NURSES' HOURS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1354, 3 February 1912, Page 14

NURSES' HOURS.

Sir,—lt ia extraordinary to find that manypeople are accepting as indisputable Dr. Hardwick Smith's statement that a twelve hours' duty will lesson tho work and. rush for tho nurses, evidently inferring it to mean that tho nurses will then have twelve hours in which to do what they now do in eight. Dr. Hardwick Smith surely could not have meant them to infer that; for if so, what about tho work of the extra four hours? Who is going to do that? Or aro treatments (hourly or four-hourly, etc.), ward-work, and attending on the continual. requirements of the pntients to cease during that time—for each hour of tho twenty-four is well filled with its own special duties? How, then, can tho rush be lessened by lengthening hours? Even if the nurses that tho longer hours would spare were dividod among the wards, it would not give to each the ono extra nurse on each duty that oven at present could well bo done with How much less "hysterical" or "irritable" would tho nurses bo likely to be after twelve hours of strain, worry, and being on their feet than they are assured of boing at present? Only women as strong as bullocks or wharf lumpers could survive four years of twelve hours' duty seven days a week, and how much gentleness or sympathy could bo expected from that kind of woman? Even if longer hours could lighten the work, the nurses would still luive the extra time on their feet and the longer and mental <itrain, luck of fash *ix, roanwiimv iuul umUghl, lor in.,

thoir off-duty hours thoy have to study to* pass examinations that grow stiffer every year. Dr. Jlanlwick Smith quotes tho patients' feelings, but if anyone believes tho patients favour tho longer duiv lot him or her go to the hospital and ask any of them what they think of the proposal, and tho charges made against the nurses—charges which have caused great indignation throughout tho hospital and Nurses' Home. The nurses are deeply indebted to tho "Free Lance" for its excellent summing-up of the position in their defence, and it is to be hoped that the other papers will do likewise, and let tho public see I he nurses' side of the matter, since they (though they began their training with an eight hours' agreement) aro apparently not going to be consulted in the matter or given a chanco to defend themselves, and can evidently no longer expect fair play. —X am, etc., LOGICAL.