HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 52

HOSPITAL TRUSTEES.

A special meeting of the Hospital Trustees was hold on the 6th inst., when there were present — Messrs Solomon (chairman), Tapper, M. Stevenson, LeCren, Mill, Brown, and Dr Batchelor.

The Chairman explained that there were one or two matters of urgency to be discussed, and that wa6 the reason why the special meeting had been called. There was the question of extra nurses in consequence of the opening of the new building, and then there was the question of providing precautions against fire.

In regard to the question of increasing the nursing staff, it was to be remembered that the new Hospital building was to be opened shortly. The two wards there would accommodate from 40 to 50 patients, and accordingly they would require more nurses. Ihey had had a consultation with the matron, and she had 6tated that they would require 15 additional nurses, and as a proportion of these nurses would be required almost immediately the new ward was opened, the House Committee wanted permission to engage these nurses. Naturally enough the question of housing these nurses came into view. That question would be placed before the Hospital Board. The House Committee recommended that 15 extra nurse probationers and one wardmaid be appointed. The committee was of opinion that it waß not advisable that they should have a number of ward-maids. The obiect of having ward-maids was to relieve the nur>e-> of the domestic duties to a certain extent, but he considered they should not be exempt from domestic dutirs. The matron was of the same opinion.

Mr Mill said he did not agree with that idea. All the other hospitals in New Zealand had ward-mauls. By ha\ ing wardmaids the nurses would be in a position to give proper attention to the patients. It would be far better to have 11 nurses and five ward-maids. Until that was done there would not be satisfaction among the nurses.

Dr Batchelor said ho rould assure Mr Mill that that system c'icl not prevail in Wellington. The nurses there had to perform domestic work. That v,as the case in every hospital in the world. They wore fit for very little elso in the first year of probation, and it was very desirable that they should he engaged ln domestic work. Mr Stc-ien-on moved that the House Com--•kteeV recoil uiendation be "adopted —

namely, that 15 extra nurse probationers and one ward-maid be appointed. Mr Tapper seconded the motion, and tha recommendation was adopted, Mr Mill dissenting. The House Committee -had a further recommendation to make in regard to the nursing staff as follows: — "That Miss Fraser's eight-hour system be adopted, with the addition of a half-holiday each fortnight to sisters." The recommendation of the committee was adopted. HOURS OF VISIT. The Chairman stated that for some time past he had been of the opinion that the system of visiting at the Hospital was not satisfactory. Of course, one had 6ome diffidence about moving in the direction of altering a system that had been in existence for so many years. It was only after consultation with the house surgeon and matron that he felt justified in bringing the matter forward. The present system, he considered, was not conducive to the welfare of the institution nor to the patients, while, further, it was not satisfactory to the friends of the patients. The present visiting days were Wednesdays and Sundays, and the hours from 2to 4. That practice was not adopted elsewhere in New Zealand nor in Melbourne. It meant that on two days in the week, from 2 to 4 o'clock in the afternoon, the wards were practically full of visitors. That was not desirable, more especially in surgical wards, where patients could not be left for two hours at a time without requiring some attention from the nurses. An 3 that was not possible under present conditions. Then, there was a long period between the times of visiting, and that meant that the Hospital staff had to answer a lot of questions from anxious friends on days other than visiting days. What he wished to place before the meeting was that the visiting days should be Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, -with one hour for visitors on Tuesday and Thursday and one hour and a-half on Sunday, two visitors at a time to be admitted on Tuesdays and Thursdays and four visitors at a time on Sundays. Mr Mill moved that the matter be referred to the House Committee, with power to act. The point was raised that the by-laws fixed the hours of visiting, and # they could not alter the existing time simply by a motion such as was before the meeting. After some oonaideratipn of the point, the Chairman gave notice of motion to the effect that by-law 498 be altered to read in accordance with the days and hours recommended by the chairman. GENERAL. William Stewart was appointed dispenser in place of Mr Wright (resigned), and will take up his duties on the 10th inst. The following recommendation by Dr Batchelor — namely, " That two members of the hon. medical staff (one physician and one surgeon), the resident medical officer, the dispenser, and Dr Batchelor be requested to form a committee to meet and draw up rules and regulations for the mort economical management of the dispensary, and to report to the Board of Trustees "—" — was adopted without discussion. A recommendation of the Houne Committee that applications be called from the hon. medical staff for a systematic course of leotures to nurses was also adopted.