WOMEN FOR EGYPT

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24136, 1 December 1941, Page 4

WOMEN FOR EGYPT

Sir,—l, too, would like to protest against sending 20ty untried V.A.D.'s overseas when there are trained and semi-trained nurses by the hundreds eager to do their bit in this war. I have given lectures to and had V.A.D.'s under my care in wards in hospital and I sincerely say that they are not fit for the serious tasks ahead of them. It takes four years to train a nurse. What .does a V.A.D. learn in 60 hours' hospital experience? Everyone agrees on this one point. The boys overseas should have only the most skilled attention when ill or wounded —then why give preference to 200 amateurs when there are trained and semi-trained nurses available? Are we trained nurses to be kept in Now Zealand to train V.A.D.'s? You women of New Zealand, 4 with your men fightihit in Egypt now, what is your honest opinion? ' Sister, N.Z.R.N, i Sir, —1 am afraid "One of the Nominees" thinks we are suffering from a large dose of jealousy, but if she read and digested the letter by "Eight Trained Nurses" (Hkrald, November 27) she would understand what we all meant. Can "Nominee" honestly think that for an untrained nurse there could be more for her to do except make bods? You can learn a lot in an emergency hospital, but do you think that that hospital is anything like a war hospital overseas? There is a great difference between them, as any of the trained nurses who have returned from overseas will tell you. Also, when Miss E. M. Nutsey (whoso wisdom f would not question) asked for voluntary aids she surely meant those with a lot of experience. However, "Nominee," if you are one oi those who have been fortunate enough to acquire 650 hours of training and you do manage to get "over there," all I can say is good luck to you and may you be iucky enough to find your job over there no harder than it has been her®. Kuesb.