Nursing Notes

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume II, Issue 2, 1 April 1909, Page 70

Nursing Notes

Infirmary Nurses Learn Cooking:

An interesting experiment has recently been inaugurated at the Hammersmith Infirmary, Wormwood Scrubs. It appears that Miss Ward, Matron of the Infirmary, considers cooking a very essential part of a nurse's training, and has been devoting a great deal of care and attention to the matter with regard to her own nurses. At first she had intended including special cookery classes m her own lectures to nurses ; but hearing of the excellent teaching by the L.C.C., and other schools of cookery, decided it would be better for them to acquire their knowledge away from the infirmary.

Therefore it has been arranged that 27 of the nurses go to cookery classes at two L.C.C. centres and the Camden Institute. As may be realised, by matrons especially, it was no easy matter to arrange these classes, and the work generally, so as to allow as many as 27 nurses to get away, although they are divided up into batches of five, seven and fifteen. One important point which facilitates matters m this respect, is the fact that all the nurses go m their evening off duty hours ; and, another important point, pay their own fees. Whilst, of course, it is quite obvious that the arrangement can be to the

nurses' own advantage only, there is room for commendation when it is remembered that these girls have done a hard day's work. As a matter of fact, the innovation is extremely popular ; the nurses go off duty at 7 p.m., and have three-quarters of an hour for changing and reaching Portobello Road, which is the L.C.C. centre, getting back at 10 p.m. The L.C.C. fees are Is for the whole term, lasting twelve weeks. A special class has been arranged for them alone, which means that sick cookery is made a speciality. At present the L-C.C. have no examinations, but it is hoped to arrange for one, in which case nurses would pay their own fees. This is an important point, as it quite prevents the guardians, or anyone else, complaining about expense. To drive home, in actual practice, lessons learnt during cookery hours, Miss Ward has instituted the very wise rule that " special " diets, chops, fish, custard (boiled and baked), and so on, shall be cooked in the ward kitchens instead of being sent up on trolleys from the big kitchen. This involves no waste, as only those who have really learnt to cook are

allowed to do this ; but it serves as an excellent reminder of things learnt, and, moreover, patients are likely to get food extra hot and dainty. Several other infirmaries are watching the experiment before they follow suit, and if it is successful the Hammersmith nurses may justly claim to be pioneers of a very practical and sensible idea. Editor's Note — The subject of invalid cookery has been given special prominence to in the recently revised regulations under the Nurses' Registration Act. The subject was always included in the syllabus, and for the last two or three years an attempt was made, during the practical portion of the Final State Examination, to give some test of preparing invalid diets. As this necessarily took up some time, and was rather difficult to arrange for a number of candidates, a certificate of having attended^ a course of lessons in the subject both practical and theoretical, and of having passed a satisfactory examination will in future be required from each candidate before she sits for the examination. The course can be taken at any time during the term of training. Many of the hospital Boards have risen generously to the occasion, and are arranging for the instruction of their nurses at the technical schools in their districts. Where this cannot be obtained, the matrons will be allowed to give the necessary instruction.