tock sizes from the factory, the average life of the.uniforms being two years. In addition, they have grey coats to wear during cleaning operations, and the theatre porter is supplied with white overalls. "We exnmined the telephone system of every hospital visited, and the system at Palmerston North is to he commended. They have four young ladies of good education as telephone attendants, with 60 internal telenhones. “In all the hospitals visited we found the same difficulty in controlling visitors. and that on the whole our visiting hours are more liberal than those in other hospitals. For instance, at Palmerston North thev lm.ve three visiting days a week, each ef one hour only, including Sundays. We found that matrons generally do not approve of visiting hours during the day, as it interferes with the nurses in their work, and that the control of visitors should l>e from the inside of the ward,” the report adds.