BONUSES TO NURSES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 105, 20 May 1937, Page 3

BONUSES TO NURSES

(From Our Own Correspondent)

Waipawa Board Considers It a Good System

Graduation bonuses to nurses wno complete their training are still to be paid by the Waipawa Hospital Board, which considers that while the Waipukurau Hospital is the only one in New Zealand to pay such a bonus, the system is in the best interests of the nurses. The board adopted a resolution to this effect at yesterday 's meeting, members agreeing that the system was of value in that it encouraged^ nurse>3 to sit for the State examination after completing their training, rather than to leave before their period of training was completed. _ . The question of graduation bonuses was considered fully ^7 the board 's finance committee, which brought down the following recommendations:— "That we have thoroughly investigated a return setting out the salary sealeis for pupil nurses at training schools throughout the Dominion, and have found that the average collective amount paid for the three years of training is £137 10/-, whereas the collective amount paid at the Waipukurau Hospital for the three years of training is £110, and with the addition of the existing graduation bonus of £35, our total is £145, thus being £7 10/- over the New Zealand average. "We consider that while this' hos-> pital is the only hospital in the Dominion which pays a graduation bonus, our system is in the best interests of the nurses, as it gives them a substantial amount at the completion of general training when it is most needed. We therefore recommend ,that the system be retained, and the pupil nurses,' salary scale remain as at present. •'That we have perused a return setting out the scales paid to qualified nurses throughout the hospitals of the Dcminion, and find that. our scale is now higher than general average, all anomalics having been adjusted during our last revision of these salaries." ' ' The nurses appreeiate tliis cheque of £35, and we tliink that it is better to cairv on with our- present system," said the chairman, Mr W. H. Bathbone, when the finance committee 's report was under consideration. Mr L. Qlenny: I think we could oven increase tliis amount in view of the t'aet that so many girls start nursmg but don't go up for the examination. , Mr D; W. Neild: We don't want to encourage girls not to go up for the examination. Mr Glenny: Quite so. But we do want to give an incentive ' to those girls who do want to. The managing-secretary, Mr P. R. Smyrk, said that every nurse who had sat for the nursing examination dariug his period of office had passed. Dr. P. (j. Anderson: Only about two girls a year loavo the hospital without sitting for the examination; The finance committee 's recomniendation was thcn approvod by the board.