NURSING SHORTAGE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 34, 10 February 1939, Page 6

NURSING SHORTAGE

CAUSES REVIEWED HOSPITAL BOARD'S CONCERN CONFERENCE DISCUSSES REMEDIES. The shortage of nurses, both registered and pupil nurses, in the Dominion, together with the methous to be adopted to meet the position, which is was stated was becoming very serious, formed a subject of very considerable discussion at the conference of the Hospital Boards Association of New Zealand at New Plymouth. The cause of the shortage, as well as some suggestions for rectifying the position, was briefly reviewed by Miss M. I. Lambie, Director of Nursing Services. The remits covered a wide range, including the possibility ol training male nurses and it was decided to refer the matter to the executive to confer with the Health Department. There were two methods by which the shortage of nurses might be relieved, firstly by granting to hospitals training licenses that had been taken away and secondly by bringing out some of the refugee nurses from England, said Mr. E. McDonald (South Canterbury), in moving that the Department of Health be urged to take the necessary steps to supplement the number of nurses in the Dominion. It was pleasing to know that the possibility of bringing to New Zealand some of the surplus nurses from Canada was being considered, Mr. McDonald remarked. Training Licenses, The only real solution was to restore the training licenses to hospitals from which they had been taken, said Mr. T. R. Anderson (Stratford) in seconding. His board had advertised for trainees but witnout much success. There was a shortage of both registered and pupil nurses, said Miss Lambie. In the case of registered nurses the shortage was considered to be due to the increased occupancy of public hospitals having resulted in at least 200 more registered nurses being employed since 1933, while the reduction in private hospital hours had resulted in a large increase in the number of nurses being employed in private hospitals. About 400 nurses had left for overseas countries during the past three years and of those they knew of only 45 who had returned. I During the same period, probably due to better times, there had been a very large increase in the marriage rate, at least 400 registered nurses having married. Regarding pupil nurses, Miss Lambie said that owing to the increased hospital occupancy the occupied bed rate in the total training schools of the Dominion had increased by over 1000 since 1933, resulting in 650 more nurses being in training than was the case in 1933. At the same time nearly every other occupation for which girls of 18 to 22 years of age were required had also demanded an increased number of entrants, with the result that some hospitals were short of applicants for training, while others had still no difficulty in obtaining sufficient suitable applicants.

Mi grants Encouraged. The steps being taken to rectify the position were outlined by Miss Lambie, who stated that nurses trained in England and Australia had been encouraged to come to New Zealand, being informed that positions were available in county hospitals and for private nursing. As a result 60 nurses from overseas had applied for

registration during the past year, a decided increase. The Nurses and Midwives’ Registration Board had also agreed to a certain number of German and Austrian refugee nurses being admitted to the New Zealand training schools for a year’s further training to enable them to sit for the State examination and become accustomed to New Zealand conditions. Applications for admission were under consideration at present. A conference had rcently been held to place the position before the Education Department, Miss Lambie stated. It was then decided to have a series of articles published in the Education Gazette for the benefit of teachers to stimulate the work of the vocational officers, which had already been begun successfully in the Dominion, and to further a pamphlet which had been prepared by the vocational o-fficer in Dunedin on nursing as a profession for girls. Nursing Aides. A scheme for the training of nursing aides was being prepared for legislation in the coming session, said Miss Lambie. That would provide that girls of 17 years of age might enter a public hospital. Their first year would be spent in training in housewifery and the second in elementary nursing. Girls passing an examination at the end of two years might, if they so desired, continue their training in a general hospital and be given a concession of one year towards their period of training. That should help definitely to bridge the gap between leaving school and entering hospital at 19 years of age, as at present. Consideration had also been given to the establishment of central preliminary training schools for groups o£ hospitals, but the principal difficulty was the provision of finance, for it was considered that the schools would need to be residential. The New Zealand Registered Nurses’ Association, too, had attempted to interest not only secondary girls’ schools but also various women’s organisations in the nursing t profession and during the corning year it was proposed to have in each . centre a publicity committee for the purpose of increasing those activities, . Miss Lambie concluded. On the suggestion of the chairman, it was agreed to refer the matter to the executive to confer with the department. Remits from the Dannevirke board that the Government be approached with a view to having the training of • nurses placed on a similar footing to • that adopted by the Education De- , partment in training candidates for • the teaching profession and from the ■ Hokianga board that as an incentive • to girls to enter the nursing profession it be a recommendation to the Health Department that time served