Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand

Young Rotorua nurse receives NZNO award

Kelly Talbot, a 29-year-old clinical nurse specialist at Rotorua's Southern Cross Hospital and student nurse educator (SNE) at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, is NZNO's 2020 Young Nurse of the Year.

Nursing leadership positions under threat

Nursing leadership positions at a number of district health boards (DHBs) are under threat. NZNO acting associate professional services manager Kate Weston said there appeared to be an emerging trend in the sector to dismantle, diminish or degrade senior nursing leadership positions.

DHB MECA bargaining ‘on track’

Negotiations for the NZNO/district health board multi-employer collective agreement (MECA) – NZNO's biggest in terms of members covered – are on track, according to acting industrial services manager Glenda Alexander.

PHC nurses vote for more strike action

Nurses covered by the primary health care multi-employer collective agreement (PHC MECA) have voted overwhelmingly in favour of more strike action in pursuit of pay parity.

Primary health care professionals to be honoured

Nurse practitioner of the year and practice nurse of the year are just two categories open to nurses in the 2020/2021 Primary Healthcare Awards/He Tohu Mauri Ora.

Acute mental health units being upgraded

A new six-bed inpatient mental health facility at Wellington Hospital will be ready in 2021, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has confirmed.

New senior policy analyst for NZNO

NZNO's new senior policy analyst is Lucia Bercinskas. She fills the role left vacant after the resignation of Jill Wilkinson in February.

‘Inequity is deep-seated in our society’

Much work needs to be done to address big issues such as the privilege Pākehā receive in their health care and the under-privilege of Māori, accessibility of services, the importance of wairuatanga in health care, and empowerment of Māori to make decisions about their own health.

Former NZNO head remembered

Former national director/chief executive of NZNO Brenda Wilson died peacefully at her home in Invercargill last month, aged 83. She had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease three years ago.

Army nurse honoured for work in Iraq

A nurse experienced in neonatal and practice nursing has recently been recognised by the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) for her work with coalition forces in Iraq in 2018.

Why nurses need to be politically engaged

Being professional does not preclude us from being political. In fact, being political is a key element of being a member of a profession. In the case of nursing, every time we advocate for a patient, whānau or community to receive care, we are behaving politically.

Nurses are crucial in the fight against climate change

Nurses understand the impact of the environment on individual and population health. That understanding is crucial to ensuring health justice in interventions to mitigate climate change.

Looking beyond COVID-19

While management of COVID-19 has captured a good deal of attention this election campaign, it is important to consider other concerns that have been around for a lot longer.

The fight for justice and freedom continues

The legacy of Martin Luther King’s fight for jobs, freedom and equality lives on in contemporary struggles.

Pacific nurses make ‘huge difference’

A Counties Manukau nurse has loved working with Pacific families affected by COVID-19.

A chequered journey into nursing

Finding her way into nursing has been a lifesaver for one young nurse. She wishes it hadn’t taken her so long.

Nursing people with Parkinson’s disease

Many challenges confront a nurse working with people with Parkinson's disease. This is due to the nature of the disease, with symptoms and progression varying widely.

Providing safe virtual health care

Nurses must be fully aware of how to maintain patient safety and confidentiality when providing health care via a virtual platform.

Using PPE correctly and safely

Unless health-care workers are fully trained in the best use of personal protective equipment, they risk being infected with COVID-19 and other pandemic and epidemic viruses.

New thinking on Parkinson’s disease

Research into the function of astrocyte cells in the brain provides a potential new avenue for Parkinson’s disease therapy.

‘Growing the workforce takes time, resources’

The new Māori co-leader of National Nursing Leaders outlines the range of initiatives that are helping lift the number of Māori in the nursing workforce.

Bidding farewell to NZNO after 30 years

A retiring lead organiser reflects on her time with NZNA/NZNO.

Summit brings nursing leaders together

A diverse range of speakers at the New Zealand Nursing Leaders' Summit discussed the role of whānau in patient recovery, equity in health care and how nurses can transform primary health care and tackle inequity. The summit, held virtually on September 2-3, drew 160 participants.

Paving the way to pay equity

Reaching an enduring pay equity settlement for the country’s nurses is neither straightforward nor speedy. Rather, it’s like navigating a tortuous and unknown route, to a long-desired destination.

College wants more ICU nurses qualified

The college of critical care nurses wants more support for nurses in New Zealand intensive care units (ICUs) to become fully qualified.

IPC nurse takes up membership role

Anne-Maree Wagg, from the infection, prevention and control nurses' college, will join Brent Doncliff as a college and section representative on NZNO’s membership committee.

Aged care: Pay parity with DHBs

Achieving or maintaining pay parity with district health board (DHB) staff is a key claim across all NZNO's current round of negotiations with major aged-care chains.

CTU rates political parties on work policies

The Green Party has emerged on top in a Council of Trade Unions' (CTU) assessment of the five major political parties' industrial relations policies.

Primary health care: CA for Access nurses?

Senior, Registered and enrolled nurses working for community health provider Access Healthcare were voting on whether to ratify an inaugural collective agreement (CA) as Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand went to press.

Negotiations for hospices get underway

Two days of negotiations for the national hospice multi-employer collective agreement (MECA) were due to be held in Wellington earlier this month.

Mediation with Family Planning

NZNO and Family Planning were to attend mediation earlier this month after members rejected a proposed settlement.

Negotiations at Boulcott Hospital

A second day of negotiations for NZNO members working at Lower Hutt's Boulcott Hospital is scheduled for later this month.

Virtual delegate training continues

COVID-19 has forced changes to how NZNO conducts its delegate training.

PPE, nurses’ role in pandemic dominate virtual conference

The COVID-19 response and nurses' role in it and personal protective equipment (PPE) supply problems were key topics at the NZNO virtual conference Community wellbeing in Aotearoa Nursing 2020 and beyond on September 16.

COVID-19 elimination strategy wins praise

University of Otago Professor of Public Health Michael Baker praised the effectiveness of New Zealand's elimination approach to COVID-19 – and public health nurses.

‘Serious questions’ over PPE supply

Controller and auditor-general John Ryan said the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) decided to investigate the Ministry of Health (MoH)'s management of personal protective equipment (PPE) in June, as there were "serious questions" over its supply.

Full inquiry into pandemic response overdue

A full inquiry into New Zealand's response to COVID-19 should have begun "weeks ago", to better prepare the country for future pandemics, McGuiness Institute founder Wendy McGuiness told the conference.

Pandemic highlights ‘true value’ of nursing

COVID-19 has shown the world the reality of modern-day nursing, says the chief executive of the International Council of Nurses (ICN), Howard Catton.

Global nursing report refers to ‘ethical utilisation’ of IQNs

COVID-19 had brought the "critical importance of nursing into sharp focus", outgoing chief nursing officer (CNO) Margareth Broodkoorn told the conference.

Cannabis ‘a health issue’

Auckland GP Graham Gulbransen has treated 1500 patients at his medical cannabis service in Henderson – New Zealand's first – since opening in 2018.

Time for nurses to ‘stamp their mark’

Now was the time for nurses to "stamp their mark, understand their value and ensure they worked in solidarity", Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku said in her concluding remarks to conference.

New president calls for unity

The need for unity and respect was the clear message of newly elected NZNO president Heather Symes at NZNO's annual general meeting (AGM) on September 17.

Fuller account of 2019 AGM sought

Member groups were given a second opportunity to raise issues over the 2019 AGM minutes, after technical challenges prevented discussions when the minutes were earlier accepted.

Te poari ‘distracted’ from goals for Māori

Te poari would prefer to focus on building flourishing Māori communities for a just and healthy society, ensuring Māori had a voice.

Anti-violence in strategic plan

NZNO will restore mention of its work on violence and aggression against nurses to its strategic plan 2021-25, at members' request during the AGM.

Constitution to undergo independent review

A full and independent review of the NZNO constitution will go ahead after all 10 constitutional and policy remits were passed at this year's online annual general meeting (AGM), heralding a raft of changes within NZNO's governance and management.

NZNO goes into deficit due to less revenue and more spending

NZNO received $500,000 less membership revenue over 2019/20, as NZNO membership growth did not meet projections, NZNO corporate services manager David Woltman told the annual general meeting.

Who are NZNO’s new board members?

New vice-president Tracey Morgan (Ngāti Raukawa, Ahūriri) started her health journey in 1994 as a Plunket kaiāwhina in Putaruru.

Board of directors August news

Articles written from the minutes of the August board of directors meeting.

EN promises to bring passion and energy

Waitakere Hospital enrolled nurse (EN) Noleen Dayal promises to bring "lots of passion, new energy and a fresh face to the board".

A sense of fairness

Geraldine Kirkwood has been working in New Zealand since she and her husband, also a registered nurse, arrived from the United Kingdom in 1997.

‘Being in the crow’s nest’

Diane McCulloch has been a clinical nurse specialist in emergency care at Waitakere Hospital since 2009. She trained in South Africa in 1976 but did not nurse when her children were young.