Report of the International Council

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XV, Issue 3, 1 July 1926, Page 117

Report of the International Council

Reading the full report of the fifth regular meeting of the International Council of Nurses, which was founded m 1899, and the regular meetings of which were interrupted by the Great War, one is struck by the great efforts made m many countries by the nurses themselves to obtain legal recognition, and to elevate their vocation to the rank of a profession, needing study and theoretical preparation as well as the practice m caring for the sick, which until recent times m most countries was the only method of training. The reports from the many organisations of nurses represented at the Helsingfors Conference show much uphill work, the results of which are now becoming apparent. When we read for instance of the establishment of training schools m Armenia where after the war nurses of

the American Red Cross recruited girls from the orphanages of 15 and 16 years and by dint of first giving them elementary education, then teaching them from text-books translated into American and finally having a well-organised school of eighty girls of high grades, and an Alumnae Association of seventyone graduates, we are deeply impressed with the altruistic enthusiasm and energy which inspire these nurses who accomplish such wonders. [Other instances are schools m Turkey when it is remarked by the contributor of the report from that country that, "Turkey will always recall to the minds of nurses from all parts of the world that it was here m a spectacular setting that modern nursing was born."] Only last year the Turkish Red Crescent established the first School of Nursing m a large private dwelling m

Constantinople. Here the pupils, a group of promising young Turkish women, go each day to four hospitals and carry on their class work, attend lectures and study m the home itself. There is one other school, the American Hospital School, five years old, recognised by the Turkish Ministry for public instruction. It is noted that the Kaiserswerth sisters staffed the Nightingale Branches for thirty years until 1919. Examinations are held under the Bureau of Public Instruction, and inspectors from that Department visit the classes regularly. In 1919 Swedish nurses obtained their State Registration after a hard fight by them to get the proposed Bill adopted m conformity with right principles. They were however unable to get more than a two years' course, although the best training schools had for many years had a three year course. Since then the Department of Health has established a three year course and most of the schools have agreed to adopt it. In France there is now an association of nurses called "Association Nationale des Infirmiere Diplomees de TEtal Francais." A long name! State Registration was granted by the Republic m June, 1922. The Association was formed m 1924 and is one of those affiliated with the International Council. It consists of 350 members, but there are about 17,000 nurses registered under the 1922 Decree, many of whom will become members.

Bulgaria is another newly affiliated Association. Queen Eleonora founded a school on the modern basis m the State Hospital m Sofia m addition to the school m the Red Cross Hospital which was modernised at the request of the Red Cross by two American nurses. The school is recognised by the Government m the Departments of Education and of Health. Graduate nurses have for five years had equal standing with other State employees, i.e., they are classified and receive salaries according to the categories m which they are placed and have a right to State pensions. In January, 1924, the Bulgarian Nurses' Association was formed. Members are graduate nurses of good standing. It has a journal called "Sestra," owned, edited and published by nurses, and its object is to develop a professional spirit among nurses as well as to serve for educational purposes. There are many other instances described m this report of the perseverance of nurses m the advance of their profession Their efforts may well be an example to New Zealand nurses who have not had to work for themselves to obtain what these nurses have striven for, but who have had everything made easy for them, and therefore possibly do not fully appreciate what has been done to elevate the standard of nursing. Much yet remains to be done if we are to keep abreast of the progress being made m other parts of the world, and the study of such reports is an education to us.