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Staff Education The Introductory course is now held twice a year, in the months of February and August. The Gazette is published every quarter. In the district libraries, books, journals, and films have been increased, and the policy of quarterly group meetings in each district has been followed. Records A special committee representing the Medical Officers of Health, School Medical Officers, and Nurse Inspectors, with officers from Head Office, was set up to review the family record cards, and certain recommendations have been made for reprints which it is hoped to have in operation by the end of this year. Industrial Nursing During the year, Miss Ryan has visited all factories employing nurses or welfare workers. The Correspondence School has conducted, for this group of nurses, a course in industrial hygiene and working-conditions, Dr. Garland and Miss Ryan being responsible for the professional subjects. Much enthusiasm has been shown by the nurses attending the group meetings held by Miss Ryan in the main centres and where the subject material of the courses has been discussed. In addition, at the conclusion of the post-graduate course, and as an experiment, the Department appointed two Industrial Public Health Nurses to undertake preventive duties in groups of factories presenting special health hazards. Army Nursing Service This service has now assumed its peacetime role of a small unit of sisters who are responsible for the training of orderlies in the various Services. The Air Force and the Navy have both applied to have their hospitals approved as training-schools for male nurses under the new scheme of training, so that these sisters will now have new responsibilities. The hospital in Japan had its personnel reduced, and the number of sisters now posted is 14, with a complement of nurses to the number of 30. South Pacific Island Nursing Service I visited Suva, Fiji, with the Director-General of Health, Dr. Ritchie, in October, 1947, to attend a meeting of the South Pacific Board of Health. The most outstanding advance was a booklet on nutrition containing food values and recipes for island foods compiled by Miss M. Abraham, B.H.Sc., Certificate of Dietetics, following a period of research spent by her in the islands. Miss Josephine King, Dip.H.Sc., Certificate of Dietetics, has now been appointed dietetian to the Board, and it is hoped this important development will be expanded. The nursing services in the Gilbert and Ellice Group and in the British Solomon Islands have been extended by the appointment of an additional sister in each case. Towards the end of the financial year it became very difficult to fill all the positions falling vacant, particularly in Fiji, and several Australian nurses were appointed to fill the vacancies. Post-graduate School In March, 1948, the courses given at the school were enlarged to include a clinical course in obstetrics. Miss J. Alley is in charge of this course. She returned to New Zealand in January following a year's post-graduate study in Great Britain and Canada. The number of students has steadily increased, 67 being accepted for 1948.

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