asked the Minister for Health if he will increase the number of places in Irish hospitals for training student nurses in view of the fact that many girls have to go to England each year to be trained.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Student Nurses.
3.
This is a matter primarily for An Bord Altranais who have certain statutory duties under the Nurses Act, 1950, relating to the approval of hospitals for training student nurses. I am informed, however, that the number of nurse training hospitals, and the total number of places in them, have increased in recent years and that a further two hospitals have been approved in principle by the board as nurse training schools.
I should make it clear, however, that the number of nurses being trained in Irish hospitals is more than adequate for our needs and there must be a reasonable upper limit on the total number of places available for training. Nursing is very popular as a career among Irish girls but it is not a practical proposition to provide training for all girls who wish to become nurses.
How does the Parliamentary Secretary reconcile this with the fact that there appears to be a shortage of nurses inasmuch as a great number of married women are now employed part-time as nurses while a large number of girls have to go to England each year to train, as I stated in the question?
We have all had questions about Irish girls who would like to become nurses. My personal view is that most of them would make excellent nurses but there is a limit to the number we can have. My information from the officials of the Department is that the training schools now available are adequate to provide for our Irish needs.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary facilitate so far as possible nurses who have done a psychiatric course and who would be prepared to take a general course if places were available, but find that it is impossible to get a place in a general hospital, despite the fact that they have psychiatric training?
That is a separate question.
4.
asked the Minister for Health the percentage of a student nurse's time spent in receiving actual tuition.
I understand that one-third of a student nurse's time is spent on education and instruction in classrooms. The remainder of the student nurse's time is devoted to practical procedures and instruction in the hospital wards.