H.—3l

38

During her third year she spends one month in a district office, when she is taken visiting to schools and health centres. The actual nursing of patients in their own homes is largely carried out by the Victorian Order of Nurses or the St. Elizabeth Nurses. This scheme is one which relieves in a great measure the burden of providing hospital accommodation for patients who no longer require constant nursing, but may be attended in their own homes. While in the city I also visited the Western Hospital, which has a very successful out-patient department, where the patients attending its five special clinics are carefully followed up in their own homes. The Toronto General Hospital, as before mentioned, has its own particularly efficient social-service department, which it is interesting to note began in 1911 with one nurse. It has now ten special committees. Space does not permit of entering into detail, but the social-service work carried out in the City of Toronto is known the world over as being of a very high standard, and it was most interesting to be able to study it at first hand. During my three months' absence Miss Bagley, Assistant Inspector of Hospitals and Superintending District Nurse from the Auckland District Health Office, took my place, and my thanks are due to her for carrying out the duties so efficiently. St. Helens Hospitals. Wellington. —Number of beds in hospital, thirty, of which an average of twenty-two were daily occupied. The outside cases attended numbered fifty. The trained staff, including the Matron, consists of seven, while there are twenty-one pupil-nurses. During the year nine maternity nurses and seventeen midwives qualified. Miss Bagley and Miss Macdonald still hold the positions of Matron and Sub-Matron. The ante-natal work at this institution is making good progress. Auckland. —The number of beds in this hospital is thirty-two, with a daily average of 26-72 occupied beds. The staff consists of eight trained nurses in addition to the Matron, and thirty trainees. The only permanent members of the staff were the Matron and Sub-Matron, Miss Broadley and Miss Potts. The work of the ante-natal clinic has been carried on successfully. Christchuroh.—Number of beds in hospital, fifteen ; daily occupied beds, 13-06. There were 180 cases attended by the extern department during the year, this branch of the work being developed through the numbers of in-patients having to be restricted to a maximum of fifteen. The trained staff consists of the Matron and five others, and the pupil-nurses number fifteen ; of these, six qualified as maternity nurses and nineteen as midwives. With, the exception of the Sub-Matron, Miss M. Jones, the entire personnel of the nursing staff was changed during 1929. Miss M. H. Ward succeeded Miss Trotter as Matron in May. The ante-natal clinic has progressed favourably. The Matron comments as follows : " With great regret we lost the services of our Ante-natal Sister, Miss F. Wilson, at the end of November. Miss Wilson has worked up the ante-natal clinic to a high degree of efficiency, and I feel that it is largely due to her personality that our patients have been persuaded to attend so willingly. Her place has been filled by Miss Aileen Knight, who shows great interest and keenness in the work, and gives promise of maintaining the excellent standard of the past. The nurses in training are obviously all keen to avail themselves of teaching and experience in this part of the work ; each trainee has a consecutive three-weeks course at the ante-natal clinic, so that she is able to concentrate on that branch of the work for the time being." Dunedin.—With fifteen beds, this institution has a daily average of 6-9 occupied, and fifty-six patients attended outside. The nursing staff consists of the Matron (Miss V. Oppenheim), Sub-Matron, and one staff nurse, with eight pupils in training. There were five maternity nurses and four midwives trained. One member of the trained staff was off duty through illness for a period of fourteen days ; otherwise the health record was excellent. Miss Sparkes, Sub-Matron, was granted six months' leave of absence as from the Ist March, 1930, in order to undergo the post-graduate course in Wellington, her place being taken in the meantime by Miss K. Corbett. The ante-natal clinic, the Matron reports, has been well attended. Imercargill.—Twelve beds for patients, with a daily average of 9-1, and five patients on the district. Nursing staff : Matron, Sub-Matron, and staff nurse, with nine pupil-nurses. There were five maternity nurses and five midwives qualified during the year. The staff changes have been many, both the Matron (Miss Arnold) and the Sub-Matron (Miss Paterson) having been granted four months' leave in order to undergo Plunket training, so that for eight months relieving nurses had to be employed. Apart from this, and the case of one pupil who was off duty for a week on account of a severe attack of influenza, the health of the nurses was excellent throughout the year. The ante-natal clinic has made definite progress. Wanganui.—Number of beds, eleven, with 6-3 daily occupied. Twelve cases attended on the district. The trained staff consists of the Matron (Miss Boyce), Sub-Matron, and staff nurse, and there are fourteen pupils in training. Two maternity nurses and seven midwives qualified during the year. No changes took place in the nursing staff beyond the appointment of a staff nurse in addition to the Matron and Sub-Matron. Ante-natal clinic : The clinic was well attended, showing a decided increase in the number of visits paid. The first visits numbered 151, and the return visits 375. Thirty-five visits were paid to patients' homes. Nine patients were admitted to the hospital for treatment prior to confinement.