HOURS OF NURSES.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17971, 17 March 1930, Page 6

HOURS OF NURSES.

AT WAIKATO HOSPITAL. STATEMENT BY SUPERINTENDENT. A reply to criticism appearing in the correspondence columns of an Auck- t land paper regarding the hours worked by nurses at the AVaikato Hospital was made yesterday by the medical superintendent, Dr. CM. M. Hockin. “ The nurses work eight hours a day,” said Dr. Hockin, “and they get a week off at the end of six months, and three weeks off at the end of each year.” The superintendent went on to say that every fortnight the nurses change from afternoon to morning duty, and un changing they get 24 hours off. The same rule applies to nurses changing from morning to afternoon duty.Before going on night duty at the end of six weeks, the nurses get 24 hours off clear, said Dr. Hockin. It had happened, he added, that nurses going off night duty had gone on afternoon duty , the same day, but this usually occurred to suit the convenience of the nurses themselves. 44'ith regard to the question of one day a week off at the end of six months, Dr. Hockin said this matter was submitted to a ballot of the nurses, and by a large majority they stated their preference for the week off. A nurse going on a week’s leave stops work at the end of a morning duty and generally resumes on afternoon duty, so that the week’s leave is extended by the best part of a day. Dr. Hockin entirely discounted the complaints that had been published, and said that the nurses as -a whole were quite satisfied with the present arrangements.