LEAVE FOR NERSES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 167, 19 July 1935, Page 6

LEAVE FOR NERSES

>i i. I O uny‘ Chronicle reports ;hat ib,.- Wanganui Hospital Boarti yesterday by a small majority, passed a motion which bus the cil'cct <4. wTTTkcning their insistence on nurses of the stair receiving one day's leave in seven, iliis decision will not, 1 trust, com* mend itself to thoughtful and considerate citizens of Wanganui and its dis1 can understand two motives weighing with members cl the board in coming to their decision;— (Ij Reluctance to incur extra expense through possibly needing to engage mure nurses. To engage even lour or live additional nurses would ease the position. Surely, to accommodate, iced and pay fdur or live more nurses would not largely increase expenses. Nurses icceive a small enough wage, and the increase in catering would nardly be noli.cd. (2) .11 <•• tra stall were engaged, at slack times some nurses might have too little to do. One feels that this could he overcome by putting in hand periodical cleanings and overhauls at such slack seasons, and portioning out annual leave. Now, 1 know that nursing is a vocation to which all who take it up should give themselves unstintingiy, without putting private comfort first. But, as a Ireiprcnt visitor at the hospital, J should say that this spirit does prevail among the staff. This, however, does not aosoive members of the board from doing- their very best to conserve the health and happiness of the nurses. Jn my* opinion the board should insist lirm\v on leave being available regularly— one day in seven. Ihe reasons must suggest themselves to anyone who observes and thinks;— (J; A nurse’s duty is eight hours daily. Often it gets lengthened out to about nine hours. For all that time she has to be on her leet, bustling about on physically exhausting tasks. (2) The strain is not only physical; it is mental also. All sorts of patients pass through the wards, some of them very exacting and troublesome persons. Day after day there is contact with injuries, wounds, patients in a pitiable state, and experiences to wear down one's patience and cheerfulness. Is not regular absolutely ncces(3) Those receiving their lime off at present often have to return to hospital to attend a lecture on an afternoon when tlVy would otherwise be free. These and other considerations are, of course, well known to all those who move about the hospital. The question is: Do they not constitute a case, morally and humanely unanswerable, for granting regular weekly leave to members of the nursing staff, even at pc-ssible additional cost. —Yours faithlull v, 1., h. kj:k. 1 Knox Church Manse, Gonxillv. j July IS, .1935.