HEALTH OF NURSES WELL CARED FOR

Chronicle (Levin), 17 June 1947, Page 3

HEALTH OF NURSES WELL CARED FOR

A charge that the health of nurses was not sufficiently safegurtrded by hospital boards throughout New Zea land whieh was made by the Canter-b-ury Ohainber of Commerce reeently, was repudiated in a report submitted to the Palmerston North Hospital Board yeslerdav by the Medical Buperintendent to the board, Mr. J. H. North. "For many years the Palmerston North hospital has adopted a verv strict and adequate medical supervisiou of nurses' health," said Mr. North. "Each nurse has an individual health file lcept by Mis's Banks, the matron in-eliief . ' ' Boutine supervisiou of nurses iuclud ed the followiug: — (1) Eull medical exaiuiuations on entry and during

training. (2) X-rays at frequent intervals. (3) Spccial Mantoux 'tests for tuberculosis sensitivity every six months. Mr. North stated that the hospital carried out all the preliminary work that had made the test a standarj one carried out in most New Zealand hospitals. (4) Monthly weight charts of all nurses. (5) Daily medical clinics to whieh auy nurse iniglit report. (6) Any nurse who required leave for medical reasous was grauted it either ou full pay or on an allowance. The Health Department had from time to time issued ciculars to all hospitals regarding the supervision of the health of nurses, X-ray examihations and Mantoux testing. The questions asked in the Hospital Boards' Association's circular letter and their answers were as follow: — 1. Apparent inadequate supervision of the health of nurses in public hospitals. — There was adequate supervision of the health of nurses in the Palmerston North hospital. 2. That from personal evidenee it was disclosed that nurses fully trained, or in training, had contfaeted tuberculosis and other diseases whieh by proper supervision, adequate X-ray and other exaininations ' could have been arrested in their early stages. — The question of lack of early diagnosis did not apply to the Palmerston' North hospital as proper supervision' and adequate X-rays were carried out. 3. That the aloove condition applied to other attendants, and in some cases to junior doctors.^^— The health' of all hospital staff was safeguarded to tho extent that all had an X-ray on entry and staff in contact with "patients had frequent X-ray examinations. They were able to report to medical clinics for examination. • , 4. That frequent and adequate medical examinations were necessary to ensure the health and well-being of the staffs. — ^Examinations were necessary and were Carried out. • s ' It must be understood that all

hospital staffi handling patients, .particularly nurses and doctors, are liablo to contract any of the infectious diseases from whieli patients suffer," said Mr. North. "In this hospital, n very high standard of isolation technique is carried out by the nurses anu staff in the infectious diseases and tuberculosis wards. In addition all patients admitted to hospital have an X-ray of the chest inuaediately before admission or as soon as possible after admission, to avoid anv missed case of tuberculosis being admitted or lcept in any of the general wards. This is a further safeguard to all the stalf. "Despite all precautions there haye been cases where nurses and staff have contraeted tuberculosis infection. P I am satisfied that everything. possible is being done at this hospital to control the infectious diseases and tuberculosis worlc and also to supervise the health of the nursing and other staff, ' ' Mr. -North eoncluded. The report of Mr. North is to be sent to the. Hospital Boards' Association of New Zealand as an answer to the cireularised queries.