REGISTERED NURSES

Chronicle (Levin), 8 April 1946, Page 8

REGISTERED NURSES

WELLINGTON, April 6. _ Beconnueuilations to improve conditions of nurses are to be made as a result of the Dominion conference of the New Zealand Begistered Nurses' Association, which coneluded in Wellington yesterday. Delegates considered the three days' meeting interesting and successful. The new Dominion president, who has suceeeded Miss L. M. "Banks, O.B.E., of Palmerston North, is JUiss N. P. Eitzgihbon, M.B.E., of Dunedin. Miss Fitzgihbon recently retired from Ihe post of nursing adviser to tlie Plunket Hociety and has spent a long period in the nursing profession. * The Dominion executive was elected as follows: Auckland area, Miss Y. K. Hammond, matron,. ■ Whangarei Ilospitalj Waikato area, Miss Menzies, matron, Waikato Hospital.; Manawatu area, Miss L. M. Banks, matron, Palmerston North Ilospital; Wellington area, Mrs. E. Boyle, matron, Woodleigh Hospital; Cant-erhu-ry area/ Miss L. Lindsay, matron, Timaru Hospital. The high "casualty rate" or marriage among nurses was a humorous point made by tlie Minister of Health (Mr. Nordmeyer) when lie opened tlie conference. No fewer than 210 nurses out of a total of 639 nurses who served with the New* Zealand Army Nursing Service were already married, he said. Fifty-six nurses were ' still serving with -the N.Z.A.N.S., 167 had returiied to duty, and 206 had not yet returned, though it was hoped they would as the need was great. Six New Zealand nurses were with Unrra in Western Germany,, tliree were in Greece serving with Corso and anotlier joined when in the Middle East. "I suppose nurses are not interested in figures, except their, own," he said, amid laughter.