Just glance at the advertisements that have appeared in the papers for trained nurses? "Matron required for a country hospital, salary £100 per ann., with £25 a year extra" for taking the worry and responsibility of the Maternity Ward. 'Head Nurse required, at a salary of £70 per annum; must be member of the Australasian Trained Nurses' Association although the A.T.N.A, council passed a resolution that the minimum salary for a matron should be £156 per annum, and a head nurse £120 per annum; and this decision was sent to all country hospitals. What is the life of a country matron? She is on duty practically day and night, taking the place of a resident medical officer in all emergencies. She also does the housekeeping for patients, nursing, and domestic staff, lectures to and trains nurses, attends medica] officers on their rounds, and helps at all operations, She collects and issues receipts, and keeps a record of all patients' fees; she keeps the big register of all admissions, discharges, and deaths, also the daily record of numbers and details of the nursing and domestic staff. She inspects wards, etc., daily, and at times even relieves the head nurse or sister when off duty. She is responsible for the general comfort and for everything pertaining to patients and staff, and may also be asked to do the dispensing! This is all for less remuneration than by law must be given to the wardsman.
At the present time it is a question of demand and supply, and owing to the end of the war and the influx of army sisters the supply has been at its greatest. This
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.