THE HOURS OF NURSES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 984, 26 November 1910, Page 8

THE HOURS OF NURSES.

TROUBLE AT NAPIER. (By Tclcgraoli.—Press Association.) ' Napier, November 25. .. Thoro is a spirit of revolt amongst the nurses in tlio local hospital consequent tin'the extremely long night duties imposed. It is alleged that tho health of several nurses has broken down as a result of long hours, with the result that ono sent in her resignation, anrl others threaten to follow suit unless conditions are,improved.. It is stated that in soriio, cases nearly 70 hours a week .were .worked.. MENTIONED IN, PARLIAMENT. Attention was called in the Legislative Council yesterday by tho. Hon. J. E. Jenkinson to the foregoing telegram. jThe telegram, said Mr. Jenkinson, recorded tho fact that. some nurses had had to work over 70 hours a week; If this wero so, lie thought tho Government should take tho matter into consideration, as to whether hospital boards should not be compelled to act within the law. If hospital boards were asking nurses to work in such a way that they could not do their work properly,' then the law should step in and see that they only worked, tho. number of hours laid down.in the statute. Tho Hon. J. T. Paul (Otago) said a good deal ,of. dissatisfaction had been ovinced, in Dunedin . about v tho hours which nurses liavo to work. It was all very well to talk about' the exigencies of the 'calling to account for long hours, but he felt that what had. happened, and what would, happen, in the future (unless some Jiniitation of hours was made) fully justified the action of thoso who tried to havb a limitation imposed in tho Hospital and Charitable Aid Bill of last year. ' Sooner or later, he predicted, wo would have to make somo statutory enactment to limit tho hours of, hospital nurses. ■ . •