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Recruiting Campaign For the past three years the Department has been spending £l,OOO a year on pamphlets, newspaper advertisements and articles, broadcasts, and film material in campaigns for the recruitment of nurses. In spite of this, the number of applicants of the right type is not sufficient to meet the demand, which has meant that many unsuitable girls' have been accepted. This is reflected again in the wastage which takes place during training, as from returns it would appear that at least 25 to 30 per cent, of those who commence training do not finish. A study will be made to endeavour to obtain information which can be used to reduce this wastage of human energy, time, and money. The position in regard to the supply of domestic staff has considerably deteriorated, particularly with the lifting of the Man-power Regulations. Nursing Education The Nursing Education Committee of the New Zealand Registered Nurses' Association, of which the nursing officers of the Nursing Division are members, conducted two inquiries during the year through the Department. These inquiries were made by means of questionnaires, the subjects being : (1) the incidence of septic fingers, and (2) teaching in the wards by the ward sisters. The results of these studies were compiled and circulated to the Matrons of all hospitals. Essay competitions were judged for the general, maternity, and midwifery training schools, the winning hospitals being Masterton, Waikato, and St. Helens The Civil Nursing Reserve After serving a most useful function for a period of nearly three years, the Civil Nursing Reserve has dwindled considerably. During this time some 50 registered nurses and 500 voluntary aides have served in the Reserve. Practically every hospital Board in the Dominion has received some assistance. Salary Scale During the year the officers of the Department were called into consultation by the Hospital Boards' Association and the New Zealand Registered Nurses' Association regarding the introduction of a new salary scale for nurses. Later the new scale was approved by the Stabilization Commission with retrospective effect from Ist April, 1945. Obstetrical Nursing Service The increasing number of private maternity hospitals reverting to public-hospital control has brought about a marked change in obstetrical nursing service of the country. This development is steadily increasing, and the Hospital Boards concerned have had to cope with many difficulties. Public-health Nursing There has been a fairly rapid expansion of the district bedside care being given by Hospital Boards as a result of the introduction of the district nursing benefit. The service has been greatly appreciated because of the very small number of nurses engaged in private nursing. A number of Boards instituting this service for the first time arranged for the nurses to attend the month's introductory course for district nurses in Wellington, and this has been a definite advantage. There has been a further expansion of the Department's district staff as several new districts have been created, and in a few instances where Boards have been unable to appoint nurses to isolated areas the Department has taken over the area, the nurse so

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