REPORTS ON NURSES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 26, 25 October 1918, Page 3

REPORTS ON NURSES

DISCUSSION BY THE HOSPITAL BOARD. At yesterday's meeting of the Hospital Board the. Hospital Committee recommended: "That the furnishing of reports by sisters as to the work and conduct of nurses during their training be reintroduced, they having been discontinued through a misunderstanding." When asked for an explanation of the. clause the chairman (Jlr. H. Baldwin) explained that it used to be a practice of the sisters to make notes as to the wetrk and conduct of nurses, as a cuido to the authorities when they wished to make promotions. In one instance they bad occasion to make inquiries about a nurse, nmUthey wero amazed to find that tho reports were most erratic, and a discussion had taken place on their value. It seems that, though thero was no minute of any decision of the sort, it had somehow or other coino about that the reports were discontinued. Now tho Acting-Inspector of Hospitals wished such information, and the chairman agreed that tho practice should be restored, if it was only in fairness to the nurses, themselves. Mr. F. Castle pointed out an important omission had been made that was emphasised by the committee, and that was that the reports should be strictly confidential. Dr. Barclay (medical superintendent) went still further than the members of the board. He held that such resports should be more than confidential—they should be sacred botween the nurses and matron. They should not even be available to' members of the board. He was supported in his opinion by medical authorities with hospital experience. Tho reports should only ba open to tho matron and the officer of the hospital. .If such ieports were not strictly confidential they lost their value, for 'if, it .were known that such Teports were' available to the members of the board the reports would not bo so valuable. Mr. l< 1 . Castle, while he agreed with the objects of the medical superintendent, said the standing wders always gave them command over all documents. Mr. J. Smith said that such reports should be available to the board in a. case when, say, legal proceedings were threatened. Dr. Barclay said he wished to have the point settled. If they assumed the right argued by Mr. Smith they would have the right to see such reports. . If that were the case the same should be made known to tho sisters. With a former medical superintendent (Dr. Ewart) the same point had cropped up, and he had refused to produco euch reports. He would say no more. Mr. B. G. Burn said that he agreed with Mr. Castle. He stuck to the standin" orders until they were dispensed with. . • • Mr. P. Castle moved to add to tho clause: "Provided no one shall have access to such reports save tho matron and medical superintendent, unless by special resolution of the board." Dr. Barclay said that he still held to his view. When such reports were absolutely confidential they would always got at the truth better. Mr. M'Ewan reminded the meeting that the question wns raised by the Public Health Department. Tho chairman moved as an amendment that the clause be referred back, to the committee for reconsideration. Ho was supported by Mr. C. M. Luke. ,f, , Mr. Castle's motion was carried on the voices ■ '