Are Nurses At Hospital Deprived Of Holidays?

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18188, 22 June 1927, Page 4

Are Nurses At Hospital Deprived Of Holidays?

“ STAR ” ARTICLE DISCUSSED AT TO-DAY’S MEETING—IMPROVED CONDITIONS PROMISED.

The lack of regular holidays for members of the nursing staff of the Christchurch Hospital was recently revealed in an article in the “ Star.” This morning, the subject was raised at a meeting: of the North Canterbury Hospital Hoard bv the chairman (Mr H. J. Otley).

uiifj In referring to the site for the nurses' home, Mr Otley said that in the first place, his own opinion was that it was impossible to move the hos- i pita! from its present position. It j would be too co-tly. lie could not ! see that the site proposer! for the j nurses’ home was unhealthy. It was ten feet above the river, which, while it was not much, was more than a great many other positions of the city. .\ suggestion had been made that the home should be some distance away from the hospital. It that happened, they would not need a nurses’ home, i as the nurses could live in their own i homes. That would be unsatisfactory. When there was a large number of j nurses, as in Christchurch, the board ' had a duty to them, and some sort of discipline must be maintained. If a I home was built away from the hospital, the question of transport would have to Vie taken into consideration. Three shifts, each of sixty-six nurses, would have to be taken backwards and forwards. Mr Otley then referred to a joint report which he had received from Dr Fox in April, in which the matron, Miss Muir, stated that at the end of July the staff would Ijc augmented to such an extent that there would be no question about a lack of holidays. The speaker then referred to a report which he had received from Miss Muir, lie said that it was too long to read, and he intended to hand it to the newspapers, with the hops that it might be published. Dealing with the question of holi- I days for nurses, the chairman said: “I do think we have been treated unfairly. Our hospital has more nurses per lied than anv other hospital in New Zealand. All the time we are being nagged at for overworking the staff. Even this morning, in another paper, it says the maids are overworked. Do they think we re a body of slave drivers? We’ve been trying for years to get a nurses’ home, because we know that some are not as well housed as wc would like to see them. As soon as we try, all sorts of objections are raised.” The hope that when the Bill to provide land for the nurses’ home went before Parliament, it would be settled quickly was expressed by the chairman. He added that if the horse paddock site was not healthy, then where the majority of members lived could not be healthy: What would be the position if they put the hospital five I or six miles from the city* What would the relatives and friends of patients say? A Site for Nothing. Air F. Ilorrell said that there was one site that would cost the board nothing. It was the piece of land adjacent to the present nurses’ home, where the doctors’ house was. He thought that the matter was worthy of consideration. The chairman: That was settled some time ago and turned down by the board. Airs E. R. Al’Combs said that she did not realise that the board would again be able to discuss the site of the nurses’ home. Had she known, she would have brought with her on article written by the matron of an English hospital and published in New Zealand. In the article the writer stated that a nurses’ home should be a club for nurses, and should be some distance away from the hospital. In America, nurses had to seek their own accommodation. “These insuperable difficulties of yours,” said Airs Al'Combs to the chairman, “are really not so insuperable after all. Some of us hope that the Bill will not be passed. Since the meeting of the members of Parliament, we have high hopes that the Bill will not be passed.” Regarding the reply, prepared by Dr Fox and Miss Aluir. to the newspapers’ allegations, Mrs Al'Combs said that she wished to protest against it being given to the newspapers before it was given to the board. Mr W. J. Walter: Why not send a copy to each member. The secretary (Air W. S. Wharton) said that he had only received the report yesterday. The chairman: Do you think it right that accusations should be made against the staff, and particularly Miss Aluir, and should not be replied to? The Rev J. K. Archer: Aliss Muir must be in some way responsible, as she allowed herself to be interviewed by a newspaper correspondent. According to the interview, Afiss Aluir herself made it plain that the nurses i are, to some extent, overworked.

My own be>Lief is that th© nurses are overworked. I think that c«rtain simp 1 © remedies which I have suggested again and again, and which havo been ignored, would remedy th© matter at littl© cost. “ I think that, no matter what it costs, we should have the staff to see that nurses are not worked seven days a week,” said Air Archer. The discussion was interrupted while deputations were received on other matters. When the discusison was resumed, the Rev Clyde Carr asked was the statement by Aliss Muir, as reported, that nurses could be on duty for six weeks continuously, correct. The chairman: According to this report, no. The secretary then read the joint reply. Reply by Matron. The report was signed by Dr \V. Fox and Miss R. Muir, Lady Supetintendcnt. It stated: “The recent strictures that have been made against the administration under sensational headings, such as “ Overworked Hospital Nurses,” “Nurses at Christchurch Hospital Work Hard and Get Very Few Holidays,” and so on, must to all of us cause a pang of deep regret and to those of us who have little else in our lives but the welfare of .the hospital in every regard and particularly the training school for nurses which we have built up with almost a parental affection, nurturing and caring for it and establishing a pride that is dear to our hearts. To we few. therefore, such statements are distressing because improperly * coloured. The substance of a newspaper reporter's interview with the Lady Superintendent has been so misconstrued that she has been credited with remarks that have been so twisted that thev are the reverse of the truth. Miss Aluir quoted to the reporter her letter 1o your committee of April 7 in which the position of the nurses’ day off a week was thoroughly explained. The hospital committee was warned that, the scheme at this transition stage would surely break down at any time owing to holidays and sickness until the staff was fully made up to the required number in order to allow of the suggested regulation being consistently carried out. “The board has honestly attempted to solve the nurses’ home question, and for nearly three years certain influences have been brought to bear to prevent your board settling the nurses’ home question in the fashion that most of the members of the board desired. It is necessary to make this position perfectly clear because the administration, is now being unjustly l lamed for not carrying out a regulation which thev were perfectly unable to do until room was found to house the necessary number of nurses that had to be taken on to augment the staff.” The report went on to say that the staff had to be built up by* the introduction of untrained probationers. The nursing staff could only be diluted by such probationers in quantities that would not affect the efficiency of the staff as a whole. It would be the end of July before sufficient probationers could be introduced to allow of the regulation running smoothly. Between the past six or seven months, between forty and fifty untrained probationers had been introduced. Particulars were given of the shift arrangements, which provide for eight hours on and sixteen hours off. The report also stated: “Whereas it is true that during the initiation of the [ day off a week, a few nurses have for the time being lost their day off a week, it is untrue that any nurses have been kept working so that they have not had the privilege of a half-day or even a night off.” Particulars were given of the amount of illness among nurses as follows: January, three nurses off duty; February, four nurses off duty; March, two nurses off duty; April, two nurses off duty; May, five nurses off duty; June, five nurses off duty. As to recreation, it was stated that three tennis courts are provided, and the staff had the hospital and gardens for recreation purposes. It was decided to hand the report to the newspapers. , Mr Archer said that the report could * not be given to the newspapers as a decision of the board. There were certain statements that he did not agree with. The chairman explained that the report was not the opinion of the board, but that of Dr Fox and Aliss Muir. The subject was then dropped.