PALMERSTON MATERNITY HOSPITAL.

Shannon News, 17 February 1928, Page 4

PALMERSTON MATERNITY HOSPITAL.

BOARD, DESIRES ISSUE OF DIPLOMAS. At Thursday's meeting of the Palmerston North Hospital Board it was decided to make strong representations to the Minister of Health, to permit diplomas in midwifery to be issued to nurses -trained in the new maternity hospital. At the present time, it was stated, such diplomas could be obtained only in a few specified Government hospitals. It had been possible for nurses to obtain these diplomas from any hospital but this was not now permissable except in the eases mentioned above. Nurses could receive maternity training, but could not obtain diplomas which meant that they could not attend a case except under medical supervision. The Board w r as of the opinion that it should be possible for nurses to obtain these diplomas and be able to be sent ont into the country in eases of necessity where it was impossible for a doctor to attend.

The chairman, Sir James Wilson, stated that the Board was always agitated for the training of their nurses in maternity work. ~ Since the regime of Dr. Paget, however, it had been decided by the health authorities that, except in a few specified localities, diplomas as midwiyes were not to be issued to nurses trained in public hospitals. This meant that nurses, although trained in midwifery, could net attend a case except under the supervision of a doctor. This was not what the Board desired. The Board should take the matter up with the Minister when he came to Palmerston North for the opening of the new maternity hospital.

"When Dr. Valentine and -the Minister come here these are two most important matters that we must discuss with them," said Mr. Nash. "One of the main objects of the new maternity hospital was that there should bo a certain number of. women there who could be trained out in cases of necessity. The Board set out to get this matter fixed and I hope that when the Minister is here there will lie siome pretty plain talking on this matter."