5 SEPTEMBER 1931, Page 16

SHORTAGE OF NURSES [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sin,—Much

has been written lately regarding the shortage of nurses in hospitals. It is pleaded that the hours are too long, which undoubtedly is a fact ; but until there are more nurses how can this be remedied ?

May I put forward the suggestion that this profession or (better still) vocation should be open to suitable men as well as suitable women ? There is no reason why men should not nurse their own sex and serve in the hospitals. In this way those who are at present nursing men would be available for women and children ; also there should be no difficulty as regards training if worked on the same principle as other training colleges. At the present time when employ- ment is so hard to find the opening of this profession to men