NURSES’ FOOTWEAR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 95, 22 April 1944, Page 5

NURSES’ FOOTWEAR

NEW SCHEME TO SUPPLY WHITE SHOES SPECIAL FOOT-FITTING TO BE CARRIED OUT (P.A.) Wellington, April 21. Details of a scheme, which will operate for one year for the supply of white duty shoes to nurses (including hospital aides, trainees and members of the civil nursing reserve working in hospital board and Government institutions) was announced to-night by the Minister of Supply, Mr. Sullivan. Nurses will be entitled to purchase I two pairs of shoes, at 80s per pair, while pupil nurses and trainees will receive a special concession by getting their two pairs of shoes at 15s per pair. “Distribution and correct fitting of the shoes will be accomplished by extending the scheme, which has been in operation for some time, of supplying correctly-fitting footwear to girls of the armed forces, which has been commented upon so very favourably from all over the country,” said the Minister. “Some nurses will attend fitting depots in Auckland. New Plymouth, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, and other nurses will be attended to by’ mobile footwear and chiropody units, of which there are five covering country itineraries. The « fitting procedure adopted in the depots an£ in mobile units will be the same. Chiropodists will make a thorough foot examination, after which both feet will be measured by means of a special fitting device, which determines simultaneously the arch, length, width and overall length of the foot. A shoe fitter then proceeds with the actual shoe fitting, and when this is completed it is checked by means of an X-ray machine “Full information of fitting and of treatment given are kept on an index card for future reference. Special lasts have been designed by the Footwear Fitting Diivsion, with the cooperation of orthopaedic surgeons. In order to have different types of lasts to fit different characteristics of feet, some 218 fittings will be available to cover the exact requirements of each individual foot ‘‘Hospital boards are being advised of the scheme through the Department of Health, and it has been so arranged that very little work falls upon hospital boards’ staffs. I, therefore, appeal to them for their full cooperation and assistance. The Footwear Fitting Division will commence the supply of shoes to nurses in the middle of July, and I am sure that the extension of the service to cover nurses will be welcomed by everyone and that nurses will find rapid relief from foot troubles.” Mr. Sullivan mentioned that, from advice received from the Registered Nurses’ Association, many nurses had had to take sick leave due to feet troubles, and, in some cases, it had been necessary for nurses to leave hospitals due to that cause.