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We are exceedingly grateful to all our colleagues in the Borough and particularly in
the Department of Health and Welfare for the help they have given us in these studies and we
hope that continued co-operation will prove as fruitful in the future as it has been already.
* Proceed ings of the Royal Society of Medicine, December 1968, Vol.61, No. 12,
Pages 1319-1322, (Section of Psychiatry, Pages 49-52).
J.W.B.Douglas, J.E.Cooper et al.
20 YEARS IN DAY NURSERIES
Contributed by Mrs.G.Moore, S.R.N., Matron, Higham Hill Day Nursery - 1948/68
On entering Day Nursery Service as a trained nurse, I soon realised that it was a
completely new life; that although observing children was important, one should not lose sight
of the fact that we were dealing with healthy children who were there to play and be happy,
but through play to learn to live in a community.
As the years went by, it became obvious that a trained nurse had a big role to play, to
cope with emergencies, to maintain the balance between the young student and their older
contemporaries. One was able to appreciate what the Nursery Nurses Certificate meant to the
students at the end of their two years training, realising also that this period was valuable in
bridging the gap between leaving school and entry into training as hospital nurses.
In the early days a large proportion of the staff were Nursery Assistants, with valuable
help from voluntary workers.
Students were enrolled at 16 years of age, but not in sufficient numbers. When a good
15 year old was engaged, working 4 days at the Nursery, she spent one day per week at a
local Secondary Modern School for further education. 16 year old students spent one day at
the Technical College, and lectures were given by a Course Tutor and a Nursery Matron. The
students were required to work at the Nursery before going to College in the morning and
returning after the College day ended.
However, as the Certificate obtained at the end of the 2 years training became fully
recognised, and became known as the Diploma of Nursery Nursing, Day Nurseries were
established as a worthwhile career. 16 year olds only were admitted to the Course, with two
days being spent at College and the syllabus expanded to cover a wide range. Entry to
College was at the beginning of the College year, and not each term, with consequent overlapping
of training. Gradually sufficient students were enrolled and soon there was a waiting
list for appointments as Staff Nursery Nurses. They gradually replaced the untrained helpers
and assistant nurses, and other trained N.N.E.E.B. nurses went on to Teacher Training
Colleges or into hospital for further training.
In recent years, however, the trend has been at the end of training to try other jobs
with more attractive hours of work - namely the Nursery Schools and Save the Children Fund.
Nursery Nurses want more experience with older children and talk about employment in nurseries
on board Ocean Liners, Air Hostess work and the Women's Police Force.
It seems that recruitment to Day Nursery Service has reached a full cycle, losing the
young nurse and being replaced by young married women with families. This maturity is
valuable, and they are without doubt the nucleus of a good Nursery staff. The Nursery nurse
marries at an earlier age and then uses her Certificate when her family has reached school age.
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