MATERNITY BURSES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10606, 31 October 1912, Page 4

MATERNITY BURSES.

TRAINING COMPULSORY. BAOKBLOCKS COURSE. [FaOM Ot'R CoHIVESFONDKNT.] WELLINGTON, October 30. " Nurses trained in the Sfc Helen's Hospitals should, as part of their course, on the completion ci' their hospital work, spend a further period of si?: months nursing in tha backblocks," stated Mr Statham, member for Central Dunedin, in the course of a. question on this subject to the Minister of Public Health. l'ho latterY, reply shewed that the suggestion cannot be officially- adopted. The question of encouraging midwives to practice in the backblocks had, ho said, been the subject of consideration on tho part of the Department, and Hospital Boards had been advised that free training would be given in our St Helen's Hospitals to those women specially recommended by the Boards as likely to mako suitable midwives, provided they engaged on completion of their _ training to serve for a stated period in the more remote country districts. It was considered that this policy was a better ono than to insist on a six months' extension of the period of training for midwives, which at present for registered nurses was sis months, and for unregistered nurses twelve months. li an additional sis months' course were insisted upon it might have the effect of deterring Aiany excellent women, trained or untrained, from undertaking the work, and tin's might result in a shortage cf midwives for the dominion.