NURSES TO GET WEEKLY HOLIDAY SOON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17880, 23 June 1926, Page 5

NURSES TO GET WEEKLY HOLIDAY SOON.

WORKING CONDITIONS IN CH’CH HOSPITAL. In the opinion of the Hospital Committee there is no evidence that the health of the nursing staff of the Public Hospital is affected by the conditions under which they live. A special meeting- of the committee was held recently to consider the health of the staff. As a result the committee placed the following information before a meeting of the board this morning: “ Miss Muir reported the result of her investigations as to conditions existing in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin, which tended to show that the board’s nurses were—if anything in a better position than the nurses in other centres. “ The committee desires to report that, in view of the fact that no evidence has been to show that the health of the nursing staff is affected by the fiuties required of them by the conditions under which they live, it has no recommendation to make arid desires to express full confidence in the Medical and Lady Superintendents in their care of the nursing staff. “The committee also desires to report that the day's holiday per week will be given so soon as necessary housing accommodation is available on the top storey of the administration building."

“ MANY ARE WORKED TOO HA R D.”

SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SWEEP FLOORS. When the report of the committee was presented Mr 11. 11. Holland said that it was regrettable that members of the board should have stated what they did at the board table without first having approached the committee. The statements had been published all over New Zealand. It was found that a case mentioned by Mr Archer was old history. Members of the board should come straight to the committee. The Rev J. K. Archer said that he did not know Mr Holland was going to make any personal references. He desired to repeat what he had said to the board. He had gone to the committee one day and was very politely informed that he had no right to be there. lie was a member of the board and had a perfect right to speak at the board table. He regarded the resolution of the committee as a piece of whitewashing and as an attempt on the part of the committee to prevent the introduction into the hospital of some reforms which were very necessary. He had never suggested any lack of confidence in the superintendents. He still maintained that there were some things which could be improved. He was not interested in the question of the conditions of nurses in other centres: his point was that the conditions here as yet were not all that they should be. In his judgment some of the nurses, particularly the young nurses, were worked too hard. Mr W. E. Leadley: You are correct. Mr Archer: And are worked too many hours, and as a result suffer in health. He thought that the nurses should be freed from polishing brasses and sweeping floors, and that they should devote the whole of their time to looking after the sick. Mrs E. R. M’Combs said that none of the board, she supposed, was quite satisfied with the conditions. Since she had been a member of the board she had found the lady superintendent very willing to accept suggestions for the amelioration of the nurses’ conditions. It had been reported that it was intended to introduce more labour-saving machinery, and at the present time inquiries were being made in regard to electrical polishers. If these were installed the nurses would be relieved of a good deal of drudgerv. The chairman: The board have agreed to that. Mrs M’Combs said that . those who had been most critical always had confidence in the superintendent. Th< y had an assurance that when the holiday was granted it would be a free day for the nurses, and this was a great achievement. Mr F. Horrell: If we can give a holiday with this accommodation what is the need for constructing a nurses’ home at a cost of £40,000? (Laughter.) Mr W E. Leadley said that when he first heard the arguments of Mr Archer he did not have much time for them, but since he had been in hospital for ten days he had had an eye-opf.ner. He was not satisfied by a long way, both as to the treatment meted out to junior nurses and to patients. He intended to ask the chairman of the Hospital Committee to accompany him round the hospital when he would point out certain things. The Rev Clyde Carr gave notice to move at the next meeting that some of the members be relieved of part of their present duties on committees and that a hospital visiting committee bo set tip. It. would be their duty to go round the institutions «nd report either to the Hospital Committee or to the board, thus creatine a direct link.