Maori Health Nurses

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XVII, Issue 3, 1 July 1928, Page 139

Maori Health Nurses

A paper read at the Refresher Course m Auckland by the late Nurse Jarrett: —

Native nurses are appointed and paid by the Department of Health. They must be fully trained and be certified midwives. The salary is good and uniform is provided. These appointments are open to Maori and European nurses.

On a nurse being appointed to a district, the Hospital Board of that district provides accommodation, usually a small cottage ; the barest necessities of furniture are allowed. The Department of Health supplies a full equipment of medical and surgical stores.

Means of transport is the Hospital Board's responsibility. In back-block districts, horse and horse feed are provided. In other districts gigs, service cars, launches, trains, bicycles — all must be able to walk well. Three of the district nurses have cars I understand. In my district — town, country and remote backblocks- — I ofttimes use all these means of transport within a week. I have a horse, a bicycle, vouchers for trains, service car, somebody else's gig, or car — a lift on a cream cart, sledge or railway jigger.

Maoris have first call on the services of the nurse — Europeans m case of emergency.

The duties are manj r and varied. One goes out m hail, rain, or shine — weather permitting or weather not permitting makes not one iota of difference m today's or to-morrow's plans.

When not engaged with cases of sickness or outbreaks of disease, or antityphoid inoculations, pahs are visited and lectures given — quite informal ones, no soap-box business at all m them. Advice to pregnant women, how to feed and care for the children, how health must be improved by cleanliness and suitable food, where flies go, not only m the winter, but at all times, why drinking water should be boiled.

F find all, men and women, very interested m lectures on the placenta. Maoris are always a little afraid of the third stage 1 of labour, and do their best to hurry matters — the result, retained membranes.

Lectures on delivery of the placenta always take well. Cupped hands (placenta) and a roped handkerchief membrances is always especially interesting. They are very much m earnest when practising, and a big sigh of relief comes when the roped membranes come away.

Dr. Truby King's method of bringing back breast milk is practically a miracle.

Cooking lessons are also very welcome, and lessons m cutting out — as I am no dressmaker, this brings the beads of perspiration to my brow — m case of accident.

Much tact is required, and patience — the work of months being as one thinks lost, «by say a patient taken to hospital for a simple abdominal operation and dying of anaesthetic pnuemonia.

One must respect the Tapu of all sects. That is where a newly appointed nurse "falls m." One must respect their religion, and be able and sincere when asked by the head of the household to hold a karakia (say a prayer) for their sick.

One must also be able to see the other chap's point of view, and gently insinuate one's own. Be perfectly honest m one's dealings with them — no quibbling or evasions — that is their privilege. Say yes or no and stick to it.

Above all, one must have a keen sense of humour — that is the saving grace. Without it, one would review the day's work, six days out of .seven, with a feeling akin to despair.

A little incident which quite knocked the wind out of my sails : I had been attending to a bad case of pneumonia. was obliged to stay on account of his condition m a mud floor whare, no bed (a borrowed chair did service for that), struggled day and night with the help of a relative. Maoris came at all hours hoping to see the patient and treat him Maori way. At last, their patience was exhausted. A day before the crisis, I was called out by a chief. After the usual preliminaries and a very flowery speech re their trust m me, etc.. etc., he produced a wallet, saying: "I will pay you."

I just beamed on him, as fees are almost an unheard of thing. Producing two £1 notes and putting them into my hand, he said: "Now you go, eh?" and walked past me into the house. (All fees are paid into the Hospital Board's account.) It took the best part of a day to make him understand that nothing would move me. though more money was offered.

The work is hard, long hours, meals at an}' time — sometimes no meals at all. or a place to rest one's bones.

The anxiety of relying solely on oneself, the difficulty of diagnosis — so simple that seems when one has a doctor at one's elbow. The question of the backblocks' nurse is eternally this : Am I able

and justified to treat this patient? Am T absolutely sure of my diagnosis, or must the case be taken to hospital — often a great expense and danger to life— a very great responsibility.

After all, one can only do one's very best, but it must be a very big best. Learning day by day better methods, endeavouring to keep up with the times, trying to carry on, with the ideals of our profession ever before us.

Last, but by no means least, the Medical Officer of Health and our Superintendent. Miss Bagley. know our difficulties —Miss Bagley by experience — and are at all times ready to stand by us. No need ever to doubt that the signal S.O.S. will not produce instant response.