THE TRAINING OF MIDWIVES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13782, 22 June 1908, Page 4

THE TRAINING OF MIDWIVES.

To-day a deputation of medical men will wait on the Hon. Geo. Fowlds, for the purpose of bringing under his notice the important question of the training of midwives. St. Helens: Hospital is intended for the accommodation of women of limited means, whose homes are unsuitable by distance ,or other reasons, jad also for the training of midwiveito attend women at home who arelunable to pay medical fees. Tjiese midwives are taught to recognise diffi&lties and complications, arid to know when to call in the. aid /of a doctor. When the hospital; was opened women who had had /practical experience were certified as midwives (without examination) if they presented satisfactory testimonials and certificates. After a time this privilege was withdrawn. There seems to be an impression that, in teaching, at least, the benefits of Si. Helens are restricted. No doubt the standard of nursing has been raised, but the supply is small. The hospital trains about six or eight midwives —surely an inadequate number even if they all continued to nurse women of small means. But some may marry, some travel — nurses of late have become rather nomadic—and some ma/ prefer, under the supervision of a doctor, to nurse the wives of/ wealthy citizens, attracted by grfcaier comfort, divided responsibility, and higher pay. Is it not possib/e to give wider effect to the teachi/g of the hospital 1 ? For example/ if some of the midwives who rehired certificates on the ground of /experience desire theoretical instruction in more modern methods, sliould they, not receive it? There/sre, too', in Auckland, private hospitals for obstetrical cases, manned by certificated nurses. Are thkv pupil-nurses to receive no recognition '? At one time, they attendee} the lectures at St. Helens, and pre examined for certificates, but/- this permission has been discontinued. We believe that in St. Helen* the normal cases are attended by midwives, while in the better-kno/b private hospitals licensed if Government, the patients aiV almost without exception attended l;y their own medical men, and in /-bis way the pupils acquire an insight into different methods of treatmM and an extended knowledge (if their work. Is it fair to the community and to these pupils that they Siiould be excluded from the theoretical lectures and the certificate' examinations of St. Helens Hospital'? Surely not, if it be remembered that the doctors whose patients they have been taught to nurse in private hospitals, are in some instances the doctors who examine at St. Helens. The fact that tie pupils who live in St. Helens lave to pay an entrance fee is no reason why nurses who live elsewhere should not attend the lectures and examinations free from charge We believe, there is a regulation that training places for nurses must contain a certain number of beds, but this is an unnecessary and possibly unwise restriction. Good training does not depend on many beds, but on the time spent in learning and the number of cases seen. Indeed, a rather limited number of beds implies more personal supervision, and more careful practical instruction. We hope that the Department will take' care that enthusiasm to make St. Helens Hospital an institution in itself ideal may not cripple its more extended usefulness to the suffering poor whose welfare was so dear to the large heart of the founder.