NURSES AND THEIR WORK.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1646, 13 January 1913, Page 2

NURSES AND THEIR WORK.

The new lady superintendent, of the Auckland. Hospital, Miss Jessie Orr, who arrived last week from England, has taken up her duties at the. institution, (says the "Graphic"). Miss Orr has a charm of personality and- decision of character which, should bo of great service to her in filling a.position which requires tact as well as firmness, Miss Orr was delighted wjth tho situation and appointments of tho hospital, and although fully,. realising that tne methods and conditions obtaining there would be slightly, different to what she, had been accustomed to, had mado up her mind that it js usually better to adapt oneself to local conditions than attempt-to alter them at onoe, Questioned on the subject' of nursing candidates, Miss Orr' remarked that a good deal more trouble is being experienced in the Old Country at the present time in getting women of .the 6ame class and education to take up nursing as a: calling than formerly,so many other openings offer nowadays entailing less physical and nervous strain on women. "But on tho average I think quite fi good class of girl applies, and I suppose it is the same here," 6aid Miss Orr. On tho subject of outdoor uniforms, about which a good deal of controversy has taken place at different times, Miss Orr also fairly emphatic. "Personally, I do not believe in the obligatory uniform when out of doors, and in nearly all,the large hospitals at Home now the wearing of one by nurses is optional. Of course, each hospital has' its uniform if tho nurses like to use it when out of doors, but it is going out of favour with nurses. Tho fact that so many impostors have used the uniform as a means to an end, together with the fondness of nursery girls .for wearing'a nurse's uniform in the street, have pyt it out of favour somewhat with tho legitimate nursing profession ,at Home." The hours of nurses in tho English hospitals was another topic touched upon. "The nursing staff you have here is a good deal larger , than the staff of a similnrsized hospital in England," observed Miss Orr. "But then," she added, "We have not got the eight hours' system there. At Home—l am now speaking of tho provincial liospitals—the day nurso goes on duty at 7 o'clock in', the morning and (joes off at 9in the evening. In that time, however, she gets two hours off in addition to meal time, about four hours altogether, so that makes her day on duty really about II) hours. The night nurto goes on at 9 and is relieved at 9 in tho morning. Then the nurse gets one day off duty a month, and a fortnight's lioll. day in the yoar besides. Tn London tho hours are better, in fact I suppose they' would really amount to very much tho same to the nursos as under your eighthour system."