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DISTRICT NURSING
Valerie J. Buckingham, S.R.N., S.C.M., M.T.D.
(Midwifery and District Nursing)
The demand for the services of the district nurses continued during the year with
referral from hospitals, family doctors and the general public, which resulted in an
increase of 660 patients and 11,013 visits.

The number of children under 5 years of age, treated by the district nurses rose from
143 in 1967 to 363 in 1968. The number of visits to this group amounted to 1,052
making an average of three visits to each child. This is significant as the number of
very sick children nursed at home is small, while the majority of children are referred
from the hospitals' casualty departments for the removal of sutures. This is a service
very much appreciated by the mothers who are saved a journey to the hospital and
the possibility of a long wait as well as caring for a small frightened child. In the security
of the home the children co-operate very well.
The patients in the age group 65 years and over declined by 678 to 2,108 (2,786 in
1967); however an increased number of visits were made: 137,273 (125,590 in 1967).
Very often more than a single daily visit is required for many of these patients and for
the gravely ill two or three visits are made daily.

Eight members of the staff left during the year but there was no difficulty in filling the
vacancies.
Liaison Schemes with General Practitioners
At the beginning of the year five district nursing sisters and one male charge nurse
worked for two afternoons each week in doctors' surgeries. The advantages of these
liaison schemes to the doctors and the sisters encouraged an expansion of the
service and now 12 nursing sisters and one male charge nurse are involved serving
30 doctors.
Bathing of Elderly People
Many elderly people who are not sick but are incapacitated due to age are bathed
weekly by bathing attendants. During the year 8,568 baths were carried out (2,268
in 1967) by one male and five attendants. District nursing sisters supervised this
work so that immediate assistance may be given should any patient require nursing
care.
Staff Training
It is the aim that each member of the staff holds a District Nursing Certificate.
During the year 10 state registered nurses were successful in obtaining the National
Certificate of District Nursing.
State enrolled nurses take the District Nursing assessment of the Queen's Institute
of District Nursing. Six members of the staff prepared for this assessment and were
subsequently successful.
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