Paucity Of Nurses' Rates Of Pay

Chronicle (Levin), 27 September 1949, Page 6

Paucity Of Nurses' Rates Of Pay

What Was termed a " disgracef ul " position as regards the payment of penal and overtime rates to members of the nursing staff, was subjected to severe critieism by members of the Palmerston North Hospital Board yesterday. The question arose when the council was discussing the regulations governing tlie rates of payment for overtime work. "It is a surprise to me that we are abie to get any nurses at all," said Mr J". Bpyce. "It is a disgraceful position." He added that he would like to see a protest lodged at the paucity of nurses' rates of pay. Mr A. J. Phillipps, (managing-secre-tary) said that it would be possible to obviate the working of overtime if the board could get the staff but it eould not get the staff till it could supply aeeommodation for them. About 40 additional bedrooms would be needed. ' ' I cannot see how we can hope to get more nurses with the intensive advertising campaigns being carried on by other firms, " said Mr V. J. Smith. " It is easy to see why we cannot get them while girls and married women are offered £5-£6 per v?eek rolling "eigarettes for tobaceo companies and nurses get mueh less and spend a good deai more time on their feet. " Dr. J. D. Willis, acting medieal-super-intendent, pointed out that the board had.no difficulty in securing probationer nurses but it was with the senior trained staff that difficulty was being experi enced. Mr J. Hodgens said that if the board was having no difficulty in securing probationer nurses but could not get trained staff because it had no aecom modation for them, it seemed that its piobiem was supplymg extra bedrooms. He moved that the matter be referred to the board 's architeets for consideration and a report to made to the next meeting of the board. A motion to this effect was carried.