OVERWORKED NURSES.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 April 1934, Page 4

OVERWORKED NURSES.

The chairman of the Taranaki Hospital

Board and the medical superintendent did no more than their clear duty when they drew the attention of the board to the amount of work the nursing staff is called upon to do. As with the other public hospitals in Taranaki one has only to be a patient at the New Plymouth hospital to appreciate properly the efficiency of the nursing staff, the excellent administration of the matron, and the unfailing care and attention given. For a long time it has been apparent to patients with any degree of discernment that the hours of work for the nursing staff are on the whole long and arduous, but the figures supplied by the chairman of the board place the matter beyond doubt. In view of the health tests which candidates for nursing must pass before they undertake even probationary work, and the fact that only the strong and efficient trainees survive the period of probation, it is not reasonable to suppose that there should be such a high percentage of sickness amongst the remainder unless there were some specific cause. And there can be little doubt that the cause is the exacting nature of the work due to under-staffing. To work, as is sometimes the case, anything up to ten and even twelve hours a day, seven days a week, with only one day off a month is clearly unreasonable. Mr. Stainton very properly referred to the difficult times the community is passing through, for no unnecessary expenditure on public institutions is warranted. This is a case, however, where even though increased expenditure may be necessary in order to increase the nursing staff and provide adequate accommodation it seems the board has no option. And in view of the extent of sickness amongst the nurses the board might well be doing itself a good turn by adopting the suggestion of the medical superintendent to provide the nursing staff with more facilities for sport than they at present enjoy.