NEED FOR NURSES

Wanganui Chronicle, 6 May 1949, Page 5

NEED FOR NURSES

WELLINGTON. Last Night (PA).— lln spite of the many difficulties over 'securing hospital nurses, the figures lof the general training schools for the two years since the last Hospital i Boards’ conference showed that the 'staffing position as a whole had been maintained remarkably well, said Miss M. I. Lambie, Director of the Division of Nursing, Department of Health, in an address to Hospital Board representatives.

Miss Lambie said that factors assisting this position were probably rises in salary, combined with a recruiting scheme and immigration. Considering the shortage of labour, the position must be regarded as fairly satisfactory, although it was realised that some of the small hospitals had a very worrying period. She said that the Nurses and Midwives’ Board had recommended that nurses should be allowed to undertake their maternity training in their fourth year, and that their staffing year might be taken in any service.

The syllabus was amended to bring it into conformity with the present--1 day practice and the period of training was reduced from three years three months to three years The maximum amount of time for each principal service would be laid down to ensure that pupils received all-round experience. A pre-nursing course began in Wellington last year, and this year had extended to eight centres. She was sure this scheme wouiu bring to hospitals a reservoir of well-educated girls and create interest within schools in nursing.

It was difficult to assess the value of the joint recruiting scheme, although actual inquiries had been several thousand. The maintenance of registered nurses had been a definite problem. In the past two years 450 had gone overseas. Nurses had come from other countries but in nothing like the same numbers and they did not wish to remain permanently in any one position. The number of registeied nurses was, therefore, increasing only very slowly in spite of the fact that about 600 qualified every year.