NEW PLYMOUTH HOSPITAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 July 1916, Page 7

NEW PLYMOUTH HOSPITAL.

KUitSES' REQUIREMENTS. A special meeting of the house committee of tlie Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board wa 3 licM yesterday to consider the request of the fourth-year nurses for higher pay, and « petition from thirty-one nurses for improve*.'! conditions at tiie nurses' home. There were present: Messrs 1". C. .1. Bellrmger (chairman), D. 11. McDonald, J. R. Hill, A. E. Sykes, D. McAUum, and Mrs. Dockrill. The fourth-year nurses considered that £4-8 was not an adequate salary, whilst the other petition drew attention to the need for additional accommodation (there being 33 nurses on the staff, and only H bedrooms in the home), also the need for accommodation for night nurses, a study, and a light at the steps between the nurses' home and tlie hospital. Attention was also drawn to the fact that there were no fires, and that the electric radiators were always out of order; further that hot baths could not be obtained in windy weather. ■ In opening, the chairman stated that he hod' written four probationer nurses, who had not yet completed the three months' term, during which they could leave the hospital if tliey found the conditions unsuitable, asking them whether they wished the. fact of their having signed; the petition to be taken as a" notification of 'their d;sire to leave the hospital. They had replied in the negative, and asked that their names should be struck off. This was accordingly agreed to. 'Die committee then adjourned to the hospital, where Miss Brown (matron) was also present. In connection with the application for increased pay, the chairman said* thai tlie salaries would compare more than favorably with tlipse of other institutions. In addition the 'Board provided uniforms and made an allowance for shoes, and also paid the technical fees and cost of material used m connection with the cooking classes. Tlie matron considered that tlie allowances equalled over £3 per annum. Continuing, the chairman said that at Dunedin the fourth year nurwee only received £4l) per annum, and did not receive uniforms. The matron said she agreed with i)r. Walker's remarks that the nurses were acquiring more, valuable knowledge under more advantageous conditions than al an earlier period of their training. It was until recently purely optional with the nurses to remain a fourth year, but she always urged them to do so, as it helped their subsequent career. If other hospitals paid higher salaries «he thought New Plymouth should grant an increase, and she suggested that similiar institutions be communicated with. On the motion. of Mrs. Doekrill and Mr. McAlkim, it was decided to follow tlie suggestion. Mr. McAUum considered that both the doctor and the matron were "sitting on the fence" and would not express any definite opinion. He was anxious to get to the bottom of the matter. The question of accommodation was then discussed. The matron said that it was quite true that there was insufficient accommodation. Several of the i nurses had no separate bedroom. Six nurses were accommodated in the new building and some in the fever ward. There was no sitting-room in the new hospital for nurses. Mr. Sykes did not. understand winprovision had not been made in the new hospital for a sitting-room. The matron said that there was a ~it-Ung-room for the sisters, but it would not be conducive to discipline to allow the juniors to use it. Mr. Sykes thought that some of the complaints might have been obviated if provision had been made when the building was,erected. Dr. Walker here arrived, and, in explaining the objects of the meeting, the chairman said that lie was disgusted with the petitions. He had repeatedly asked if there were any complaints, and had received none; and then this petition came suddenly like ;i bomb-shell. The Board was aware that the accommodation was not all what it should it, but lie thought that at a time like the present the nurses should not object to some little inconvenience. Tlie chairman said that the Board contemplated the provision of accommodation as soon as it was justified. He estimated that £2(ioo would be required from the ratepayers and a similar amount from the Government. Dr. Yalintine was very emphatic that it was useless for the' Board to approach tlie Government at present. lie (the chairman) said the only solution .if the accommodation problem would be to re duce the staff, and also, of course, the rmmbe: of patients the hospital could take. Dr. Walker considered that accommodation, reasonably quiet during the day, should lie provided for night nurses. Regarding sitting-room accommodation, he considered it was a wise thing for discipline to have a line of demarcation, though it was also pleasant to have good feeling on the staff. There was no spare room for a study. Each nurse shtmld have a room which she would call her own. Taranaki should face the ))«siti»ii and not wait indefinitely. During the past ten days_ the average number of patients had been over DO, and the /.aft' would have to he increased rather than reduced. The difficulty would become more acute as time went on, if the hos-

pital was to extend its sphere of usefulness as expected. Mr. McAUum, referring to the increase in rates and hospital levy, thought the nurses should make some allowance. Dr. Walker said the nurses were putting themselves to more inconvenience than members thought. TJy chairman remarked that, despite Die conditions, there were plenty of applications from probationers, some of whom were willing to leave other hospitals. Dr. Walker said that, putting the case in a nutshell, the home had been satisfactory for a limited number of nurses, but the staff had increased beyond that number, and he thought a new home to ac ommodate a reserve staff was inevitable. The chairman then, dealt with the other complaints. The radiators had been constantly repaired, and must be the subject of gross carelessness. It was absurd to say that the ca-lifont could he affected by wind. The steps between the home and the hospital had been sanctioned by him, and he accepted the responsibility. Mr. Sykes said he would like to see the nurses treated in the best possible way, but not in any extraordinary way. Mr. McAUum ielt there was something behind the petitions. There was a weakness in the management somewhere, and he thought they should have the nurses in and examine them, so as to get at the bottom of the matter. This was agreed to. After lunch six nurses who had signed both petitions were examined at length by the chairman. All admitted that for the past twelve months they had occupied a room to themselves and now had no complaint on that score, though they had previously suffered inconvenience in that respect. They were of opinion that accommodation should be provided for night nurses in a quiet portion of the building, and also that separate room* should be provided, so that nurses on different duty would not disturb each other . They also supported the complaints re radiators, califont, and light at steps. Regarding the question of pay, the chairman asked if they would be agreeable to accept a uniform rate of pay based on the average paid by hospitals of a similar size in the Dominion, but with one exception they we're, unwilling to accept this if it proved to be less than tlie rate they now received. The conditions of the isolation ward nurses were also mentioned by several of the speakers. One nurse stated that the protest was the combined brains of all, but it was an outside sister who first made them think of higher pay. The .lommittee inspected the home, etc., and decided to at once instal a light at the steps. Estimates will also be submitted to the full board as to the cost of converting the old hospital into a nurses' home, and a report on other matters will also be submitted to the Board.