Public Health Nurses' Refresher Course

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XVI, Issue 3, 1 July 1927, Page 113

Public Health Nurses' Refresher Course

During the week of May 18th to 25th inclusive, a " Refresher Course in Public Health Nurses " was held in Wellington under the auspices of the Department of Health. This course was the first of its kind in New Zealand, though regular yearly courses of such a nature are held at all the main centres in Great Britain. Nurses attending this conference were :

Health Department. — Nurse inspectors, school nurses from Wellington, Napier, Gisborne, Wanganui and Nelson ; district nurses from Otaki and Paekakariki ; sisters from St. Helens Hospital. Education Department. — Visiting Child Welfare nurses. Private Organisations. — Plunket nurses, Red Cross, Guild of St. John, Co-

lonial Mutual Insurance, Bryant, May, Bell and Co., sisters from the Home of Compassion. The whole atmosphere of the Conference was one of great interest and enthusiasm, so much so that courses of a similar nature will be held in the other main centres during the year. Attached is a copy of the syllabus. On the first evening of this course a memorable meeting of all nurses engaged in public health work in Wellington was held, with Miss Bicknell, Director of Nursing, in the chair, 45 being present. The object of this meeting was to bring together all nurses working in a common field so that a better understanding and co-operation might be brought about. Each group had been asked to send a representative to read a five-minute paper on their own particular work. The papers contributed were excellent ; some, in fact nearly all speakers, were nervous, but they had no need to be, and it is only a matter of a little more practice and there would be several excellent speakers among that group. I am enclosing copies of the papers contributed. Miss Mitchell, of the Plunket Society, and Mrs. Johnston, of the Child Welfare Branch of the Education Department, also spoke regarding their particular work. A review of the situation in Wellington was given by Miss Lambie, in which it was pointed out that of the 40 nurses employed in Wellington, 27 did actual visiting work in the houses of the people, and of these 23 were engaged in educational visiting work entirely in connection with the mother and child. This works out as one nurse to 5,200 people in Wellington, as compared with one nurse to 7,300 in Willesden, a borough of London, and one to 3,500 in Toronto — a fair comparison — our great need being better co-operation. It was also pointed out that there was great need in New Zealand for a public

health section of the Trained Nurses' Association, so that nurses actually engaged in public health work could study their particular problems, such as the very big one of co-ordination. Refresher Courses. May 18 — 9.45 a.m., Opening Address, Dr. Valintine; 10 a.m., Development of the P.H. Nurse, Miss Lambie ; 11 a.m., Rural Sanitation, Mr. Gardiner ; 2 p.m., Lantern Lecture: Observations of Common Physical Defects, Dr. Patterson ; 7.30 p.m., Meeting of Public Health Nurses. May 19 — 10 a.m., Ante-Natal Instruction, Dr. Gurr; 11 a.m., Excursion Pasteurisation of Milk, City Depot ; 2 p.m., XRay Department, Wellington Hospital, Dr. Meyers; 3.30 p.m., Prevention of Tuberculosis, Dr. Short. May 20 — 10 a.m., Vaccine and Serum Therapy, Dr. Lynch; 11 a.m., Environmental Hygiene, Dr. Short ; 2 p.m., Lecture and Excursion, Mr. Gardiner ; Defects in Housing. May 21 — 10 a.m., Karitane Hospital, Sir Truby King. May 23 — 9 a.m., Lantern Lecture, History of Nursing," Miss Moore; 10 a.m., Mental Hygiene, Dr. Bakewell ; 11 a.m., Development of the Teeth, Mr. Saunders; 2 p.m., Diet of the Child, Dr. Petterson; 3 p.m., Legal Position of the Child, Mr. Beck. May 24 — 9 a.m., Departmental Meeting, Miss Bicknell in chair; 10 a.m., Junior Red Cross, Sister Lewis; 11 a.m., Control of Infectious Diseases, Dr. Findlay; 2 p.m., Lecture and Demonstration, Postural Defects and their Prevention, Dr. Robertson, Wellington Hospital; 8 p.m., Venereal Diseases in Children, Dr. Aldred. May 25—9 a.m., School Environment, Dr. Patterson; 10 a.m., Health Teaching, Miss Lambie; 11 a.m., Prevention of Puerperal Sepsis, Dr. Paget; 11.45 a.m., Closing of Course, Dr. Valintine.