'Wastage'

Not all who entered nursing training completed the course, and in various archived reports this is generally referred to as 'wastage'.

Details of the reasons why students left training before completion were not always recorded. In the early 1900s, the reasons for early resignation included students being ‘unsuitable’, ‘not strong enough’, ‘didn’t like the work’. A number of resignations were recorded as due to ‘ill-health’, ‘needed at home to look after family members’, and ‘inability to pass examinations’. A few students were dismissed for a variety of misdemeanors. Finally a relatively common reason was ‘getting married’.

The numbers of students who didn’t finish their training is also incompletely recorded though accurate data exists for most of the years 1902 – 1954 and can be seen in the accompanying graph.

Note:  Information for the year 1920 is inadequate and for 1936 absent.

In a report on the School by the Nurses and Midwives Board in 1969, a section headed ‘Wastage’ appears:

The rather high percentage of resignations must have been an ongoing disappointment and concern to the School of Nursing administrators.