THE QUESTION OF NURSING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3984, 17 July 1915, Page 6

THE QUESTION OF NURSING.

GISBORNE LADIES WILLING TO * ASSIST. PB ISC RIB ED COURSE 0F T R AIN- / . ING SUGGESTED. ffl'ho question of training extra nurses was also raised by Dr. Collins at S-he Hospital _ Board! meeting last might. This might well, he said, occupy the attention of the Board at tins time. There was a move on the part of a body of ladies in this district to get lectures from a nurse of their own choosing. During the Boer war a- number of troopers had arrived hack at their own homes, and had to

d>e attended to by their own people. Experience *in England 'had taught the authorities that amateur nurses were more of a menace than a help. The local ladies, if the Board did not take the matter up, would lake a course of lectures, and: eventually, perhaps, cause more suffering than they would alleviate pain if they obtained the nursing of wounded soldiers. He moved that the Board receive the names of ladies who were prepared to take a prescribed course of nursing at the Hospital, and a committee he set,up to draft out the number of ladies which would; he required, the course they would have to go through, and the examination they" would be required to pass. Mr. Humphreys said that he hoped the suggestion would he carried out. No doubt such a proposal would upset the Hospital « little, but this was a time when they should all be prepared to make a little sacrifice. He seconded! the motion. D-r. Porter said he would like to hear what tho Medical Superintendent had to say on the subject.. Dr. Kohlenberg said that- it would he somewhat difficult to undertake to control a number of nurses who wore really not under the jurisdiction of the staff. The Board was proposing to grant certificates to ladies for a course, of some six months’ training. Nurses had to serve years of 'apprenticeship before they could obtain certificates.

Dr. Porter said lie questioned very much/ Avliether tlie Hospital Hoard had power to issue nurses’ certificates. In fact lie questioned the right of any lay hodv to issue such certificates. They knew of ladies at Home who went in for slumming, hut the St. John’s Ambulance Association . was the proper body for such, people to. join. This was an excellent, institution. Dr. Collins said lie did not think that any of the ladies, to whom .they might grant certificates would abuse such. It was a mistake to say that these ladies would not bounder direct supervision. In England at the present tijn'o they- were training lay people to release their trained nurses for the base hospitals. The point. he wanted to impress upon their minds was this : They were not going to tram nurses to compete against those who had put in years of training. The. certificates would be given on condition that- they wore for local use for a- certain class of patients, and the Indies who obtained them would bo available for service wherever required! in New Zealand. They would select ladies who would not be likely to misuse their certificates.' In tw--lve iiu.il h* time there' might- he a ’.ig call for the. making of hand- ges. Troopers would arrive here, and would want to go to their homes. . This would only dm possible if a doctor could bo, found to at-