TRAINING OF NURSES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 523, 2 June 1909, Page 3

TRAINING OF NURSES.

Tho following lotter from Miss H: Mac Lean, I Assistant Inspector of Hospitals, in reference to mental hospital nurses receiving training at* general hospitals, was read at yesterday's meeting of the' Wellington Hospital Trustees: "I am writing for the Inspector-General of Mental Hospitals to ask if. your board.could, receive On the staff of trainees, in accordance with' the,correspondence' with the In-spector-General' in' October, ,1907,' and the report'of' the late medical superintendent. Dr.. Ewart,/,a mental.nurse who has passed the mediooipsychological examination. Nurse Guffie has served over* three years in Ashburn Hall Mental Hospital, and is highly recommended by Dr. Alexander and- the '.matron;''lf you will favourably consider this application, Nurse Guffie would, bo able to commence her training any. time after July/1." ';■ '".:•.. , r '. ■■:•:. . Dr.'Ewart's report on. the matter was as follows:— ■■ "The suggestion of tho.lnspector-General of; Hospital! that nurses undergoing a course of training in tho mental hospitals of the Dominion should bo enabled to obtain experience in medical and surgical'work in-the general hospitals is, ; in. my opinion, a good one. It is .'essential that the matron ,of a' mental hospital should possess a good knowledge of general nursing, this can- only 'be obtained in a general hospital.' I would, ■therefore, advise the trustees tp.agreo to/the.. Inspector-General's proposals on conditions that (1) .the hospital, authorities have the final decisions '■ as to the suitability,or otherwise of all candidates; (2) that previous to /entering the general hospital'candidates must havo spent three years'in a mental hospital, ■ and -must also have passed the Stat©, medico 1 -, psychological examination; '(3) that they must be.'subject to, tho same rules and as all other burses; and (i) that ? prerious to being placed iipon the permanent .'staff.-.they ,b'e taken on three months' trial, and that if, then'found to'be unsuitablo. they be compelled to leave.-'. .' .'-; . ':..//v'--.;'Tho .trustees decided! that' the recpies.t. should.be"agreed to, providing.the;conditions submitted by 'Dr.' Ewart are. complied -with, and that' Dr. Hardwick Smith, who is now medical superintendent, is ; also agreeable...