QUESTIONNAIRE REPLIES

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28266, 2 May 1957, Page 16

QUESTIONNAIRE REPLIES

Sub-Committee's Report The proposed new curriculum would result in less time being available for nurses to devote to active nursing in general medical and surgical wards, said a report by a sub-committee of the North Canterbury Hospital Board presented to a special meeting of the board yesterday. The report contained replies to a questionnaire from the Hospital Boards’ Association on the new training curriculum for nurses. “Undoubtedly nurses will be taken from wards for public health and maternity training,” it said. One-sixth more "nurses would be required for the new scheme. “This figure includes an addition of one-eighth to the present staff to cover maternity training in the first year and an additional one-quarter for the <hird year.’’ Reorganisation The additional nurses ’could be acquired subject to some reorganisation of other nursing duties. Hospital aids might be used for unskilled work, the report said. “The total number of nurses will not be required straight away, the greatest portion being required in the third year when nurses will be doing their 12 weeks’ training in maternity nursing. At the sAme time the last group of qualified nurses will be completing maternity training,” said the report. Accommodation would be available for the additional number of nurses both ii? the homes and in the tutorial schools. Additional beds were already being prbvided at the nurses’ home at Burwood Hospital, and the new preliminary training school would shortly be started at Christchurch Hospital. Two more tutors would be required, and they were being trained. “Some Difficulty” There would be sufficient maternity patients to give first-year nurses six weeks’, training in practical obstetrics, but some difficulty would be experienced in providing patients for the first third-year class (a course of 12 weeks) in three years’ time. When the maternity hospital was built at Cashmere there would be no further difficulty, said the report.

“Eight weeks’ theatre training could be provided for each nurse

with the facilities now available. This would mean that nurses would have four weeks for training in other subjects.” Cross Infection “The possibilities of cross infection to patients are increased by transferring nurses from general wards to obstetric wards. This can be overcome or reduced to a minimum by ensuring that nurses before transferring to obstetric wards have a break of at last 48 hours or part of their holidays at this time. “It may be necessary to inspect them before they transfer to ensure that none is suffering from boils or other infection,” the report said. The sub-committee considered that four weeks’ training in public health was too long, and a shorter period would be sufficient. It was recommended that a reduction to two weeks be sought.