Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand

Nursing workforce close to 60,000

New Zealand's nursing workforce reached close to 60,000 last year – 59,866 to be exact – according to the Nursing Council's annual report for the year ending March 31, 2020.

Whaea Rose mourned

Te Rūnunga o Tāpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa/NZNO is mourning the passing of Rose Pere, as a "revered tōhuna tipua and leader for the revitalisation of indigenous knowledge and life throughout the world".

Symes resigned for ‘family/whānau’ reasons

Ex-NZNO president Heather Symes would not elaborate on her reasons for resigning as president just two months after her election, when asked by Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand this month. She restated that it was for family/whānau reasons.

New chief nurse seeks leadership shift

Incoming chief nursing officer Lorraine Hetaraka (Tapuika, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāiterangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Kahu) hopes to support more Māori leadership models in health and nursing organisations.

NZNO keen to see members vaccinated

NZNO would be encouraging members to have a COVID-19 vaccination unless they had a medical reason not to, acting industrial services manager Glenda Alexander said.

NZNO joins nurses’ global call for better COVID-19 protection and guidance

Citing growing evidence on the risks of airborne COVID-19 infection, NZNO has joined a global call for better COVID-19 guidance and protection for nurses.

Christchurch MIQ nurses paid less

Nurses working in Auckland's managed isolation or quarantine facilities (MIQ/MIF) are getting paid higher rates than those in Canterbury, says an NZNO organiser.

Filipino nurses begin study in Hawke’s Bay

Sixteen Filipino-qualified nurses entered New Zealand last month after being granted a "critical purpose" exception.

Older nurses should have support to keep working to stay in the workforce

A recently-released international policy brief lays out a 10-point plan to support older nurses – those aged over 55 – to stay at work.

ICN congress to be virtual

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) congress this year will be a virtual affair. With the theme, Nursing Around the World, it will take place virtually on November 2-4.

New policy analyst Māori

NZNO's new policy analyst Māori Belinda Tuari-Toma (Ngāti Porou) will bring another Māori lens to NZNO's policy and research work.

‘Significant’ number apply for NZNO’s top job

There had been "a significant number" of applications for the NZNO chief executive (CE) role, board member Simon Auty told Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand.

Significant stepping stones

“Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora a mua. Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead.”

Pandemic brings paradigm shift

The COVID-19 pandemic brought major change to how nursing education is provided. However, although remote education works well for didactic teaching, it cannot replace the hands-on experience of clinical placements.

The impact of racism on rheumatic fever rates

Institutional racism and unconscious bias play a significant role in the high rates of rheumatic fever among Māori.

COVID-19 fight must continue

After enjoying liberties unknown in COVID-19-wracked countries, Aotearoa New Zealand was rocked by cases in the community last month.

Crunch point coming

It’s getting to crunch point in the NZNO/district health board multi-employer collective agreement negotiations.

Nurses buckle under ‘relentless’ workload

Nurses working in managed isolation and quarantine facilities are being socially ostracised as well as dealing with suicidal and abusive guests.

A career devoted to promoting equity

The head of Massey University's nursing school has had a life-long commitment to promoting health equity.

Leading NZNO through turbulent times

Leading NZNO for the last eight years has not been an easy ride. Chief executive Memo Musa has decided it's time to move on.

Full house of student leaders for 2021

After a chaotic year in 2020, the National Student Unit (NSU) once again has a full cohort of leaders.

Focus on student bullying planned

Like many others, the National Student Unit (NSU) has faced many difficult challenges and obstacles in 2020. 

Which respirator offers best pandemic protection?

Why are employers not providing a cheaper, more effective option than the N95 mask?

How well is patient-centred care applied in practice?

Patient-centred care is an ideal of nursing practice. How well is it applied in practice? A group of students share their thoughts and experiences.

How Batman saved the classroom

The Caped Crusader brought the superpower of humour into an online nursing classroom during the COVID-19 lockdown.

How to change lives: Prescribing equity through better use of medicines

The call for equity in health care is not new, but is louder now than it has ever been.

Primary health care: Some employers reject MECA deal

More than 10 per cent of employers covered by the primary health care multi-employer collective agreement (PHC MECA) have rejected the terms of the proposed deal.

Bargaining underway at HCNZ/NZ Care

Bargaining is underway with district nursing and community care providers Healthcare New Zealand/New Zealand Care. Two days of negotiations were held last month, with another two scheduled for later this month in Christchurch.

Primary health care: Family Planning members to strike

NZNO members working for Family Planning (FP) will strike for 24 hours this month, from 7am on Tuesday February 16 – the first-ever such action at FP. NZNO served the strike notice late last month.

Primary health care: Negotiations at NZBS

Negotiations for the 245 NZNO members at the New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS) got underway last month.

Caregivers week next month

NZNO is to refresh its In Safe Hands branding and communication resources in time for caregivers week next month.

Proposed deal at CHT Healthcare Trust

Members working at aged residential care provider CHT Healthcare Trust are voting this month on an offer which includes a 3.5 per cent wage increase for registered and enrolled nurses, backdated to July 1, 2020, and the inclusion of miscarriage in the bereavement leave clause.

Hospice ratification meetings underway

Hospice ratification meetings are underway and will run from February 11-26. Negotiations for a new national hospice multi-employer collective agreement (MECA) began in September last year.

Recruitment to industrial services team underway

Recruitment for a range of permanent positions on NZNO’s industrial services team (IST) is underway.

2021 ‘better’ for colleges & sections

COVID-19 was significantly disruptive on a number of levels for the work of the NZNO colleges and sections (C&S) in 2020.

Perioperative nurses hopeful for conference

We are hoping it will be third time lucky as we plan for our 47th annual perioperative nurses college (PNC) conference in Christchurch this year.

NZNO signs up to scientific approach

The board has agreed to adopt the "John Snow memorandum", a science-based response to COVID-19, as NZNO policy.

Constitutional review planning

The board has appointed its members Diane McCulloch, Titihuia Pakeho and Andrew Cunningham to the NZNO constitutional review advisory group.

Membership ‘stabilised’

NZNO membership "stabilised" from mid-2020 after beginning the financial year with a decline, NZNO manager corporate services David Woltman said in his report to the board.

Equity tool in pipeline

A draft equity framework to guide NZNO in all its work was shared with the board by NZNO policy analyst Māori Leanne Manson and senior policy analyst Lucia Bercinskas.