Editorial

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XI, Issue 1, 1 January 1918, Page 1

Editorial

X w Tiaki iii this issue enters on the eleventh year of its existence. During these ten years what tremendons changes have taken place m the nursing world of New Zealand ! Its members have been called upon to serve m many distant parts of the world. They have had, many of them, the great 1 >ri vilege of helping to succour the sick and wounded, who m this devastating world war have been placed under their care. They have worked not only with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, but under the Imperial authorities m Egypt, India, Mesopotamia, France, and m hospital ships traversing many seas. Some have also worked m French Military Hospitals. They have worthily upheld the highest ideals of nursing and have shown the technical skill organised by careful tra ining . They have gained for New Zealand nurses a name which it must be the aim of all succeeding them to maintain.

The nurses have responded well to the call of duty. There has been no need to ask for volunteers. There are so many eager to offer their services that many months, and even years, elapse before they can be accepted. We are proud of this spirit m our nurses. The war will still cause the need of many, and even when it ends and the world is again at peace, the work of nurses will be needed to care for the poor broken survivors. Infinite patience will then be needed : there will not be the excitement of preparing for a convoy of wounded, or of passing through a casualty clearing station the large numbers of recently wounded. There will not be the interest of foreign service or the tension of the submarine danger on transport or hospital ships, but by and bye there will be the daily care, week m and week out, of the helpless, injured, incurable ones, the phthisical cases so hard to manage, and to .bear with, the nerve cases so fractious and despondent.

For all these our nurses must spare themsleves and save up their interest, loving care, and sympathy. The latter will be needed far more by and bye, when the war may be forgotten and the battles at which the injury was received are an old tale. Therefore for these nurses, who may not be

able to get away to the front now, there will be war work m plenty later on. Kai Tiaki m a measure has been a history of our nurses 5 part during the last three years, and -we thank those who have helped us m keeping this record by their interesting letters from many parts of the world .