THE 36 student nurses expected to have been expelled by the Ministry of Health in 1984 for failing to observe a Ministry deadline were back at their duties.
According to an article published by this newspaper on Thursday March 29, 1984, the students (part of about 150 student nurses in Suva and Lautoka) went on a seven-day strike in protest against the dismissal of three of their fellow students, were issued with an ultimatum to return to work.
The Ministry required each of the striking nurses to respond in writing to its ultimatum by 4pm on Tuesday (March 27). Failure to do was to result in their nursing careers being terminated.
Thirty-six nurses who failed to meet the deadline faced expulsion, a Ministry statement on Tuesday said.
But by late yesterday (March 28, 1977) none of them had received notices of expulsion, the Fiji Nursing Association (FNA) said.
Instead, they were issued with forms to fill confirming that they were back at their duties.
The FNA executive director at the time, Vincent Lobendahn showed The Fiji Times the contents of the form.
It noted students failed to respond to the Ministry’s deadline and went on to say:
“However, I am pleased to note that you have returned to duty. Please fill in attached form to confirm that you have returned to duty.”
Further down on the form were the words: “This is confirmed that I have returned to duty to continue nursing training….”
Mr Lobendahn said the students concerned had not deliberately overlooked the Ministry deadline.
He said when the Ministry ultimatum was issued, he had asked the students to await further instructions from the FNA. He then sought legal advice from the FNA lawyer, Hasmukh Patel.
He said it was not until 1pm on Tuesday that he was able to report back to nurses on what to do.
By that time several nurses who had started shifts at 8am that continued until 4pm, could not be contacted and returned to FSN at 5pm after the deadline had passed.
But in view of the fact that no expulsion letters had been issued, the FNA did not see the need to comment on the Ministry’s statement that the 36 students would be expelled.
The Minister for Health then, Dr Apenisa Kurisaqila issued a press statement thanking the 116 students for deciding to get back to training duties.
