Aunt Daisy Sponsors An Urgent Appeal For Nurses

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 37, 24 February 1939, Page 5

Aunt Daisy Sponsors An Urgent Appeal For Nurses

BE urgent need for more nurses for the mental hospitals of New Zealand has led Aunt Deisy to make inquiries into the conditions and prospects for girls undertaking such work. She has turned over to the ‘‘Record’’ the resulis ef her investigation, together with letters she has received on the subjeci. . "Yes, I know we instinctively shrink from this work, but that is because we don’t know anything at all about it,’’ comments Aunt Daisy.

Aunt Daisy writes as follows: "My dear Daisy Chain,-I want to bring before you a great opportunity for girls of 20 to 25 years of age to combine earning their living with giving a fine and unselfish service to their’ country. Many girls offer for the mission field, and go to far countries-a nobie work, indeed. But there is work to be done at home here-

yery necessary and just as noble ~---the caring for the "sick in mind" at our New Zealand mental hospitals, "These hospitals are not by any means full of ‘insane’ people, Buring ‘my twa visits lately to them, | saw little cifferernee hetween them and any other hospitals, except that very few patients were im bed, and most of them were either sitting in the large rooms scwing fancywork, or machining, or listening to the veireless; or else walking in the big gardens, or playing cricket, and so on. "Of course, there are difficult eases, naturally, but new young nurses are not put in charge of them."

Aunt Daisy then quotes a letter from "One of the Daisy Chain," in which the writer, herself a mental hospital attendant, describes what is done to interest the inmates in artistic and creative work and go help them to concentrate and forget the things that trouble their minds. "At Avondale they have 2 class for the girls specially in poker work. ... TI'wo teachers are there one day each week to give them skilled tuition, and the work is equal to that done outside. ... The articles made are sold, and any profit that is made is entirely the patient’s for her own private use. "It is wonderful to see them happily engaged in artistic work, and they are so much brighter and more chéerful when they know that they are going to get packet money of their own. Work and wages make a light heart, and to those who are cut off from the outside world, it is doubly precious; and those who recover find it a very useful and remunerative occupation when they return home. ... I have speut some very sad, heart-breaking days there, but there is a silver lining to every cloud, and I have e2lso spent. some very happy days there," Aunt Daisy goes on to say how anxious she is to dispel the very widespread feeling of nervousness among young women who might otherwise apply for a position in this quite well-paid and most useful service. "AS a matter of fact," she says, "I shared this feeling, and it was with a good deal of hesitancy that I aecepted an invitation to visit both Avondale and Kingseat Mental Hospitals during my recent visit to Auckland. "] can assure you that 1 came away with a totally different idea of the whole work, and filled with a keen desire to do anything | can to help toward making known the very good conditions that obtain there. "The nurses’ home is large, bright and sunny. Each nurse has her own little bedroom, and the sitting-room and the dinirg-room are both comfortable and attractive, with plenty of flowers and pot plants to brighten them. The food is very good-both Avondale and Kingseat have their own farm and vegetable garden, poultry and so onu-and there is no lack of anything. "The wages for nurses, too, are good-%130 for the first year, with £25 deducted for board, washing and uniform, leaving a clear £2 a week-very good, don’t you think? In many jobs girls get only £2 a week, and have to yprovide their own clothes and hoard. The nurses have one day long duty, the next day shorter duty, and the following day "off"; so that a girl could, if convenient, go home to dinner on the second evening, and stay

there until the following night. At the end of five months, she has a full month’s holiday. There is a rise of £10 each year; and it is hoped that soon a year’s training at the mental hospitals will count toward the necessary years of training at public hospitals. "Very often, two or even three friends from country towns, or from different parts of New Zealand, fike to come together into the Avondale nursing service. Thus they are company for each other on their free days, and in the evenings. "There are dancing Iessons in the big social rooms for the patients, and concert parties from town come out frequently." In conclusion, Aunt Daisy says: "Do write and ask me anything you would like to know about this really splendid work. The best age to join is from 20 to 25."