The Labour Party and the Nursing Profession
1927 1927 1920s 40 pages 9 admission. Eighteen is the usual age for special, cottage and fever hospitals. The following table summarises the information on this matter obtained by the Committee:- Table I Minimum Age of Admission HOSPITALS 17 18 19 20 21 General Hospitals— Londo...
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| Institution: | MCR - The Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick |
| Language: | English English |
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London : The Labour Party (London : Co-operative Print. Society Ltd.)
[1927]
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10796/C68572E7-AE60-44DD-BC6F-2E281EFC4BC9 http://hdl.handle.net/10796/C7A21302-08BA-45C8-88CB-73B1F95B9C56 |
| Summary: | 1927
1927
1920s
40 pages
9 admission. Eighteen is the usual age for special, cottage and fever hospitals. The following table summarises the information on this matter obtained by the Committee:- Table I Minimum Age of Admission HOSPITALS 17 18 19 20 21 General Hospitals— London........................ — — 1 1 6 Scotland and Provinces ... — 1 8 7 — "Cottage" .................. 2 20 — — 2 Poor Law Infirmaries— London........................ — — 9 1 2 Scotland and Provinces ... — 1 7 5 — Special Hospitals ............ 1 6 2 — — Fever Hospitals ............... — 29 3 — — TOTAL ................ 3 57 30 14 10 MEDICAL CERTIFICATE. All of the hospitals require a medical certificate showing that the candidate is in good health. Sometimes this is supplemented by a special dental certificate ; sometimes a medical examination is given at the hospital itself. SOCIAL QUALIFICATIONS. The great majority of the hospitals make no social distinction in the choice of candidates. Some specify that the girl must belong to the "middle-class." A children's hospital asks that the candidate be a "gentlewoman" and another that she be a "lady." The social groups from which the probationers in the "cottage hospitals" come may be guessed from a statement of one of the matrons who said her recruits were "chiefly children's nurses or superior maids." It is a practical impossibility for the hospitals to exact a formal requirement for "social position" because of the shortage of probationers. As one matron in a fever hospital expressed it: "We get nurses of the best social position we can, but we find a great difficulty in getting nurses at all." In all cases, candidates must submit references vouching for their "good moral character." EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS. None of the hospitals insist on any preliminary training in the principles of nursing. Educational requirements are very vague. In the vast majority of cases nothing more definite is specified than a "good" education. In some general hospitals, a secondary school education is necessary for admission ; in others, a secondary school education is "preferred," but not absolutely necessary. The vast majority of the Poor Law Infirmaries will accept a candidate who has had elementary school framing (VII Standard), if supplemented by evening classes. Some will accept a candidate who has only been to an elementary school, or whose education is vaguely characterised as "ordinary" or "fair." PROBATION. If the candidate is accepted she enters upon a period of probation, during which time she must satisfy the hospital authorities as to her fitness to become a nurse. In most cases, a three months' probation is required. Three hospitals required two months, two — four, and one — six. The smaller hospitals tend to shorten the period to two months, or sometimes even one. The large London hospitals specifically explain that the probationer is given a course of preliminary training before taking up ward duty.
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| Physical Description: | TEXT |