Bl17hbc2 Add Mss 47722-28, HBC Correspondence Part 2 1889-1902, 720 Pages
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Add Mss 47724 Bl17HBC2 Add Mss 47722-28, HBC correspondence Part 2 1889-1902, 720 pages Add Mss 47722, microfilm, HBC correspondence 1889-90, 243 folios, 80 pages, Adam Matthew reel 61 draft, ff1-6v, pencil {text vert. on page} [don’t use this first part, rewritten below] f1 Private {up diag} [1] Registration Scheme British Nurses' Association It is understood that this is to be a simple Register merely giving name of Nurse address certificate from her Training School including date of Certificate & name of School nothing more - no General Examination whatever by the any body/of persons, instituted by the B.N.A. [F.N. all the harm taken off - but where's the good?] Register to be renewed & published every year- say in a 1/form x f2 Look at 2 & 3 in the Memorial -- would not this now be a protest hardly applicable [12:527-28] to the Registration Scheme in this its limited character? They the B.N.A. would say what the Memorial says is all we intend to do - x In that case might not the Memorial be rather a representation made as to the danger the Registration & R. Charter scheme might lead to rather than a protest against it as it is now? in its limited character? They will say (to the Memorial) that x they/we do only take the Training School Certificate see 2,3 f2v Name to be taken off the Register or suspended say for 6 months for any gross or criminal delinquency such as drunkenness, theft, gross inefficiency - [F.N. But how impossible to lay hold of facts showing even gross inefficiency - or that Matrons would give confidential information to a General Register Office Add Mss 47724 2 f3 Private [2] & Confidential {both lines up diag} -- Could the Register even be made up to date? If not, in what respect will the Register increase the security of the public against incompetent Nurses? or the security of the competent Nurses against the incompetent? Can you defend the public against itself? If it will not take the trouble now, it can get much better security that a public Register can offer which public Register f4 will rather confirm any erroneous ideas of the public who do not know the little value of a certificate - or the still less of a testimonial? All is to be cured up by this panacea of a General Register- But why? how? 'It is to make Matrons & Doctors more 'careful in granting certificates'- It is 'to raise the 'Training Schools' But how? We repeat It will be difficult, if not impossible to get the Nurses off the Register, unless for crime. In many Hospitals, a Matron now can hardly get rid of an inefficient Nurse, unless she, the Matron, is so fortunate as to have glaring facts against her, if she the Matron has to state to the other Hospital authorities a case in order to get rid of any Nurse. f5 Private [3] & Confidential {both up diag.} II. R. Charter It is understood that the R. Charter is to be applied for as soon as the Draft can be made- It does not appear that the p now proposed R. Charter will be so dangerous as was feared at one time Add Mss 47724 3 f6 III. According to the B.N.A., all Nurses are now calling out for Registration - to “protect them from false Nurses” - If they do not register with the B.N.A., they will register, it is said, with Mr. Burdett’s National Pension Association - a semi- commercial body which has taken full powers of Registration Nurses will register, it is said, under the one Association or the other - the B.N.A. or the Natl= Pension Socy. And this is the reason why the B.N.A. is said to apply for a R. Charter. Mr. Burdett has enrolled under a ? Friendly Societies Act. The R. Charter constitutes Nurses a legal professional body f6v who should be God’s Nurses. Could not this be met or guided, instead of encouraged, consciously or unconsciously? The ‘Queen’s daughter little knows the harm she is doing - Is not Sir H. Acland the man to ‘meet’ & ‘guide’ it? [end] Add Mss 47724 4 draft, ff7-11, pencil f7 Private [1] July 3/89 [12:529-30] & Confidential {both up diag.} Registration Scheme (British Nurses Association) It is understood that this is now to be a simple Register merely giving name of Nurse address certificate from Training School (including date of Certificate & name of School) nothing more: no General Examination whatever by any body of persons, instituted by the B.N.A. [Register to be renewed & published every year - say in a l/form] f8 Does this alter materially the case opposed in the “Memorial”? [see 2 & 3 of “Memorial”.] - would not the “Memorial” now be a protest hardly applicable to the Registration scheme in this its limited character? Would not the B.N.A. say: “What the Memorial says is all we intend to do - we do only take the Training School certificate? (See 2 & 3) In that case, might should not the Memorial be rather rather a representation made as to the danger the Registration & R. Charter scheme might lead to rather than a protest against that scheme as it is now? f8v 2. It is understood that the B.N.A. Registration scheme is further, for any Nurse’s Name to be taken off the Register (or suspended say for 6 months) for any gross or criminal delinquency such as drunkenness, theft, gross inefficiency - Will it be possible to lay hold of facts showing even gross inefficiency– – would Matrons give “confidential” information to a General Register Office? Add Mss 47724 5 f9 [2] All the stock stories about inefficient drunken Nurses- but no showing how the Register us to work the miracle of preventing the mischief Can the Register be up to date? Or receive Confidential information from Matrons? If not In what respect will the Register increase our security against incompetent Nurses? You cannot defend the public against itself If they will not take the trouble to see whether the Certificate is up to date, or: to write direct to the woman’s employers, how will the Register f10 do it for them? how will the Register protect them against incompetent Nurses? or protect competent Nurses against incompetent? It will rather confirm the erroneous ideas of the public: who do not know the little value of a certificate_ or the less of a testimonial? {up diag:} Still the present Scheme of the B.N.A. appears materially to alter the necessity of some part of the Memorial All is to be cured by this new panacea of a General Register. But why? how It is to make the Matrons & Doctors more careful in granting Certificates- It is to raise the Training Schools. But how, why? Then how difficult, if not impossible to get the Nurses off X the Register, unless for crime! In many Hospitals X A Matron can now can hardly get rid of an inefficient Nurse, unless she is so fortunate as to have glaring facts against her, to state to the Hospital authorities Add Mss 47724 6 f10v II It is understood that the R. Charter is to be applied for as soon as the Draft can be made - It appears according to the B.N.A. that all the Nurses are calling our for "Registration - to protect them from false (untrained) Nurses. They will register it is said, if they do not register with the B.N.A. with Mr. Burdett's - a semi-commercial body which has taken full powers of Registration f11 [3] And that is the reason why the B.N.A. applies for a R. Charter- Mr. Burdett has enrolled under a Friendly Socies- Act R. Charter constitutes Nurses a legal professional body Nurses will register under the one Socy= or the other - the B.N.A. or the Natl= Pension Socy- draft, ff12-15, pencil f12 Strictly Private July 8/89 [12:530-31] You know they the B.N.A. are proposing to - register “trained Midwives”- an entirely different case from that of “trained Nurses”- as you/is justly said felt A week/few days ago only, it appeared a perfectly new idea to them that any knowledge was necessary for them of the present state of “education” & training, or no- training given in the London & Edinburgh Lying-in Hospitals to women desiring to be Midwives or Midwifery Nurses - {up diag:} still less of “character” or of the practical results of the Obstetrical Society”s Add Mss 47724 7 f12v Examination & Certificate in London or & of the or of the any similar process in Edinburgh - They, had, a week/few days ago, only, no idea/intention of making any kinds of any enquiry into these things/essentials before registering - but appeared to seize the idea that there was something desirable in knowing what present Midwifery education for Midw {overflows into f13} training for “trained”?” “Midwives” is I mention this to show how that they rather trust to words & not look into things- You have looked into these things. You know on what a dangerous ground/quick sand they are treading. [end] f13 Are they going to “register” ignorance or inefficiency? knowledge non-training or training? incompetency or competency? Or it they are going to draw a line between those to be registered & those who are not, to be registered how can they do so without knowing anything, of the kinds of training? {line seen here in f12v} What the present Midwifery training for women is? Are they going to s You say so truly in your letter to me “they propose to register x x x x “on adequate education “& character”- Do they consider Add Mss 47724 8 f13v tho Have they even considered/enquired whether the present (Midwifery) “education” for women is “adequate”? And do they propose without consideration to stereotype it as it is? f14 Strictly Private [2] But, tho’ they have much modified their Registration scheme, how can we forsake the principle of not only of ourselves but of the best Training Schools & Hospitals & of many of those men you would call the best of the Hospital Medical profession - which is: that the Registration scheme should be put off in ANY shape for some (considerable) time? Add Mss 47724 9 f15 B.N.A.