Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand – Sharing your stories since 1908

‘Back where we want to be’

Economist Max Rashbrooke explains to nurses at the recent NZNO ...

‘Hear me roar’- NZNO conference wraps with a powerful call to speak up

NZNO's members respond to challenges across the health system with a ...

‘This is what democracy looks like!’

NZNO members end conference 2026 'Fighting on Ake Ake Ake!' with a call to action in Rotorua this week.

NZNO annual general meeting kicks off with global nursing conference announcement Thousands of nurses could be headed to Aotearoa for global conference.
Emptying beds ‘not a solution’ say striking Waitākere Hospital staff 'Basically the hospital needs every bed it can get and more. What we want is the extra staff to keep the beds open.'
HNZ backtracks on police handover time after admitting plans ‘not safe’ Backtrack on police mental health handover times to EDs as old target 'not safe'.
A 3.5 per cent offer on the table for primary health nurses — have your say "It's not just about nurses -- everyone in primary health does as much or more as those in hospitals."
Manapōti wāhine: ‘Still fighting’ for economic equality 133 years after suffrage 'You look beautiful! Powerful and strong!' Feminist crowd grooves into Parliament to 'girls just have funds'.
Another 2300 nurses in hospitals by Christmas? ‘They’d need a superhuman HR team’ The Government has been caught in a "BS" trap after Finance Minister Nicola Willis promised an apparently impossible number of new nurses by Christmas.
State of emergency: Tauranga ED staff send cry for help to management 'I cannot recall any recent day when the ED was not over 100 per cent capacity.'
‘It’s been a long time coming’: Four generations stand shoulder-to-shoulder on Gisborne ED nurses’ strike Four generations of health workers -- three nurses and a medical receptionist -- were among about 200 standing shoulder-to-shoulder on strike for safer staffing outside Gisborne Hospital today.
Anatomy of victory — how North Shore ED members got their huge staffing win
‘We are committed to cultural safety,’ promises new Nursing Council chair — but is it the Māori kind? Nursing Council chair Sharon Brownie says the regulator is committed to cultural safety -- but what kind remains unclear.

‘You’re joking’ — exhausted ED nurses respond to HNZ promise

Too little, too late and a political ploy. That was the reaction of emergency nurses to Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ's announcement it would be hiring another 380 frontline staff over the next nine months.

Just under my skin

At NZNO's conference recently, Waikato nurse Maria Tutahi shared a poem she wrote about unveiling her spiritual mask at a time when wearing physical masks was mandatory.

By Maria Tutahi

Members emerge from NZNO conference vowing to ‘fight, fight, fight’ for a safer health system

There was a vibe.

By Kaitiaki coeditors

News

‘You’re joking’ — exhausted ED nurses respond to HNZ promise

Too little, too late and a political ploy. That was the reaction of emergency nurses to Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ (HNZ)'s announcement it would hire another 380 frontline staff over the next nine months.

News

NZNO annual general meeting kicks off with global nursing conference announcement

The NZNO annual general meeting (AGM) has kicked off with the announcement that the organisation would host the the 2028 ICN nurse practitioners and advanced nurses conference in Aotearoa.

News

Emptying beds ‘not a solution’ say striking Waitākere Hospital staff

Waitākere Hospital's Muriwai ward staff walked off the job this week to strike for a second time -- despite an 11th hour decision by Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ (HNZ) to close off five beds.

News

HNZ backtracks on police handover time after admitting plans ‘not safe’

Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ (HNZ) has partially backed down on a controversial police policy for mental health handovers in emergency departments (EDs) -- admitting it's not safe.

News

A 3.5 per cent offer on the table for primary health nurses — have your say

An offer to primary health-care workers is a step towards pay parity with Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ "but certainly not the end point", says an Auckland registered nurse (RN) on the bargaining team.

News

Manapōti wāhine: ‘Still fighting’ for economic equality 133 years after suffrage

'You look beautiful, powerful and strong!' Feminist crowd grooves into Parliament to 'girls just have funds'.

News

Another 2300 nurses in hospitals by Christmas? ‘They’d need a superhuman HR team’

The Government has been caught in a "BS" trap after Finance Minister Nicola Willis promised an apparently impossible number of new nurses by Christmas.

News

State of emergency: Tauranga ED staff send cry for help to management

NZNO members working at Tauranga Hospital have revealed that their emergency department (ED) is itself in a state of emergency.

News

‘It’s been a long time coming’: Four generations stand shoulder-to-shoulder on Gisborne ED nurses’ strike

Four generations of health workers -- three nurses and a medical receptionist -- were among about 200 standing shoulder-to-shoulder on strike for safer staffing outside Gisborne Hospital today.

Opinion

Just under my skin

At NZNO's conference recently, Waikato nurse Maria Tutahi shared a poem she wrote about unveiling her spiritual mask at a time when wearing physical masks was mandatory.

Features

Anatomy of victory — how North Shore ED members got their huge staffing win

There's a particular challenge in the night shift at the North Shore Hospital emergency department (ED) -- pressure on nurses ratcheting up as the hours pass.

Features

Members emerge from NZNO conference vowing to ‘fight, fight, fight’ for a safer health system

There was a vibe.

Features

‘We are committed to cultural safety,’ promises new Nursing Council chair — but is it the Māori kind?

Nursing Council chair Sharon Brownie says the regulator is committed to cultural safety -- but what kind remains unclear.

Letters

Please send letters for publication to: [email protected]. We reserve the right to edit letters for sense and length, and will not publish letters that are libellous, incite racial, sexual or religious hatred or constitute personal attacks. Shorter letters (under 400 words) are preferred. Please include name, address, nursing qualifications and phone number.

Letters

October memorial for 53 nurses who died in Christchurch earthquake

The 53 nurses who died in Christchurch’s devastating earthquake on 22 February 2011 will be remembered in the Nurses’ Memorial Chapel in October.

1 Oct	Health NZ releases first national report on serious adverse events Health New Zealand has published its first national Serious Adverse Event Report, acknowledging the serious harm experienced by patients and whānau and outlining the improvements identified and actions underway to strengthen patient safety. The report covers serious adverse events reported in Hospital and Specialist Services between 1 July and 31 December 2025.
25 Sept	380 more health care workers at the end of winter too little too late An announcement of 380 additional nurses, midwives and health care assistants for hospitals around the country at the end of winter is too little too late, NZNO says.
23 Sept	Auckland University research finds nurse shortages increase post-surgery deaths and complications New research by Auckland University has found addressing nurse shortages in post-operative care may save 182 lives a year because short-staffed wards have higher rates of potentially preventable deaths and complications after their surgeries.
21 Sept	Whanganui Hospital ED averaged 680% capacity over a week Working in an overcrowded emergency department (ED), up to 680% capacity over a week, makes staff feel overwhelmed with the pressure, Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO says.
14 Sept	WellSouth's Newborn Enrolment Kahu Taurima Programme a finalist at the Primary Care Awards 2026 WellSouth's Newborn Enrolment Kahu Taurima Programme is a finalist at the Primary Care Awards for the HALEO Best Supplier Service, Product or Campaign category. Winners will be announced on 17 October.
14 Sept	Global Study: Nursing Shortages Require Workforce Policy Solutions, Not Recruitment Campaigns Alone Why people choose nursing, and why they leave, comes down to the same factors. The global nursing shortage cannot be solved simply by encouraging more people to enter the profession, according to a new evidence brief.
8 Sept	Overworked, understaffed Gisborne ED staff strike Health and safety concerns arising from unsafe staffing levels have forced nurses at Gisborne Hospital’s emergency department (ED) to go on strike.
4 Sept	Strong growth in wāhine Māori and Pacific women’s cervical screening rates highlights success of self-testing programme Cervical screening participation has increased significantly for both wāhine Māori and Pacific women, reflecting the strong impact of self-testing, Screening Services and the dedicated efforts of health providers working alongside their communities.
4 Sept	Government must adopt Wai 2713 recommendations on disability system The Coalition Government must urgently adopt new recommendations from the Waitangi Tribunal which has found significant parts of the disability system prejudice tāngata whaikaha Māori (Māori with disabilities), NZNO says.
31 Aug	Employing graduate nurses will help keep them in nursing and the country A new proposal that will require Te Whatu Ora to offer all eligible graduate nurses jobs in the public health system will help keep them in nursing and in Aotearoa New Zealand, NZNO says.
26 Aug	Health Minister’s claim Winter Plan ‘managing well’ delusional Health Minister Simeon Brown’s claim that hospitals are ‘managing well’ because of the Government’s Winter Plan is delusional, NZNO says.
25 Aug	Hospital data shows nursing shortages continue to put patients at risk Te Whatu Ora data released today shows patients are continuing to be put at risk by the Coalition Government’s deliberate failure to safely staff hospital wards, NZNO says.
24 Aug	Fed-up North Shore ED staff declare state of emergency NZNO members working in the emergency department (ED) at North Shore Hospital have declared a state of emergency due to unsafe staffing levels resulting in ongoing overcrowding.
19 Aug	What happened to the winter health plan? The $25 million 2026 Winter Plan launched by Health Minister Simeon Brown in March to erase pressure on the health system has been an unmitigated disaster, Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO says.
11 Aug	Applications open for advanced nursing education programmes Health New Zealand is encouraging registered nurses to apply for two advanced education programmes that support nurses to further develop their clinical skills and expand access to care in communities across New Zealand.
3 Aug	Health New Zealand welcomes settlement of NZRDA collective agreement Health New Zealand welcomes the vote by New Zealand Resident Doctors Association (NZRDA) members to settle their collective agreement.
30 Jul	Backing our frontline rural health workforce Rural communities across New Zealand will benefit from three new investments that will support the rural health workforce and help more people access care closer to home, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says.
22 Jul	Te Whatu Ora must disclose staffing levels at time of tragic death Te Whatu Ora must disclose whether the Waikato emergency department (ED) was short-staffed at the time a man tragically died in the waiting room, NZNO says.
6 Jul	Reflecting on IND 2026 Looking back on last month’s International Nurses Day 12 May 2026 (IND 2026), the impact of this year's theme "Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives" continues to resonate across the world. ICN’s landmark IND 2026 report defined seven key powers of nursing and this message has been strengthened with nurses in every region celebrating, naming, and owning their powers throughout May.
3 Jul	Health New Zealand acknowledges Ombudsman statement on Wakari Ward 10A Health NZ welcomes the independent investigation by the Ministry of Health into Ward 10A. On Wednesday the Health NZ board agreed to close Wakari Ward 10a as a forensic intellectual disability (ID) unit, with the future use of the ward yet to be determined.
2 Jul	New programme to fast track bowel cancer care and cut colonoscopy waitlists Health New Zealand is today launching a national initiative, designed to fast track bowel cancer care and reduce colonoscopy waitlists by up to 30 per cent.
1 Jul	Six new Co-Response Team locations announced to strengthen support for people in mental distress The next six locations for Health New Zealand and NZ Police Co-Response Teams have been confirmed, expanding a model that helps people experiencing mental distress receive timely, wraparound support that better meets their health needs.
29 Jun	Mental health and addiction targets progress continues Health New Zealand continues to make important progress against its mental health and addiction targets, meeting four out of five national targets this quarter.
25 Jun	Access to care continuing to improve across a range of health indicators New health data released today shows continued improvement in access to care across a range of health indicators.
18 Jun	Funding "boost" continues dangerous under-funding of aged care The Health Minister’s funding "boost" for aged residential care continues underfunding to the sector and will continue unsafe practices and short staffing, which is putting vulnerable residents at risk, NZNO says.
16 Jun	Labour to make maternity scans free Labour will add free maternity scans to the Medicard alongside three free doctor’s visits a year, so every pregnant woman gets the care she needs.

1 Oct	Health NZ releases first national report on serious adverse events Health New Zealand has published its first national Serious Adverse Event Report, acknowledging the serious harm experienced by patients and whānau and outlining the improvements identified and actions underway to strengthen patient safety. The report covers serious adverse events reported in Hospital and Specialist Services between 1 July and 31 December 2025.
25 Sept	380 more health care workers at the end of winter too little too late An announcement of 380 additional nurses, midwives and health care assistants for hospitals around the country at the end of winter is too little too late, NZNO says.
23 Sept	Auckland University research finds nurse shortages increase post-surgery deaths and complications New research by Auckland University has found addressing nurse shortages in post-operative care may save 182 lives a year because short-staffed wards have higher rates of potentially preventable deaths and complications after their surgeries.
21 Sept	Whanganui Hospital ED averaged 680% capacity over a week Working in an overcrowded emergency department (ED), up to 680% capacity over a week, makes staff feel overwhelmed with the pressure, Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO says.
14 Sept	WellSouth's Newborn Enrolment Kahu Taurima Programme a finalist at the Primary Care Awards 2026 WellSouth's Newborn Enrolment Kahu Taurima Programme is a finalist at the Primary Care Awards for the HALEO Best Supplier Service, Product or Campaign category. Winners will be announced on 17 October.
14 Sept	Global Study: Nursing Shortages Require Workforce Policy Solutions, Not Recruitment Campaigns Alone Why people choose nursing, and why they leave, comes down to the same factors. The global nursing shortage cannot be solved simply by encouraging more people to enter the profession, according to a new evidence brief.
8 Sept	Overworked, understaffed Gisborne ED staff strike Health and safety concerns arising from unsafe staffing levels have forced nurses at Gisborne Hospital’s emergency department (ED) to go on strike.
4 Sept	Strong growth in wāhine Māori and Pacific women’s cervical screening rates highlights success of self-testing programme Cervical screening participation has increased significantly for both wāhine Māori and Pacific women, reflecting the strong impact of self-testing, Screening Services and the dedicated efforts of health providers working alongside their communities.
4 Sept	Government must adopt Wai 2713 recommendations on disability system The Coalition Government must urgently adopt new recommendations from the Waitangi Tribunal which has found significant parts of the disability system prejudice tāngata whaikaha Māori (Māori with disabilities), NZNO says.
31 Aug	Employing graduate nurses will help keep them in nursing and the country A new proposal that will require Te Whatu Ora to offer all eligible graduate nurses jobs in the public health system will help keep them in nursing and in Aotearoa New Zealand, NZNO says.
26 Aug	Health Minister’s claim Winter Plan ‘managing well’ delusional Health Minister Simeon Brown’s claim that hospitals are ‘managing well’ because of the Government’s Winter Plan is delusional, NZNO says.
25 Aug	Hospital data shows nursing shortages continue to put patients at risk Te Whatu Ora data released today shows patients are continuing to be put at risk by the Coalition Government’s deliberate failure to safely staff hospital wards, NZNO says.
24 Aug	Fed-up North Shore ED staff declare state of emergency NZNO members working in the emergency department (ED) at North Shore Hospital have declared a state of emergency due to unsafe staffing levels resulting in ongoing overcrowding.
19 Aug	What happened to the winter health plan? The $25 million 2026 Winter Plan launched by Health Minister Simeon Brown in March to erase pressure on the health system has been an unmitigated disaster, Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO says.
11 Aug	Applications open for advanced nursing education programmes Health New Zealand is encouraging registered nurses to apply for two advanced education programmes that support nurses to further develop their clinical skills and expand access to care in communities across New Zealand.
3 Aug	Health New Zealand welcomes settlement of NZRDA collective agreement Health New Zealand welcomes the vote by New Zealand Resident Doctors Association (NZRDA) members to settle their collective agreement.
30 Jul	Backing our frontline rural health workforce Rural communities across New Zealand will benefit from three new investments that will support the rural health workforce and help more people access care closer to home, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says.
22 Jul	Te Whatu Ora must disclose staffing levels at time of tragic death Te Whatu Ora must disclose whether the Waikato emergency department (ED) was short-staffed at the time a man tragically died in the waiting room, NZNO says.
6 Jul	Reflecting on IND 2026 Looking back on last month’s International Nurses Day 12 May 2026 (IND 2026), the impact of this year's theme "Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives" continues to resonate across the world. ICN’s landmark IND 2026 report defined seven key powers of nursing and this message has been strengthened with nurses in every region celebrating, naming, and owning their powers throughout May.
3 Jul	Health New Zealand acknowledges Ombudsman statement on Wakari Ward 10A Health NZ welcomes the independent investigation by the Ministry of Health into Ward 10A. On Wednesday the Health NZ board agreed to close Wakari Ward 10a as a forensic intellectual disability (ID) unit, with the future use of the ward yet to be determined.
2 Jul	New programme to fast track bowel cancer care and cut colonoscopy waitlists Health New Zealand is today launching a national initiative, designed to fast track bowel cancer care and reduce colonoscopy waitlists by up to 30 per cent.
1 Jul	Six new Co-Response Team locations announced to strengthen support for people in mental distress The next six locations for Health New Zealand and NZ Police Co-Response Teams have been confirmed, expanding a model that helps people experiencing mental distress receive timely, wraparound support that better meets their health needs.
29 Jun	Mental health and addiction targets progress continues Health New Zealand continues to make important progress against its mental health and addiction targets, meeting four out of five national targets this quarter.
25 Jun	Access to care continuing to improve across a range of health indicators New health data released today shows continued improvement in access to care across a range of health indicators.
18 Jun	Funding "boost" continues dangerous under-funding of aged care The Health Minister’s funding "boost" for aged residential care continues underfunding to the sector and will continue unsafe practices and short staffing, which is putting vulnerable residents at risk, NZNO says.
16 Jun	Labour to make maternity scans free Labour will add free maternity scans to the Medicard alongside three free doctor’s visits a year, so every pregnant woman gets the care she needs.

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