Editorial

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume VIII, Issue 3, 1 July 1915, Page 113

Editorial

Like the Motherland in this great national crisis, it behoves each separate country in our great Empire to organise its resources, if the terrible struggle for freedom for all against the threatening German tyranny is to b3 succ;ssful for us. Not a small part in the great game will ba the utilisation of medical, nursing and hospital resources, not only to provide ample and generous treatment for our brave soldiers and sailors in order to render them fit for renewed service, but also to ensure that those remaining in our separate countries will be kept fit ; so that in spite of the severe drain occasioned everywhere by the war, there will be no national deterioration but rather, as a result of organised effort, thrift and wholesome abstention from our growing self-indulgences, our people will be invigorated. That is the larger view, but it is well for us who are nurses to keep it before us, then we can more easily realise our

share, which, in view of our training and profession, it is surely incumbsnt upon us to regard as greater than most women's. Our New Zealand hospital system which easily adapts itself to close co-operation with the State, and yet allows of unlimited voluntary aid, can be very easily organised to meet all demands, both civil and military, as far as accommodation and maintenance go. We can regard it as certain that although the call for military service with the Forces has to a considerable extent deprived New Zealand of a fair number of medical men, there is as yet no likelihood of the sick in our hospitals at least , suffering through lack of medical attendance, although there would seem to be a need for some organised distribution if our country districts are to be catered for. This, however, will doubtless be quite ably dealt with by our Health Department, the Medical Board

and the British Medical Journal, and is beyond our scope. Our chief concern is :• — ■ 1. That we should be able to supply as many contingents of well-trained capable and physically-fit nurses for active service on our New Zealand Army Nursing Service, both for our troops at the front, and for those training in New Zealand, as are required of us. 2. (a) That the sick in our public hospitals in New Zealand should not suffer in any way from an over-depletion of the nursing staffs, (b) That the training of nurses in our hospitals will not deteriorate but rather be improved to meet the increased demands. 3. That the number of country district nurses should not b3 reduced, and a reasonable number of nurses be available for private work in people's own homes. To deal with No. 1, we can safely say that there is scarcely a trained nurse in New Zealand who Avould not gladly and willingly go on active service for our British soldiers and sailors should she be called upon. Nurses are everywhere clamouring to go. Only the best and fittest should be sent, as the strain and responsibility must of necessity be great. To ensure No. 2 a great restraint must be put on the natural ambition of most nurses. Florence Nightingale is still an ideal. Who would not emulate her ? Blessed lady of the lamp ! Thrice envied are those chosen nurses who have gone to the front ; but as long as we know that sufficient of our best are available for active service, we will surety smother the heartache to be going too, and gird ourselves to our work here, for our sick are still with us in pxxv hospitals, and although somewhat out of the limelight at present, hospital work is good and satisfying. We will go on training fresh nurses, keeping our high ideals before them. We can help to send out the best for active service, use our leisure in making and teaching how to make hospital garments and equipment. They have been told to let us know what is most needed at the front, and it will be something to be able to supply these. We can thus keep in touch with our own nurses : our interests are widened, our work should be better.

There are many nurses at present unwilling to take hospital positions in case they lose their chance for active service. We would advise these nurses unless they have been selected for the next call to consider the needs of the hospitals, especially those to which they owe their training. To matrons, district nurses and all who are not called up, we would say <; Be patriotic enough to do your share here."

A great deal is being said about the need of women for service in the hospitals in Egypt and Malta to work in the kitchens and as ward maids, and as assistants to trained nurses. We know in military hospitals it is usual to employ men for this work and generally the only women employed on the staffs are trained nurses. This must greatly simplify the administration, always supposing that suitable men are available, but should this not be the case then it might with advantage be considered whether the numerous women wil ling and anxious to undertake this work could not be formed into an organised body and their services utilised. The great difficulty would be that, unlike trained nurses, women in other walks of life are unacmistomed to discipline. It is inadvisable to employ probationers in large numbers in hospitals where a course of training is not available, and this could scarcely be arranged for under active service conditions, when no one would have time to lecture and teach and properly supervise the work and .conduct of young probationers. For kitchen and domestic work it would seem that the labour most suitable would be that available on the spot, for climatic reasons if no other. In view, therefore, of the muddle and disorganisation caused in some military hospitals in England and France by the employment of untrained women on their staffs, we would strongly deprecate any movement made here for sending such to Egypt* a nd hope that the Government will not give the proposal any encouragement. To spend the money in sending half the number of trained nurses rather than these women would be productive of much more good to our troops. These women should not be recognised in any way as nurses if employed, nor ad-

dressed as nurses while on duty, seeing that they are not receiving a training. Great damage to our profession will be caused if these untrained women are encouraged in a nursing capacity, unless, cf course, there is a shortage of trained nurses. But such is not the case by any means, nor can the plea of economy be urged as trained nurses would willingly seive, if necessary, at less salary. First let us have the trained nurses properly organised, and if after chat there is a shortage, either for service with the troops at the front or for proper hospital and nur sing adm inistrati on in New Zeal and , then the services of partially -trained, and still still later untrained, could be accepted as those in charge of the administration

find necessary. Surely our women should understand that the most acceptable service is always only that which is really required, and our matrons and sisters can be trusted at all times to ask for an increase of staff if such should be necce.ssary. They surely know more about the requirements than do the general public. It has been argued that nurses cannot do cooking, cleaning, etc. I should like to know who can do it better when occasion demands. If these volunteer women wish to assist in this way, let them be known as cooks, etc., and addressed as such if they do not wish to have their own names used but certainly not as " Nuise," especially while on duty.