TRAINING OF NURSES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 135, 24 June 1937, Page 5

TRAINING OF NURSES

Curriculum Conforms With General Syllabus HASTINGS DIFFICULT Y The curriculum for the training of nurses at the Napier Public Hospital is ifi conformity with the general syllabus for hospitals, according to the evidence given by the matron, Miss *L. M. Croft, to the Royal Commission to-day when the question of organisation, supervision and training of nurses at the hospital was being deali with. Every encouragement, was given to the nurses in their studies, Miss Croft said. At a later stage reference was made to the recent decision of the department making the Memorial Hospital, Hastings, an adjunct of the Napier Hospital for purposes of training of nurses. This was considered to present difficulty until adequate aocommodation for nurses was provided. Miss Croft explained that the teaching staff on the medical side consisted of herself, the sub-matron and a parttime tutor sister, and on the medical side the medical superintendent, three house surgeons and two honoraries. In addition, there was the bacteriologist. In her opinion the part-time tutor sister was not sufficient, and the question of a full-time tutor sister was to be brought before the board. Witness detailed the teaching done in the preliminary school, which was under the control of the sub-matron. Latterly witness had experienced difficulty in maintaining a full quota of trainees. This was due to the lack of applications. Other hospitals in New Zealand were experiencing a similar position. In one of the centres a hospital was reported not to have a big waitino- list that it lisp.rl tn Vip.va Wit-

ness at present had a waiting list of only 15. The reputation of the Napier training school, witness considered, was quite good. Lectures were generally given in the evening. Witness considered that it would be an advantage if they could be given in the day-time. This, however, might not suit the cbnvenience of the medical lecturers, but it would be to the advantage of the scholars to have the lectures in the day-time when they were not so iikely fco be fatigued. Witness detailed the lectures given in both the first and second years. Cooking Instruction. Tlie cooking instructions were given at the Girls' High School. This was quite satisfactory, but witness would prefer that they did not have to leave their hospital. the charts and models required were In regard to the medical lectures, all available. The third year consisted largely of revision work and the giving of weekly test papers. The curriculum, witness considered, conformed with, the general syllabus that was laid down Witness explained that the ward sisters were responsible for the practical treatments of which the nurses had received their tlieoretieal training. Witness explained that there was no compulsory study, which in her opinion was not helpful. Witness had appealed to the trainees in the preliminary school that they had a responsibility to tlieinselves and to the hospital. If they were interested in their studies they would attend to them without compulsion. Witness explained that in regard to Ihe Me-uiorial Hospital, Hastings, that it had not yet been recognised as a training scliools. If it were, it could bo fitted in quite well as far as the , training of the nurses jvas concerned.

To Mr. Grant; witness explained that the trained staff generally rerpresente'd 25 per cent. of the total_ nurses. The chairman: Are they qualified by State examinations? Mr. Grant: Yes. Witness: The 25 per cent. includert the sisters. To Mr. Grant, witness explained that she had told nurses to go to her; and report the slightest troubles, sueh as colds or sickness. Witness remem* bered one nurse' who told her mother that she was afraid to report because "they were coddled." Nurses had never been charged with malingering when reporting sick. WitneSs . explained that she welcomed them to report anything that might be wxong with them. - Delay in getting extra staffing had been one of the greatest difficulties that witness had had to contend with, and that was attributed to the lack of aeeocnmodation. The provision of extra accommodation for "nurses was put in hand in February last. Firstyear trainees were put in the children Js ward and ! were specially instructed in regard to infection. In regard to studies, witness said that although no definite hours were set she encouraged nurses to study. Further to assist -them, a study-room in the home was provided for in the estimates. In the State examinations last year nine candidates out of ten qualified. To Miss Cecilia McKenny, witness said she considered that lectures in the evening were not desirable, as nurses were inclined to be fatigued after their day's work. The nurse in training did get the opportunity of reporting. Witness welcomed it and at times arranged for one to accoenpany her round the ward. At the time when the hot-baths treatment was given the reports were given by the sister. Witness was not aware of this treatment until some time after it was started. She did not know that it was being carried on without the knowledge of the honorary doctor, Dr. Whyte, until the board inquiry, "What Action Did You Takef* Miss McKennie: What did you think of the charge nurse in the Shrimpton Woad when you knew she was associated with the sister in a dereliction of, duty? What action did you takef . Witness: The nurse took the attitude that it was entirely wrong that the treatment should not have been reported. I accepted her explanation. We know that she knew it was wrong. I want to know what you thought about it, and what you did Tegarding something that was contrary to medical orders? — "The nurse carried it out qnder the sister 's orders." After you knew that she did this thing yqu just condoned her action? — "Her work was quite good. The matter was being handled by the board, and I left them to take what action they thought fit." That niirse is still on the staff?— "No; she has since resigned." Mr. Grant: It did not come out that this nurse knew about the treatment being given without Dr. Whyte 's knowledge until this commission. It did not come out at the board '■ inquiry. Witness: I did not know that the nurse knew it was wrong. The chairman: That does not carry us much further. ►Sir James Elliott: The bacteriologist in.his lectures gives no applications to practifeal use in dealing with infectious cases? Witness: I am surprised at the aniount of nursing technique that his lectures cover. He gave them no teaching on the gerrn theory of vulvo-vaginitis?— ■ "No." An elementary course in hygieoe takcs the place of the deficiencies I have pointed out? — "No, but it is the grcun dwork. ' ' ' Did you have to have ten secondjear nurses available to go out to the Hastings Hospital to nurse? — "No, 1 have not had to yet, but it is anticipated. The Hastings Hospital is uot yet run in conjunction with the Napier Hospital as far as nursing is concerned. Out there the nuxsing staff con« snsts of staff nurses and voluntary aids. There\ will be a difficulty until we get going, as we shall have to train a double number of first-year nurses. To be able to do that we shall have to have more accommodation tnan is already visualised. The proposal cannot be accomplished until sufficient nurses are' available." Have you protested to the board pointing out that the proposal would h.ave serious repercussions in the question of staffing ? — "1 have reported it to the board. uointin.or out that in order

te have a sufficient number of nurses tor Hastings with the present accommodation could only be done by using ten of the present single rooms as double rooms." , You have reached an impasse regarding this matter? — "Yes." Don't you think that the training and accommodation of nurses required for the Hastings Hospital under tlie proposal should have been brought forward before now ? Has it not come up rather late ? — ' 'I mentioned it a year ago." & Does Inquiry Cover Hastings. Mr. Grant : Counsel have been under the hnpression that the order of reference applied only to the Napier Hospital. Mr. Foden : 1 have felt with Mr. Grant that the order of reference applies only to tlie Napier Hospital. Mr. Grant: Counsel has not itttended to be discourteous in not mentioning the Hastings Hospital. The chairman : 1 have had some doubt. about it. I understand that the Hastings Hospital is to be an adjunct to the Napier Hospital for training purposes. Mr. Bate: The body in charge has only just approved of it at its last meeting. The chairman : -That was before this commission commenced its sitting. Mr. Bate : It would be treason outside of here to suggest that the Hastings Hospital was part of the Napier Hospital. ° The cliairmarf: I don't want to rajse any more trouble. There is enough in tlie wind now. It comes withiri the provjnce of this commission and we may find fE necessary to inspect the Hastings Hospital. That is, only as far as training is concernecL.