TRAINING OF NURSES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 136, 25 June 1937, Page 6

TRAINING OF NURSES

Commission Completes Another Phase r ■ ~ TUTOR SISTER'S VIEW Conclusion was reaehed yesterday into the phase of the Napier "Hospital inquiry regarding the training " of nurses, those responsible for the teaching of the staff suggesting vaniou-s means by which improvements might be effected. ■ Recalled, the matron, Miss Croft, stated that she first knew, of ,tlie charge-nurse's remissness in not reporting the hot-bath treatment in' November last. Mr Foden: How did it come to your knowledge ? Witness: It was « a matter of conversation. The chairman: What ^teps did you take ? Witness: The board handled it in committee. It was a board letter and it was taken out of my hands. Mr Foden : Who took the steps to terminate her services? Witness: She resigned. Mr Foden (to the chairman) : That is different. It was taken out of her hands and referred to the Health Department. Ihe department sat in judgment on the board's "ndings. The matron -felt justified iu' not taking drastio steps • with the; nurbe. , . - - • Mr Grant:' When* dici jOii first Ijarn that the hurs : k n.w" all along that Dr. Whyte's patents were ha ving a' hot-bath treatmeDt without his knowledge. ' ' • Witness: ln January. Sir. James Elliott ; Was it not' the duty of.the nurse acting in the absence of the sister to enter the natu're of the treatment . given to patients in the ward book? ' ' ... Wituess; .Ies.:_ Did. she do so? — "No.". Was that not a dereiiction . of duty ? • — "ies." Did that not justify you in asking for her dismissai? — '.'That was dealt with by the board." - Ohris'tina' S. * Tlioiiiaseii, sub'-matrojx and tutor-sister at the Napier Hospital) explamed that' her" 'duties as tutor sister were deiiued by "the matron.- The curricuiuin as set out was in the niain adhered to, but at times leetures wero rnterfOred' with due to the- preliminary schooi. The "trainees" feceived the fuu coinplement of leetures given by -the doctors. Witness- had been unaulo to give her f ull' complement ; owin'g to u prelimiin'ary Schooi • necessitatin'g a break. Witness explained • that a more satisfactoiy system of tuition was being built up. She found' that she did not have tho time 'at her disposal that she would like to give to leetures, • and she considered that thc position was a full-time. oue. That the position of tho sub-matron could be fuii-time with advantage. The gi ving of leetures in tho afternoons by doctors when possible was an impending reform. - Witness had no't noticed that nurses 'were too tired to take leetures in the evening, but, the daytime was preferable. The ward sisters appeared . to be interested dn the training of -the nurses. Witndss considered that the matron took a good deal of interest -in their trainjug and the medical superintendent likewisc. Generally speaking, , -the, . nurses were lceenly interestqd an their, studies. , The Hastings Hospital, as a training schooi, she said, would' iiivolve a good deal of organisation. A larger demonstration rooin would be an advanta1ge. Equipment was being obtained steadily. Mr. Foden: You sum it up that you are getting there l»v degrees? Witne.ss: Yes. Mr. Grant: How far have the arrangements got -with the Hastings Hospital. as a se,hool? Witness: I don't know. . Continuing, witness explained that 'it. was . suggested that the*. nurses should not go out to. Hastings until afte.r the end.pf thqir first year. They would return to Napier half-way through their secQjid. y.eai) for their cOo.king cpurse. The arrangements for the teaching of) this cqurse ,at.. the , Napier. Girls'. H,igh Hcliool were satisfaetory, lt- wae,;however, 'a ' long . way for the nurses to, go to.ih the wi'Hter' time. Tb 'Miss MfcKeun.y, witness .said that she was of th'e' opinion-fhat the nurses, would benefit if- the tutor-sister held a. full-time, appbihthient, E'thical teaching;, fnterwoveh .with' the whole curricultim, wpul.cl he a definite advanlag'e. ' On .the. question of „ accommodatioh for nprse.s, Christian Lassen, c.hairhlau 'bf the Hawke's Bay Hospital Board,

explained that after the earthquake plans . wero prepared * by the Publio Works Department which allowed for an additional '2d beds. When the board came to erect this additional accommodation tho building inspeetor ' pointed out -that the foundations were not sufficient -to carry an. additional -24 beds. The most that could be obtainqd was 14 beds and this hew wing, at a cost of £2250, had now been completed. Plans were being 4 prepared . for . additional verandah accommodation, but. the necessary authority to proceed with the work had nbt yet been received from the department. Future Accommodation. in regard to future additional accommodation for nurses plans were being prepared to put ' in order two houses that the board had. This would be a separate hostel for permanent staff, leaving the main building for the trainees. The present nurses could not be added, but additional staff - would be eventually forced upon the board. A report was being furnished regarding additional kitchen and cooking uteneils estimated to cost £300, which would provide the nurses with a greater variety of menu. The levy made by the board on local bodies was the highest; that it had been due to provisions on the estimates., During the last 10 years the Hawke's Bay County Council had paid £250,000 in hospital levies. The chairman: It is a good thing for Hawke's Bay that wool has gone up. Dr. J. J. Foley, melical superintendent, stated that the leetures were fully carried out by the honorary doctors. In his opinion they were very attentive .in giving the leetures. In order to give them time' off the house surgeons lectured in the- evening; This concludbditbe . hearing i of i this matter in the order of referencel )