Reply To Former Nurse On Offer To Work

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31109, 12 July 1966, Page 8

Reply To Former Nurse On Offer To Work

Nursing was not a 40-hour week job; it was 24 hours a day, seven days a week, said Dr. L. McH. Berry, medical superintendent-in-chief of the North Canterbury Hospital Board. He had been asked to comment on a letter to “The Press” from Mrs E. N. Pope, of Ohoka, who said that after reading of appeals by the North Canterbury Hospital Board for former nurses in country districts to help in country hospitals in either a full-time or part-time capacity, she had applied for a position saying that she was willing to work a 40-hour week, weekdays only. “I was accepted for a position,” she said, “only to find out a week later that the employer had changed her mind because of the hours I requested. “Would the board. In fairness to other nurses who may think of applying, please make the situation clear.” Dr. Berry said that Mrs Pope had applied to work at either Rangiora or Kaiapoi hospitals, and these were not the ones that were shortstaffed. But this did not alter the fact that other country hospitals were overworked.

He said that as Mrs Pope was prepared to work only certain day hours, this meant that all the unpleasant night and evening duties

had to be done by the permanent nursing staff. For those reasons, her application did not meet the board’s requirements.