ANNUAL MEETING

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20718, 31 January 1939, Page 3

ANNUAL MEETING

NURSES’ CONFERENCE The attitude of nurses toward their profession was the subject of a very interesting talk given recently by Miss M. I. Lambie, director of nursing, to the Nurses’ Christian Union Conference in Wellington. The occasion was an ‘‘At Home" given by the Dominion president and members of the executive in the Salvation Army Training College to all delegates and their friends. Outside people, said Miss Lambie, were inclined to believe that nurses lived a life apart from ordinary folk, working very long hours for poor salaries. and a legend had grown up about “noble nurses.” There had been many spiendid women, she said, who had dedicated their lives to nursing in a heroic and self-sacrificing spirit, and these women were indeed noble, but about 80 per cent of nurses Joined the profession because it was work giving them a certain amount of prestige, opportunity to travel, an interesting occupation, superannuation, and many other advantages. In that attitude, she said, there was a danger of losing the sense of service which was the ennobling element of nursing. It had been said that, only a nurse with the vocational spirit could be a really good nurse, and there was much truth in it. It was difficult to think of it in the hurry and bustle of each day, but even such unpleasant and mundane tasks as cleaning wards could seem more worth while when one realized that they added to the comfort of the patients. It was this attitude, said Miss Lambie in conclusion, which nurses should strive to preserve and to communicate Lo those with whom they came In contact. Mrs H. Bayldon Ewen, Dominion president of the Nurses’ Christian Union, presided at the gathering, and after Miss Lambie's address tea was served. In the evening the annual meeting of the union was held. Dr Bayldon Ewen was in the chair, and members of the public interested in the movement attended, in addition to the 60 delegates to the conference. At the beginning of the meeting everyone rose and stood for a minute in silence in tribute to the memory of Miss Lydia Williams, Hawke's Bay, and Mrs Mary Latchmore, Auckland. Mrs Tvthe Brown, a vice-president, spoke of the wonderful and inspiring work done by these nurses, and the loss which their death would prove. Mrs Ewen thanked the members of the executive for their untiring work and support throughout the year. She spoke of the fine spirit which permeated the conference, and urged the nurses to preserve it in their daily life. The missionary nurses’ report and the secretaries’ report gave evidence of the fine work done by the union throughout New Zealand and in many other parts of the world. Before the election of officers, Mrs Ewen explained that in Hie past doctors and clergymen’had held executive positions, but it had been decided that in future all such positions should be held by nurses, and that the doctors and clergymen who were willing lo give their assistance would form an advisory board, together with Miss Lambie. The election of officers resulted as follows:—President, Mrs H. Bayldon Ewen; vice-presidents, Mrs Tythe Brown, Mrs T. N. Gibbs, Misses Bicknell, and E. Williams, Captain Berry; North Island secretary, Miss M. Friis; South Island secretary, Miss J. Samson; missionary secretary, Mrs J.

Carswell, assisted by Mrs F. Hoare; minute secretary, Miss E. Julius; Dominion treasurer, Mrs J. B. I. Cook; committee, Mesdames Robieson, Harding. Highet, Henderson, Peart, Misses Bridges. Aiken. Blathwayt, A. E. Stephenson, V. Dawes; advisory board, Miss Lambie, the Revs, N. F. E. Robertshawe, L. J. Boulton Smith, A. G. Gardiner, Dr. Bayldon Ewen, Dr. Gordon Kemp, Dr. G. Anderson.