DEATH OF HOSPITAL NORSE

Otaki Mail, 24 March 1922, Page 1

DEATH OF HOSPITAL NORSE

ALLEGED UNHAPPINESS AT INSTITUTION. The Wanganui Hospital Board held a special meeting recently at which the press were not present, as the outcome uf the death ol Nurse Edna 11aIcon January 26. The Medical Superintendent, reported that complaint had been received from friends of the late nurse, specifically as follows: 1. That she was very unhappy, here because ol her relationship with the matron. 2. That recently while on night duty she suffered from a succession ol septic outbreaks that site reported to the matron hut no action was taken. 3. That her final illness was a direct outcome of these. • i. That members of the nurses’ staff are’ afraid to teporl sick on account of unsympathetic reception and prefer to remain on duty. The nurse’s parents had no complaint to make. With regard to the complaints me medical superintendent reported: The late nurse was unhappy here, for what cause I cannot certainly say. That she did suffer from septic lingers while on night- duty; that the matron was cognisant ol ibis, and that it was not reported to me. That death was due to influensal pneumonia, aggravated possibly <n her septic condition. Tpat Nurse Hale remained on duly two or three days after the onset ol her final illness and in the end was compelled to report by one ol the ward sisters. 1 have always impiessed the need ol the nurses reporting any illness* XI there was fear to report n is very regrettable, hut 1 have not enough information to report further. The matron in her report stated: 1. That a nurse’s relationship with ihe matron could he a cause oi lasting unhappiness to her 1 cannot, uudeistand. The relationship is not" intimate and personal. Correction ol faults common 10 youth and in nursing mstitutions do not cause lasting _unhuppiness. i had every hope and belief that the late nurse would he a success and I had been gratified by her progress. 1 had reason to believe thai any unhappiness was due to a dilleieni cause. i had no knowledge that- the late nurse suffered from sepsis while on night duty in December. Had these been known to me it would have been immediately reported to the medical staff. Concerning the reporting of illness nurses’ directions are posted in the nurses’ home. Twice recently they were assembled and instructed to report any illness. As to the tear to report 1 trust that the hoard will discuss it- with each member of the nurs- , ing stall. The fatal illness occurred when 1 was absent on leave. When I left i believed no sickness existed amongst the nursing stall. The first intimation of the illness of Nurse Hales was received on the day after I left by the deputy-matron. After hearing the evidence the board came to no decision. At a subsequent meeting of the-Bo-ard a motion asking the Matron and sub-nratron to resign was opposed by several members and was eventually held over pending a fuller enquiry. Since then 26 nurses and sisters at the hospital have signed letters Hi assuring the Board of their confidence m the matron and sub-matron and indignation at the statements made m regard to them, and (2) assuring the matron of their loyalty to her. Twc nurses declined to sign the first le'tei and one refused to sign the second.