DEATH OF A NURSE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 27 March 1922, Page 3

DEATH OF A NURSE

BOARD HOLDS INQUIRY A LLEG ATIO N S IN V ESTI(IATE D EXOXER V.TION OE STAFF In view of certain allegations having boon made in connection with the donth at tlit* hospital of .Nurso Halos, an inquiry was hold. It had boon alleged that tho matron and suh-malron had not shown tho sympathy toward tho nursing staff they should, and the nurse preferred to keep on working; rather than report sick. Dr. Robertson, medical superintendent, stated that the late nurse was 20 years of age. She did not come under his observation until she had her last illness. She was acutely ill then. He could not say whether she was overworked lie had no means oi knowing whether she would be worked any harder than other nurses. About seven days before she became' ill lie ordered a dressing lor her face, on which there was a small hod, hut that healed rapidly. Possiblv her trouble had been innibating. 'Hie sister in the ward reported the illness to him. Nurse Hales was on day duty at the time and had been off niaht duty for at least a fortnight, possibly longer. In reply to a question in regard to a burned letter written by Nurse Hales, the. doctor said it was'a half-written letter to tho dead nurse’s parents. It had been burned by another nurse. The nurse told him' the letter would only have distressed her parents. It did not. seem wrong to him to destroy the letter as there was no mention of any inquiry at the time. It did not certainly seem right that any of the. nurses should • have taken the letter and shown it to other people. He had no knowledge, apart from the septic face, of any illness of .the dead nurse during the fortnight prior to her fatal illness.

Sister Lee said she was on night duty with - Nurse Hales. She told the matron the nurse was subject to septic fingers. The matron took her off night duty the next night. The night she had a" bad tinier witness sent another nurse to help her. There was no fear about reporting sick. The matron, in fact, got annoyed if nurses came on duty when not fit. Nurse Halos did not confide in witness. As a matter of fact witness was not hard on nurses on night duty. She thought the matron had been wronged in this matter.

Voluminous evidence was given, after which a motion was put to the meeting that the matron and submatron ho asked to resign. This was defeated, only the mover and seconder voting for it. A motion “that this hoard, after taking all the evidence possible, is of opinion that no blame can he attributed to any of the staff in the matter of tho _death of Nurso Hales" was then carried.