NURSES’ HOURS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 21065, 17 June 1938, Page 8

NURSES’ HOURS

Private Hospitals Regulations Issued By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, June '6. The private hospitals (hours of work) regulations 1938. which come into force on September 1. 1938, are published ' with the Gazette to-night. The regula- I tions state:— (1> The licensee of every licensed hospital in which the number of I licensed beds is less than 10 shall main- | tain in connection therewith a. staff sufficient to ensure thf.t theg hours of , work of every member of the nursing - staff, inclusive of time spent in taking ■ meals while on duty, shall not exceed an average of 48 h nirs a week in any i period of eight weeks. (2) No licensee of any such hospital j shall permit a member of the nursing ■ staff to be employed so that her hours ' of work, inclusive of the time spent In , taking meals while on duty, exceed an average of 48 hours a week in uny . period of eight weeks. (3) The licensee of every licensed hospital where the number of beds is 10 or more shall maintain a staff , sufficient to ensure that the hours of i work of every member of the musing I staff, inclusive of the time spent in | taking meals while on duty, shall not | exceed an average of 48 hours a week in I any period of four weeks. <4l No licensee of any such hospital shall permit a member of the mu ing ; staff to be employed sc that her hcurs of work, inclusive of the time spent in i taking meals while • n duty exceed an i average of 48 hou.s a week in any : period of four weeks. Weekly Holiday (5) The licensee f every licensed I hospital shall maintain in connection ; therewith a staff sufficient to ensure ' (a> that every member of the nursing; staff may enjoy at least one complete ■ day off duty every week or. if so agreed j with her employer, at least two consecutive days off duty every fortnight; <b) that no light nurse shall t on duty on more than six nights in any week unless if agreed with her employer to work for more than six ■ consecutive nights, s’ e is given in return for so doing not less than one night off duty tor every consecutive six ' nights she is on duty, provided that no ' night nurses shall be required to work I more than 48 consccut ve nights. <6> The licensee of every licenced ! hospital shall cause every member of j the nursing staff to receive at least one ; complete day off duty in every week ; or. if so agreed with her employer, at ; least two consecutive days off duty i every fortnight. (7) No licensee of any licensed hospital shall cause or permit my member of the nursing staff to b. on duty on more than six nights in any week, unless, having agreed with her employer to work for more than six consecutive nights, she is given in return for so doing not less than one night off duty for every consecutive six nights she is on duty, provided that . no member of the nursing staff shall . be required to work mere than 48 consecutive nights. The regulations also provide that the licensees of hospitals shall keep a register of the hours worked by nurses. Breaches of the regulations will rei der the licensee of a hosp-ffal liable to a penalty not exceeding £5.