Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/516

 WOMAN'S WORK 492 How to Join — Advantages and Disadvantages o£ the Life — Pay, Prospects, and Holidays It was in 1898 or 1899 that the Colonial Nursing Association became the recognised source from which the Colonial Office drew Colonial nurses in Zomba, Nyasaland its principal supply of nurses for Govern- ment work in the Crown Colonies. Prior to that time, however, a number of nurses had been sent to fill posts, at the request of the department. In 1902 a " sick-pay fund " committee was appointed. The question of how to help nurses in sickness was a difficult one corner in the world was too remote for nurses to volunteer, but insurance companies did not overwhelm the association with offers of assistance. Then a fund was formed and adminis- tered by a small committee to help those nurses whose health had suffered from climatic or other causes. Some Government hospitals have engaged special nurses to live in their hospitals and take private cases outside. This plan enables the nurses to live comfortably and in well-ordered fashion. Another rather unusual exten- sion has been in connection with the supply of nurses for work among the employees on the Cape to Cairo Railway, under the local management of the South African Church Railway Mission. Those already sent out have done well. COLONIAL NURSES Where to Apply Before a woman can become a colonial nurse she must have taken her full certificates for three years' training in a general hospital, and in the case of almost every colony she must have taken also her Central Midwives' Board Certificate. This qualification, how- ever, is unnecessary for nurses in West Africa and Western Australia. If a nurse desires work in one or other of the colonies, she should write, expressing this desire, to the Secretary, Colonial Nursing Associa- tion, Imperial Institute, London, S.W. In reply, she will receive the following letter : " Madam, — In reply to your letter I beg to enclose a form of applica- tion, on the front page of which you will find particulars. ' ' Special attention is called to paragraph 8, re midwifery training. Although for appointments in West Africa, and occasionally in a few other places, this qualification is not usually necessary, it has been found to be a great advantage to nurses wishing to take up colonial work to possess a midwifery certificate. Group of nurses of the Victoria Nursing Home, Shanghai