NURSING AT MENTAL HOSPITAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 26 November 1943, Page 2

NURSING AT MENTAL HOSPITAL

MANPOWER OFFICER’S REPORT Oamaru, Nov. 24. “Any fear.-, the public may entertain as to' suitability, or otherwise, of nurses’ work at Seacliff Mental Hospital can be answered by the experience of the Manpower Officer in WeLlington, who secured 50 nurses for Porirua Mental Hospital (30 volunteers and 20 by direction), and to date.no apr plications have been received from these girls asking permission to leave,„ which indicates that those young women who have tried the work do not; find it objectionable,” said the Oamarjf District Manpower Officer (Mr E. R. Winkel), giving evidence to the industrial Manpower Committee at Oamaru yesterday, wflen six appeals were heard against the direction of girls to the Seacliff Mental Hospital. Mr Winkel said that there were 38 vacancies on the nursing staff at Seacliff. “When an industry is short staffed, relief may be had by reduction of output, but no such relief is possible in the case of hospitals, which cannot refuse to care for those who are sick in mind and body. The community owes it to those present members of the nursing staff that they should be given relief for the heavy burden of overwork which has been their lot during the war years, in which the institution has been seriously understaffed,” said Mr Winkel.