Evidence submitted by the Women's Employment Federation to the Inter-Departmental Committee on Nursing Services is to the effect that among girls of secondary education and among their parents nursing is a definitely unpopular career.
The Federation is an association of 282 separate organizations, including universities, colleges, schools, training centres, professional societies, and societies and firms concerned in the employment of women. Its practical work includes the collecting of detailed information on careers and the training for them, and the redistribution of this information to girls at school and college and to other women in need of advice. In a very great majority of the instances in which nursing had been discussed with individuals, the Federation stated to the committee, the advisory department had found a strong prejudice against this occupation. Girls who at first sight appeared suitable for the career refused to consider it, and where a secondary schoolgirl did not feel this objection herself, her parents often disapproved of her choosing it.
"The causes of this unpopularity," the statement of evidence continued, "are of fundamental importance, for until they are removed no satisfactory flow of recruits from the secondary schools will be possible." To ascertain exactly what are the objections now operating to prevent recruitment, circular-letters were sent to the secondary schools which are members of the federation asking the head mistresses to procure the opinions of the senior girls on the advantages and disadvantages of the career of nursing. Sixty-six schools were able to adopt this procedure, and from the replies received the following three main conclusions emerged. The life of a probationer in hospital appears definitely unattractive to the type of girl who has reached the sixth form of a modern secondary school. The parents, and to some extent the teachers, fear the overwork and consequent breakdown of the girls during the training period. Girls, parents, and teachers consider that the pay of nurses is unattractive.
The federation expressed a belief that it would be a stimulus to recruiting if a minimum standard of desirable conditions as to hours, accommodation, food, discipline, and other matters could be laid down by the Ministry of Health or by the General Nursing Council, and if a list of the training hospitals conforming to, or surpassing, that standard could be made available to the public.
