Jeanette Breayley

Recorded: 10 August 2016 Interviewer: Janice Templeton

Abstracter: Courtney Ellison

TRACK 1

Introduction by interviewer (background to Riverton Hospital)

TRACK 2

00:00 Introduction

01:40 Born at Otautau Bush, educated Riverton and Invercargill, nurses training at Kew Hospital, then married. Two years later nursed at Gore. Nanny lived with them to look after two kids. Night duty at Riverton Hospital. Then worked shifts during school hours.

04:03 Became principal nurse in 1977, support of the staff.

05:10 Patients were in pyjamas all day, changed this so people got dressed for the day. Hospital was for long term care, emergency operations only. First response for people in Riverton before going to Invercargill. Ambulance service, had to have registered nurse on board.

07:20 1966 Maternity home closed, then several years later opened as ‘annex’ for old people. Men’s home changed to ‘villa’ to include women too. Men changed their behaviour and dress with women around.

09:18 Occupational therapists, and other staff encouraged patients to get dressed for the day. Washing done in Riverton, was done at Invercargill for a period.

10:45 Curtains around beds in main ward and men’s ward. Men’s ward renovations, more homely.

12:12 Developed staff development plan for staff education. Lots of girls came straight from school to work. Desperate for registered nurses. Was allowed to live off site but registered nurse had to always be on site.

TRACK 3

00:00 Opening up for different ways of doing things

00:25 Story of women who had passed away, family asked for hair to be as it always was.

01:18 When people passed away, whisked away to morgue. Eventually allowed other patients to say goodbye to people who had passed.

02:22 Worked out the busy times, and when the most staff were there. Made changes to shifts to make better use of staff resources, introducing 4 hour shifts.

05:15 Bathing, no ensuites. Large wards, nothing personal around people. Helped with design of new part of hospital

06:30 Opening of annex, Dr Goldson was geriatrician who worked with district nurses. Annex for more independent people who needed some assistance. Meals came from main hospital to dining room in Annex. All of the wards had dining rooms introduced.

08:44 Gradual change with families seeing others dressed so would bring in clothes for their family member.

09:25 Children coming in to hospital to visit, playcentre would visit. Had a cat and a dog that would come in for short term.

10:45 Wanted to know what people were like in their business lives, before in hospital. But challenging when worked long enough to see people from community she knew ending up in hospital.

12:58 Balancing career and home life. Highlights were seeing results of what they have done, how they had cared for peoples loved ones. Hospital was threatened to close several times. Noel Andrews was Mayor at the time. Dr Goldson.

TRACK 4

00:00 Fronting up to the Board, getting them involved, closing was put off several times.

00:30 Mr Alastair Wright and wife offered to buy hospital. Villa had to come down to build new hospital.

01:55 Worked at Riverton Hospital 1977-97, 39 years nursing experience

02:15 Annex opened due to shortage of beds. 17 beds. Changed nurses accommodation into rooms. Physio staff employed there.

04:10 Aged care throughout NZ, private sector eventually took over.

04:35 Dr Harris, Dr Short. Dr Goldson (geriatrician) had nurses trained to do certain procedures and keep records, so more able to answer his questions over phone. He looked over several hospitals. Visited twice a week.

06:35 Dr Tairei (sp??) geriatrician after Dr Goldson, fax machines started to be used, more paper trail for instructions from doctors.

08:05 Patients with dementia, just knew when they weren’t feeling well. Each patient had chart to be completed, and reporting at 2pm on patients.

END