HOSPITAL SISTER TUTOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19389, 26 July 1926, Page 6

HOSPITAL SISTER TUTOR.

Sir, —No doubt ifc is right and fair that the " plums " of the nursing profession here should go to New Zealand nurses—as far as nursing itself is concerned. But for a tutor sister, it seems to me something more is required. To begin with, a much higher educational standard than the proficiency test would be needed—and a candidate with only that standard to work on would have a great deal to make up before her training as tutor could be commenced. N.ot only must she be an excellent nurse, but also an excellent teacher—the two are seldom combined—and she must be able to speak well and write well; also she must have a personality. To 6e a good teacher, one must know a great deal more than one's pupils, and that would mean a good deal of study of subjects not actually taught to nurses. A university course—either M.B. or a part of that degree—would be useful, I should think, although I don't, of course, know exactly what part of the training would be in her hands. In any case, her salary is not adequate, but that will probably right itself in time. The Hospital Board is right in getting the bestavailable—parochialism should not stand in the way. Later on, New Zealand will tram her own tutors, but it will have to be on a much higher educational plane than the present one set for nurses. Ex-nurse.