SHORTAGE OF NURSES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 63, 15 April 1946, Page 4

SHORTAGE OF NURSES

DESPERATE HOSPITAL POSITION

CHILDREN’S WARD CLOSED

“It is most unsatisfactory to have these complaints about the children in the men’s ward, and at the same time to have an empty children’s ward which we. are unable to utilise merely because of staff shortage,” said Mr J. Mullins, Chairman of the Whakatane Hospital Board when discussing 1 a complaint from the visiting committee.

The complaint, reported by, Mr Mitchell, concerned an elderly patient who having undergone an operation, contended that the noise and commotion made by the children had “nearly driven her mad.” It was admitted however that to anone convalescing or suffering from a minor complaint the disturbances were not so drastic.

Mr Mullins added that he deeply regretted any suffering which may be imposed upon the patients but he understood from the Matron that it was quite impossible to do anything until the staff was increased. Dr. Dawson amplifying the position said that no one realised the position better than he, and it had been remeied in part by the removal of all the plaster patients amongst the children to the verandah, The position obtained everywhere and in Auckland they were forced to treat only urgent cases and street accidents.

Mr Caulfield: Tf you have 32 or 15 child patients in the men’s ward would it'make any difference to your staff if they were attended in a ward of their own. You have the same staff now to attend to them!

Dr. Dawson: If we open a new ward it means staffing it with extra nurses. At the present time if a nurse has 30 patients in one ward she can cope with them in the same manner as if she had 20. She works harder of - course but if you make a new ward it means an inevitable increase of staff.

The chairman warned that if the present shortage of nursing staff became more acute, it might be necessary to treat only urgent cases in our own hospital.

Dr. Dawson agreed, pointing out that at the present time the hospital had just sufficient ‘Staff to carry on.