NURSES' CONFERENCE HELD IN WELLINGTON

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 58, 1 December 1937, Page 12

NURSES' CONFERENCE HELD IN WELLINGTON

A great deal was accomplished by the annual conference of the Now Zealand Begistered Nurses' Association which was held at Wellington on November 26 and 27. The meeting took place at the Doniinion Farmers' Institute and was well attended hy delegates and visitors. Miss Bicknell, Dominion president, presided. A brief resume of the activifies of tho association during the past niue months was given by Miss C. McKenny, acting-Dominion president during Miss Bicknell's absence in England as a delegate to the international conference of nurses, Mention was made of the loss the association had sustained by the death of the Misses Pattrick, Broad, Gregg, McGhee, Dr. Ada Paterson and Mr W. Berry. A vote of sympathy was carried in the usual manner. Retnits were dealt with concerning the training of nurses, hours of duty, and salaries of nurses holding Tesponsiblo positions. Hours of duty of nurses on staffs f private hospitals were carefully considered and the association

thought that these should approximate the hours of duty worked by public hospital staffs. The necessity for the establishment of central preliminary training scbools in the North and South Islands so that nurses would be able to commence their training after a definito period of standardised preliminary training was fully discussed. The unanimous opinion of the conference was that the time had arrived for the establishment of those schools and the following resolution was passed: — "That the central council of the Begistered Nurses' Association approach the Government with a viow to its providing State preliminary training SchoolS for girls commencing nursing training as is being done for other professions. Schools to be established in the North and South Islands." Other matters discussed were: — (1) The preparation of the girl who on leaving school intends to enter the nursing profession when old enough to commence training; (2) the bridging of that gap between leaving school and entering liospital; (3) securing the cooperatiOn of principals of girls' secondary schools in placing before giris the possibilities and advantage of nursing as a career; (4) the inadequate pensions paid to nurses after long servcie. It was decided to bring to the notice of the National Provident Board that the rule re computation of pensions, which refuses to include any rises accruing after 52 years of age, causes undue hardship and should m special circumstances be rescinded for the next flve to 10 years. The matter pertaining to the new section of the association — that of the ' ' Student Nurses' Association" — was fully discussed. Keen interest was shown in this discussion and among the students present were members from Manawatu and Timaru. The setting up of special eommittces and the electioti of omces took place, Miss C. McKenny, Pahiatua, being elected to fill the position of Dominion president. At the conclusion of the conference Miss Bicknfell, retiring president, entevtained the delegates and a large number of visitors at a farewell tea at the Hotel St. George.