PROFESSIONAL NURSING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19663, 15 June 1927, Page 13

PROFESSIONAL NURSING.

PROMOTION OF EFFICIENCY. HOSPITAL MATRONS CONFER. [BY TELEGRAPH. OWN CORRESPONDENT. J WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The general promotion of the efficiency and advancement of the professional nursing services is the main object of the conference of hospital matrons which is being held this week in Wellington. Matrons from all over New Zealand are attending. At the opening of the conference there were present the Hon. J. \ Young, Minister of Health, Dr. T. II A. Valintine, Director-General of Health, Mr. C M. Luke, chairman of the Wellington Hospital Board, Mr. W. \ppleton, chairman of the Hospital Committee, Dr. D Mac Donald Wilson, medical superintendent, and Miss J. Bicknell, director of the division of nursing of tb« Health Department. ... .. t Mr Luke, in inviting the Minister ot Health to declare the conference open, said the gathering was unique, in that it was the first conference of hospital matrons of the Dominion which had been held. 11 i. The Minister said it was an excellent idea to hold such a conference. An exchange of ideas by hospital matrons would be of value not only to the profession and to the sick and suffering, but also to the community generally. From a perusal of the agenda paper he noticed with satisfaction two worthy features—a desire to perfect themselves in the fullest knowledge of their profession and the manifestation of a devotion to their work in the spirit of service for the pood which they could do. The nursing profession was an arduous one, calling for considerable self-sacrifice. It was well to recognise that the New Zealand nursing profession contributed its good share of service in the Great War No fewer than 550 nurses were on military service at the war, and 15 j made the supreme sacrifice. The training of nurses in New Zealand was regarded as very sound. This was shown by the fact that the Genera! Nursing Council of England and Wales admitted to the English register, without further examination, nurses trained in this country and who were on the New Zealand register. The Dominion's trainees were the first to be accepted unconditionally in this way. He appreciated the desire of the matrons to se« a course of training in the higher phases of nnrsing established at one of the university colleges.