EDITORIAL COMMENT

It is proposed to mark the occasion of the 52nd edition of The Standard.

Suggestions to date concern the replacement of the rather drab present cover, and wider involvement in Hospital interests.

There are many more. We hope some of them will be yours.

Social Therapy Review

This week has seen four coach trips from the department. The first, on Tuesday, was to Whittingham to fulfill a cricket fixture. Though a rainy afternoon the match continued and resulted in a win for Winwick by 4l runs to 33. The second was by accident. Actually, the rounders match arranged for us against Mary Dendy was cancelled and having already booked a coach we decided to use it. We went out to Southport for the afternoon and were back for tea-time. All the ladies who went said that it had been a pleasant afternoon and the nurses who accompanied us expressed their wishes for more of these trips to be arranged for our patients.

On Thursday evening and Saturday afternoon, three coach-loads of patients and staff went to the circus. We met unexpected difficulties in seating, toilet facilities, and the situation of the tents but taking everything into account they were very successful. The circus people were very helpful indeed. They were very attentive to us and made us aware of all the facilities meagre though they were.

On Tuesday afternoon it was the turn of one of our male P.T.I.'s to go to Bewsey school to give a talk and show films. These are proving very valuable as a means of recruiting volunteers (and educating young people to the workings of a psychiatric hospital.).

A correction to last week's review. It was stated that the coach fare to the Variety Show was 15p when it was 20p.

K. Appleton.

PROGRESS REPORT 0N NURSES IN TRAINING

The King Edward's Hospital Fund for London recently published a booklet giving guidance on the completion of progress reports on nurses in training. The guide represents several years study, which convened in 1965, when the King Edward's Hospital Centre undertook a survey of ward progress reports for student nurses. A final report was produced in l968, Then, at the request of the General Nursing Council for England and Wales. a joint King's Fund/G.N.C. working party was set up to study the results of the survey and to explore the possibilities of designing a standard report form for student assessment.

The working party concluded that there could be no quick and easy solution to the problem, and that the first essential was the development of greater understanding of the whole subject of assessment of all nurses in training.

Contact with many schools of nursing throughout the country revealed a need for clearer guidance on recording the progress of nurses in training, and a trial guidance document produced in November 1969 was widely circulated.

Following recommendations made by the schools of nursing in which it was used, the document was redesigned, and published as this guide, which is in nine sections.

Part 1 Defines the booklet as providing guidelines for those responsible for assessing nurses in training; not only staff in the clinical area, but also tutors and nurse administrators. Above all it seeks to provide guidance for the trainee.

Part 2 Views assessment as a continuous process of learning; in which the trainee is equally involved with her assessors: both require to know:-

a)	What progress is being made throughout training.
b)	What progress has been made in each individual area of experience through which the learner passes.

Part 3 Sees assessment throughout training as a team activity, but the nurse in charge of the current area of experience is finally responsible for writing up the assessment of work in that area. Help can be obtained from:-

a)	the trainee
b)	other trained nurses working with the trainee
c)	tutors and clinical teachers concerned
d)	the nurse administration to whom the assessor is responsible. The administration is also in a position to help the trainee in understanding the results of the assessment.

Part 4 Gives the principles of the assessment as these:-

a)	The criteria on which the judgements are to be made should be agreed in the individual training school and reviewed periodically,
b)	Judgements should be based on the observed behaviour of trainees.
c)	Learners must be aware of the criteria on which they are assessed. In the absence of such information they cannot participate in the direction of their own progress.
d)	In the final analysis of assessment throughout training, that a single period should be made to make or mar a learner's reputation.

Publications Committee

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Thought for Week

Most people make the same mistake with God that they do with their friends and colleagues. They do all the talking.

J.E. Wright.

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Sports Items

Liverpoool Regional Sporting Activities

A course of Archery instruction will be held this year at Woolton Manor, Woolton, nr. Liverpool, commencing at 7.00 p.m. Tuesday 6th June, 1972 for six weeks. The fee will be £l per person and membership of the Merseyside Hospitals Archery Club will be available.

Judo Group

The first meeting will be held at the Everton Red Triangle Club, 126 Everton Road, Liverpool 6, on Tuesday 16th May at 7.00 p.m.

Subscription 15p per session.

All Regional Board and Hospital Staff welcome.

J.A. Jolley.

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CHESS CLUB NEWS

The A.G.M. of the Winwick Hospital Chess Club was held in the Library on 2.4.72. In the enforced absence of Dr. Ward, our President, Mr. Fox, The Group Secretary, kindly presented Mr. Jolley, as Club Captain, with the L.R.H.B. League Trophy in token of the several honours the Club has gained this season.

In his remarks Mr. Fox underlined the camaraderie which has enabled the Club to do so well so consistently. A special grant has been made available by the H.M.C, to 'upgrade' the basic equipment in keeping with our new Div. 1 status; though, as the Secretary pointed out, members will have to play well next season to maintain it.

A special presentation was made by Mr. Jolley, on behalf of the Club, to Ernie Aston on his recent well-deserve appointment; and thanks went to John Bainbridge for the splendid refreshments his Department provided, helping to make the whole evening's proceedings most enjoyable.

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On entering Hollins House gate the other morning, I alighted from my bike to inform Mr. Zmanay why I was talking to myself; he hadn't enquired but it gave me an excuse to look into his velvety eyes. Leaving Mr. Zmanay I was saluted by Mr. Potts -- "You look very natty. I'm surprised you ride a bike. I always thought of you as arriving to work in a big limousine", which joyful thought caused us both to loudly laugh. These pleasantries caused me to remember...

I was never allowed to have a bike and, actually, there were so many other pleasures where I lived I didn't mind, and as I grew to teenage there was always the back step of the boys' bikes .... very Boadicean ...left foot on back step, right knee on mudguard, hands upon strong young shoulders, commanding the journey!

Full thirty two summers had I seen ere I had a bicycle of my own own and I have never ceased to glory in the fact that I can actually RIDE A BIKE. So, excepting very high wind (I have not much ballast) whatever the weather I cycle everywhere. Nay, I lie, when I attend long dress dances I don't. because I have not yet found a satisfactory way of tucking up a long dress to both ride and be uncrumpled for the dance.

My niece of fourteen taught me to ride .. ah happy days! What fun and laughs, and punches fun and laughs for her to begin with because she thought I was amusing, then punches for me when she realised I was stupid - anybody should be able to balance on a bike. She took me around the estate where we lived, always with a spare pair or two of pants as, cross my throat, she laughed so much at what she regarded as "my antics" that she had to change 'em from time to time. On one occasion we were being watched by a neighbour from a bedroom wherein she was tending a quite sick sister and she laughed so much that the invalid crawled from bed to see what was the matter.

I finally mastered the art of balance but not that of starting off alone - not until I sullied the family's "toujour la politesse". Jean and I were cycling single file along Lambs Lane one sunny summer afternoon, when walking towards us came a handsome old gentleman and I panicked. I jammed the poor old darling in the hedge and threw my arms about him, apologising and being sorry like mad. He meanwhile with his one free arm kept lifting his bowler and saying it didn't matter. It lasted perhaps a couple of minutes, despite what Jean said afterwards, but what really got her goat was when I at last set him free I asked him to please give a "push off" to set me on my way again.

After that my only trouble was obsession with the height of the seat - now too high - now too low, pointing east, pointing west. As Jean's patience was now exhausted I had to stop the first likely looking male to either squiggle it up or joggle it down. Looking back I reckon I was never rebuffed because I was in such deadly earnest.

Alas, there is still one thing I cannot do .. cock off and on. I still have to kick the right pedal round to meet my right foot to push myself off and as for alighting I just put down my left foot and wobble off in a most ungraceful manner. I do wish I could be all nonchalant and do the "cocking" bit. Nevertheless it doesn't detract from the pleasure my bike affords me - especially in the summer when I'm not parcelled around in layers of clothes for I'm middle aged and unladylike enough to enjoy the wolf whistles from passing lorry drivers, the distance between us lending enchantment, of course.

Recently I have been accompanied home by Bernard who has started to work for Mr. Bettley in the village. He tells me about the horses and the dogs and the scrumptious meals Mrs. Bettley gives him, I feel that I am not just cycling home down Winwick Road but off on a jolly adventure or a picnic.

Perhaps there is some sort of moral somewhere in this .... could it be that I saved at least one experience for later on?

C. Naisby.

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Medicine Transport Boxes

On many occasions recently, delay in the receipt by wards of newly prescribed medicines has occurred due to the non-availability of the medicine transport box.

As nurses know, the Pharmacy holds four of these small boxes, intended specially for the carrying of medicines to and from the wards. It may not be generally appreciated by the borrowers that the boxes may also be required and perhaps most urgently - by other wards.

It is therefore imperative that these boxes be returned to the Pharmacy without delay.

H. Taberner.

Welcome to:

Mr. J.B. Thompson Nursing Assistant.

Visits

Wednesday 24th May, 20 Pre Nursing Students from Newton Technical College.

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