The Ward Sister: A Paper read at Nurses' Conference

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XVI, Issue 4, 1 October 1927, Page 204

The Ward Sister: A Paper read at Nurses' Conference

In submitting a paper on this subject one has m mind the very great responsibility undertaken by nurses who are appointed Ward Sisters m our hospitals, and the difficulty experienced by those m authority m securing nurses physically,, mentally, morally and educationally suitable to fill such positions.

The demand for sisters with double certificates is increasing m New Zealand, and all should be encouraged to take midwifery, and where possible, child welfare, certainly those m charge of gynaecological and children's wards should have these certificates.

In the interest of patients and trainees this is very desirable, and Hospital Boards would be well advised to grant leave of absence and pay the fees enabling selected candidates to take these extra courses, it being understood that sisters availing themselves of these opportunities would be retained m the Board's service at least two years after returning to hospital.

The responsibility of Ward Sisters has increased considerably, especially m training schools, now that candidates are accepted for training much younger than hitherto and have finished at twenty-two and twenty-three years of age, instead of commencing then. It may be argued that if young women can become doctors at that age, surely they can undertake the duties and responsibility of a trained nurse. Granted, nevertheless, the responsibility of the Ward Sisters becomes greater as it is difficult to impress some of these young minds with the importance of the practical side of their training, and occasionally one meets with probationers who appear to be totally devoid of the true spirit of nursing, and they make life very difficult for the sister who is held responsible for their mistakes and neglect. The steady advance m medical science is also a contributory factor to the extra responsibility, and calls for more skill and knowledge and powers of endurance on the part of the Ward Sister.

It has been suggested that probationers receive all their theoretical training m class rooms and practical demonstration rooms, as the Ward Sister is usually much too busy to devote any time to that work. This is a debatable point. Personally, I think that the Ward Sister must take a great part m the training of nurses, for it is her bounden duty to see that oi-ders given by doctors for the care of their patients are attended to promptly and accurately, and that the routine treatment as laid down by the Hospital authorities, and taught m class rooms, be adhered to ; otherwise, much of the valuable work of physicians and surgeons would be useless. Obviously, then, most of the practical training must be gained m wards where a capable sister must teach the real value of symptoms, treatment, etc., as applied to individual patients.

In these days of overcrowding it is difficult to carry out treatment and routine work and keep the wards clean and tidy, but a good methodical sister will maintain order where otherwise there would be chaos. Meals will be supervised and served to time, everything will be m readiness for doctors' visits; clinical lectures and doctors' visits will be over, treatment will be supervised and finished and time allowed the staff m which to clean up and tidy the ward preparatory to serving the next meal.

On visiting days the ward will be prepared, and chairs placed m position before the ward is open to visitors, who will leave promptly at the appointed hour ; m fact, nothing, unless a great emergency, will be allowed to interfere with routine work.

In emergencies the Ward Sister must be prepared to formulate and carry out treatment, pending the arrival of the doctor, and the efficiency of her treatment will depend upon her knowledge of nursing principles and method of applying them.

Many of the present-day sisters were trained during the war and gained their

practical experience m wards controlled by fourth-year nurses, and m some cases by nurses m training. Consequently they missed the almost constant supervision of a sister thoroughly experienced and capable of anticipating patients' wants and attending to them promptly, also of demonstrating and instructing them m ward management, e.g.: — Care of Patients, Treatment, Reports, Serving Meals, the Distribution of Duties of Nursing Staff, also Domestic Staff, Routine, Records, Hygiene, Ventilation, Heating, Method of Cleaning, Responsibility of Nursing Staff without reference to Equipment, Stores, Bedding, Linen, Lighting, etc. This being so, they are handicapped and lack the finish and qualifications of a well-trained Ward Sister. The subjects mentioned above are covered by lectures from medical men, matrons, and tutor sisters, and are of very great value, but practical teaching, when m actual contact with patients, from one who has the art of imparting knowledge to others, is of greater value, and no doubt inspires pupil nurses to greater effort m obeying the teachings of well ordered minds. Therefore, it will be seen that the Ward Sister must be a nurse of exceptional ability, with high ideals, refinement, understanding and common sense. She must be loyal to doctors, matron, the profession and the hospital, a good disciplinarian and organiser, observant, punctual, truthful, tactful, economical, courteous, strong-minded and dignified, capable of teaching probationers and managing a ward with the strictest attention to the well-being of the patients under her care, and it behoves nurses seeking these positions to fit themselves adequately for the arduous task by taking the extra courses available m New Zealand and making a special study of the fundamental sciences, that m time when pupil nurses pass on to hospital from the University they will be able to hold their own and command a salary that will be adequate remuneration for their services,