THE PROFESSION PARTICULARLY WOMAN'S

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 42, 13 November 1920, Page 11

THE PROFESSION PARTICULARLY WOMAN'S

• Sir,—From time immemorial it is to •woman that tho world looked to attend '-; tho ■ sick and -succour the wounded.-.-Women is .at homo in tho sick room and hospital ward. Sympathy and practical , , common aenao (faculties essential for a Bucoessfulnui-fie) are to he found perhaps' tnoro in the fain sex. A woman, without professional training, placed in' a. .hospital ward'and left to her own devices to alleviate Buffering would do far better than a man 60 placed. ■ Nursing is the one profession for which woman is particularly- adanted. The sat- ; fjfaouon of relieving suffering has enabled many women to bear discomfort, to ' 'work hard and lon|j, and their work has frequently boen entirely a labour of love. . 'A deep-rootqd love of humanity and a genuine desire to roliove the suffering is essential in the woman who aspires to tho noble profession of nursing. During the war our nurses were called npon to. succour the sick, and wounded, which work they ably accomplished. Among the women whose names will live in history and tradition, and whose self-sacri-fice : will be entwined , with the story of the Groat War, the naroo of Nurse Cnvell will take IJie place .which that rf Florence Nightingale occupies in'the epic cf " the Crimea. ' ' '' '.'; ; Great as the work of nurses has been in times of world-wido calamity, there is always the call from suffering humanity to womon to .fit thomselves for this no'hlo work. The war drained our civilian hospitals of their nursing staffs. Many of these women gave their livesi Others returned disabled with health affected, and havo been unable to continue in their occupation as civilian nurses. Some have married, and home duties and the rearing of their children prevent their services from being available as freely as formerly. Another result of the war has boen that numerous a,vomies of employment have .been opened to women. Probably this state of ..affairs will continue 'and difficulty bo experienced by hospital managements to obtain full staffs. But the girl who adopts nursing for her profession, and who proves capable, has much more to look forward to than the weekly or- monthly .wage' which she, receives. That she, by her skill, has alleviated pain —even Saved life—is a cnuso of satisfaction which no money payment can give. 'There is no profession more noblo or with higher ideals, and as thero are many who '•■ have the aptitude'for nursing, every facility and encouragomont should bo given them to afford an opportunity to dovote . their lives in this direction. There is at ■the present time, owing to the many avenues which have been opened up for women in the work-a-day world, a dearth of applicants for nursing. .. ■ It is not generally known that in tho Wellington Hospital, instead of n premium being paid for instruction, women are now paid a salary' sufficient to uiaiu- ; tain themselves while undergoing their ■ toim of training. Apart/from excellent residence, board, provision for uniform, find their instruction in invalid cookery as well as in medical and surgical work, .probationers are paid for the first year .£3O, second year .£4O, third year .£SO. 'Directly they are qualified at the prd of thoir third year they arc paid at a commencing salary of .£9O per. annum. When ..» nurse has qualified she is eligible for . appointment as sister at a. commencing salary'of .£llO per annum. No nurse on tho ('staff is called on to 'do more than eight hours' duty, out of the 2i hour's per day. For.nurses three weeks' ieavo ' per annum is granted on full pay,,, aim for sisters four weeks. There are many openings for promotion in the r.ursmg service. Nmses qualified at the Wellington Hospital aro always favourably considered when applying for positions in other institutions throughout the Dominion.- The surgical and medical training in the Wellington Hospital has at- ■ ways been looked upon as being second to none. Tho age for entrants has been reduced to Iff years, and the status of New Zealand-trained nurses is Tecognlseo. everywhere. After three-years' training, when nurses have qualified, they become registered, and the minimum scale of r-»y- ---'. menfc for private 'nursing is ,£i is. j«h ' week. '-,' " . , : '.i.''.': The first few months for a probationer are certainly trying to a girl who nan been accustomed onljr to, say, office ioutine, or light domestic duties; but tneii, as her instruction in her. profession progresses and her knowledge ii'creases, n -Teal -live interest in her wort will bo ■ evinced,-.and she will realise that service to humanity in\hor own way_ is timething which provides satisfaction which can be claimed'for no other profession. tJndoubtedly nursing is the i.totession .-: for women.—l am, etc., C. H. CHAPMAN, (Member Wellington' Hospital Board). • November 12, 1920. '.'>,.