NURSES REFUSE "CALL-BACK" DUTY

Chronicle (Levin), 27 February 1947, Page 5

NURSES REFUSE "CALL-BACK" DUTY

iSTAND TAKEN IN MENTAL HOSPITALS

WELLINGTON, Feb. 26. /'Mental hospital nurses and attendants throughout New Zealand declined to accept a call-bac.k to work today," said Mr. J. Turnbull, secretary of the Public Service Association, in a statement tonight. ."Tsolated instances of dcjtartu-rc from tlie eourse agreed on by the stal'fs have been reported but the overwhelming majority are standing lirmly behind the decision. At the same time arrangements made to perform all work essential to the welfare of the patients have gone smoothly and these will continue night and day tliroughout the weekend. " Mr; Turnbuli said it was not easy to convey what was involved in this essential work at an institution but an idea of the efforts expected of mental nurses could he gained from the hours worked by those nurses from Porirua who 1 were stationed 'for periods of two months in the psychiatrie ward of Wellington Public Hospital. A night nurso worked six nights vveekly from 8 p.m. until 7 a.m. A day nurse worked six days weekly, a long day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. alternating with a short day (so-called) from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. On long days she had two meal breaks and 011 sliort days one. "As this is a recognised duty, it was not affected by the staff action," said Mr. Turnbull. "Self-sacrificing work such as this and people such as these deserve something more than faeile praise The Public Service Association is proud to support them in the tction which they are taking."