THE PUBLIC HOSPITAL.
MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT’S ANNUAL REPORT. Dr. Frank Ward, medical superintendent, at the Palmerston N. Public Hospital, submitted his annual report at Thursday’s meeting of the Palmerston North Hospital Board. ACCOMMODATION. This at times has been taxed to the utmost, the daily average number of patients having risen from 127.1 to 163.4. At times it has been found necessary in non-ur-gent eases to delay their admission some days owing to the shortage of beds. The persistent presence of scarlet fever in the district lias added to the number of admissions and at no time has the scarlet fever ward been without patients. Ihe highest number of patients in hospital at one time was 200, as icompared with the previous figure oi 149. This of necessity means that the wards are accommodating many more than originally intended, and increases considerably the work of the nursing staff. The total number of patients treated during the year was 2779 an increaso of 317. The average day’s stay has increased from 18.05 to 21.52. Deaths.—One hundred and thir-ty-two deaths occurred during the year. Of these, thirty-one died within twenty-four hours of admission. General death rate therefore was 4.75 with an adjusted death rate of 3.63 making alloNvance for deaths occurring within twenty-four hours.
Operations.—The total number of operations performed throughout the year was 1183. Deaths within twenty-four hours of operations were 7.
The infectious fever wards have been greatly improved both in respect to the comfort of the patients and the nurses, by iinjiroved heating and water arrangements in the first ease, and by improved quarters in the second.
Blood donors. —An appeal through the columns of the newspapers for blood donors resulted in twelve people offering their services. Thanks are due to those prospective donors, but it was found that several were not suitable and the ones that \fere suitable lived too far away from hospital to be of service in an emergency. It is my hope that more of the townspeople will offer their services in future. STAFF. I have pleasure in recording the excellent work done by the honorary staff duiing the year, and my thanks are due to them for their help and co-operation shown to me during my nine months as superintendent.
During the year it was found necessary to increase the number of the resident staff to four, two of whom are ladies. They have all carried out their duties to my extreme satisfaction, particularly at those times when I was absent from the hospital. Bacteriological Department.— There has been an increase' of work in this department, the increase of examinations over last year’s figures being 2617 and the increase of fees £lO7. Mr. Cooper has run his department efficiently and well and has the confidence both of the staff and the medical practitioners in the district.
Two full time masseuses are now fully employed. Their work is, however, handicapped by lack of adequate space. It is my hope that this will be remedied at an early date.
A full time dispenser has added materially to the efficiency of the hospital. The shelving and cupboard accommodation in the dispensary is taxed to the utmost but the conversion of one of the rooms in the old building into a drug store and unpacking room has relieved the congestion in the dispensary.
Miss MeGiiie is to be congratulated on the efficient manner she has organised the nursing staff, both in their work and training. It is entirely due to her efforts that each sister and nurse now has one day (or its equivalent) off duty each week. The Hospital Board is to bo congratulated on having such a capable body of yortng women as their nursing staff. There has been a certain amount of sickness amongst the nursing staff, but not enough to interfere seriously with the work in the wards. Five nurses were successful in passing the final State examination in December last, viz. Nurses Chnrteris, Eronstrom, Penney, Stupples and Treweek,
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Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3791, 12 May 1928, Page 3
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663THE PUBLIC HOSPITAL. Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3791, 12 May 1928, Page 3
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