TRAINEES WALK OUT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26777, 21 May 1948, Page 6

TRAINEES WALK OUT

PROBLEM FOR HOSPITAL BOARD ETHICAL QUESTION RAISED P.A. INVERCARGILL, May 20. A discussion on the steps that should be taken to deal with immigrants who left their nursing training after being given special priority to reach New Zealand was heard at a meeting of the Southland Hospital Board, when Mr H. E. Philp reported that two English immigrants had left the Riverton Hospital without word to the matron. “They had no time for nursing, and packed up without a word to take jobs in a factory at Christchurch,” said Mr Philip. It did not seem fair that they should be able to get a special priority to come to the Dominion to take up nursing, and then leave their job, said the chairman, Mr T. Golden. The opinion that the scheme to bring girls to New Zealand to train for nursing had been a failure was expressed by Mr Philp. Mr G. Whittingham: If their fares to New Zealand are paid for them, I think they had a duty to us, and they should be reported to the authorities.” Dr J. A. Pottinger said he did not think the board should be too hasty, as the girls might not have been selected properly. The standard of nursing in New Zealand was high, and it did not seem fair to blame the girls if they could not stand up to it. “ Why blame these girls forj coming to a new job in a new country when 1T.5 per cent, of the girls in Invercargill resign in the first year? ” he asked. They would still be of use to the country if they were working in a factory, said Dr Pottinger. If the taxpayers of the country paid their fares and they got a priority passage to come to New Zealand to take up nursing, something should be done when they left, said Mr Golden. If they were not going to do their job ofter coming to the Dominion, the Tourist Department , should be informed. Dr Pottinger said the trouble seemed to occur in England, where the girls were not selected carefully enough.