Problems of Stale Registration

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XI, Issue 3, 1 July 1918, Page 148

Problems of Stale Registration

Miss Grant

From

while Matron of " Maheno " 4th Commission.

Tho South African nurses being the first body of British nurses to be State registered, the report reprinted below is especially interesting. In New Zealand, the Act for the registration of nurses does not provide for self government by nurses themselves, yet it is a separate Act, while the South African law for the State registration of nurses is incorporated with and dependent on the Public Health Act. In New Zealand, although there is no provision for representation of nurses in the Act, yet as the Inspector General of Hospitals has been assisted throughout by a trained nurse who is in charge of the Registration Act and the carrying out of the regulations under the Act, and the assistant-inspector again has the assistance of two trained nurses, it may be seen that the interests of trained nurses are well guarded Through their Association, which hat the recognition of and approval of the Registrar of Nurses, they have the opportunity of representing their views to the department controlling registration. State registration of nurses has now been in force in New Zealand for seventeen years, and although not compulsory, every nurse who goes through her three -yea; course in a hospital recognised by the Registrar as a training school, presents herself for the State examination. Thr nurses are satisfied, the standard of training is kept up and improved year by year, and so far no desire has been shown by nurses to have any more direct control of their own affairs. The problems put forward in the report, which we reprint, are in part, the same which are brought up here, one at least, that is, the compulsory registration of nursing homes , which in N e\v Zealand come under the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act, has been coped with fairly well, and there has been much improvement in the last ten years in the conduct of these institutions which are under the inspection of three trained nurses inspectors attached to the Pub] ic Health Department.

The Conference of the South African Trained Nurses' Association resumed business at ten o'clock on Saturday moi*ning, Miss I. R. Mitchell (Matron, Grey's Hospital) presiding. Miss Ellershaw proposed that trained nurses form a governing body to undertake all business relating to nurses, the training of nurses, nursing homes, and everything in which the Association was interested, such body to be entirely independent of all medical councils, not to ignore the existence of the latter but to work in harmony with such councils. After some discussion, Miss Alexander moved that the suggestion of a Trained Nurses' Council be postponed until the new Medical Board had been passed, and that in the meantime the matter be referred to branches for discussion. This was seconded by Miss Winter, and carried. A resolution was brought forward by Miss Winter to the effect that the attention of the Public Health Department be insistently drawn to the urgent necessity for the compiilsory registration of all nursing homes — medical, surgical, mental and midwifery — and the proper supervision of such homes, the committee of inspection to contain at least one woman, preferably a fully trained nurse. Speaking to the motion, Miss Winter said that at present a good deal of illegitimate work was being practised in so-called nursing homes ; a good many of these homes existed, and she knew of one case where a defective had been placed in charge. The Medical Council had been approached, but it was found the Council had no power to deal with such matters. The resolution was carried unanimously. Sick Nurses. A long discussion ensued on the question of the free treatment in hospital of trained nurses, a resolution being eventually adopted to the effect that the attention of the Hospital Boards be drawn to the fact that a nurse, when ill, was worthy of the best and that she ought to be admitted to a private or semi-private room in civil hospitals, where possible, free, and to have the best attention free. The Conference adopted a resolution in favour of the discontinuance by medical men of the prac - tice of conniving at employing the work of untrained women practising as mid wives and nurses ; the matter to be brought to the notice of the British Medical Association asking that body to deal with any specific cases which might arise. A resolution by Miss Ellershaw was carried, proposing that the King Edward Order of Nurses be asked to train its nurses in this country in tho same way as the Victoria Jubilee Nurses were trained in this country, so that such nurses could be able to go into country districts and there do better work as compared with tho work of nurses from

overseas who did not understand the conditions cf country nursing in South Africa. It was agreed to send a letter to the King Edward Order of Nurses on the subject, asking that the suggestion contained in the resolution be considered. Miss Russell proposed, and it was carried, that the period of training should bo two years.

The Conference decided that the next meeting of tho Central Board be held at Bloemfontein. Tho afternoon session was devoted to the discussion and revision of by-laws, and in the evening the Conference met and discussed a number of subjects with representatives of the Natal Medical Council, after which the Conference concluded.