1 The College of Nursing, Limited. 95 Pall Mall, London, S.W. Dear Sir, I am glad to learn that the letter and documents I sent you
are receiving the consideration of the Royal Coleges and the Heads of
the Nursing Profession in Ireland, and I now reply to the points raised
in your communication of the 26th ultimo. You are right in supposing that there will be an English,
Scotch and Irish section of Nurses on the Register 'according to the
postal addresses of the Nurses, as they stand in the Register.' A Nurse
will presumably see that the address which stands against her name in
the Register — which address may, of course, be varied at her request
from time to time — corresponds to the place in which she is living and
working. For example, an d English—trained Nurse working in Dublin would
give Dublin as her address, just as an Irish—trained Nurse working in
England, and with interests in England, might give an English address.
The privilege of nominating candidates for the Irish representation on
the Council is reserved to Nurses with Irish addresses in the Register,
but every Nurse registered has as many votes as there are vacancies for
the Council, and may divide her votes amongst the English, Scotch and
Irish candidates, just as she chooses. She may give one vote to one or
any number of candidates, just as she chooses. She may give one vote to one or
any number of candidates as she will, but not more votes in all than there
are vacancies, and not more than one vote to any one candidate. As regards your second point, I should remind you that the
Memorandum of Association is drawn up so as to include every possible
alternative, and to allow the fullest liberty of notion. Hence it would
be possible to admit to the General Register persons qualified by an
examination test only, but I cannot say that so far as I know the opin—
ions of the Council, there is the least intention of relying on and exam—
ination test only, without training in a recognised School. Further the
government and policy of the College are commited to the Members of it;
Membership is confined to those on that Register, and a Nurse cannot get
a footing on the Register unless she has a certificate of general
training, or being a Nurse already in practice is admitted under
qualifications which have already been laid down by the Council.
Training in Special Branches does not in itself carry Membership, though
it may be allowed to count as some part of the recognised curriculum. I hope that this explanation clears up the points you raised,
but I repeat what I have said elsewhere, that the Memorandum and Articles
of Association have been drafted so as to leave the widest possible
discretion to the executive, which itself can act only when it has
sought advice from the local Boards and from the Consultative Board. At
present the registration of existing Nurses is making great demands upon
the time of Members of the Council and the Registration Bill is also
claiming great attention. The very important questions of uniformity in
curriculum, of the recognition of Training Schools, and of the type and
standard of the qualifying examination s have still to be considered. We look to the assistance of the Irish Board, as of the
Scotch Board, in the solution of these and other problems which lie
before the College. I am, Dear Sir, Yours faithfully, (signed) Arthur Stanley. T. Percy C. Kirkpatrick, Esq., M.D., F.R.C.P.I. December 5th, 1916.