The Labour Party and the Nursing Profession
1927 1927 1920s 40 pages 13 In considering the hours of day duty in fever hospitals, it must be remembered that the work is largely conditioned by the nature of epidemics, there being sometimes a great rush, and sometimes many empty beds. Also, in a cottage hospital, the unsystematised nature of the...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Institution: | MCR - The Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick |
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
London : The Labour Party (London : Co-operative Print. Society Ltd.)
[1927]
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10796/3772654B-1681-44EB-8184-D891A6CDEF02 http://hdl.handle.net/10796/7322AF85-3E16-49DF-8B71-6166D9654386 |
| Summary: | 1927
1927
1920s
40 pages
13 In considering the hours of day duty in fever hospitals, it must be remembered that the work is largely conditioned by the nature of epidemics, there being sometimes a great rush, and sometimes many empty beds. Also, in a cottage hospital, the unsystematised nature of the organisation may mean less continued work. As one matron expressed it. her staff is "like a family, and, unless the exigencies of the moment require it, have ample leisure, although you may say they are on duty for a considerable period." The hours of night duty are shown below :— HOSPITAL. SHORTEST. AVERAGE. LONGEST. General Hospitals— London 60 65 77 Scotland and Provinces 48 66 84 Poor Law Infirmaries— London 48 60 70 Scotland and Provinces 56 60 72 Special Hospitals 57 66 73½ Fever Hospitals 54 66 84 Cottage Hospitals — 72 — Three of the cottage hospitals stated that they had no fully trained woman on night duty. This is a great strain on the probationer, as sometimes very serious cases are sent to cottage hospitals. The twelve-hour night duty is still an all too frequent occurrence, although usually limited to a period of three months out of twelve. Some hospitals make a point of giving the nurse or probationer on night duty one or two nights a week away from hospital. One hospital in London gives three nights off duty at the end of six weeks' night duty. OFF DUTY. The nurses are always free to leave hospital during their time off. The arrangements made show great variation. The usual practice in the London general hospitals is to give two or three hours off duty on alternate days, and either one full day or two half days off per week. There seems to be every effort made to give a reasonable stretch of time off away from hospital. As the importance of this cannot be overestimated in a type of work that is cut off from the ordinary interests and amusements of everyday life, examples showing the details are set forth below: — HOSPITAL 1.— Probationers have a day off once a fortnight with a sleeping-out pass from 7-30 p.m. the night before. Nurses have a week-end once a month. Sisters have a week-end once a fortnight from 1-30 p.m. Saturday to 11 p.m. Sunday. HOSPITAL 2.— Nurses and probationers are off duty twice a month from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. the following day. Sisters have alternate week-ends. HOSPITAL 3.— Nurses and probationers have two nights away from hospital fortnightly. Sisters have a week-end once a month from 4 p.m. Saturday to 12 mid-day Monday. HOSPITAL 4.— Nurses and probationers have a week-end every month from Saturday at 4-30 p.m. to Monday at 11 a.m. Sisters have a weekend every month including the whole of Saturday until 2 p.m. Monday. In the general hospitals reporting from Scotland and the provinces, the usual custom is to give three hours off duty per day and one-half day per week. The long week-end occurs more rarely, one hospital reporting
126/TG/RES/X/1036A/14 |
|---|---|
| Physical Description: | TEXT |