Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand

‘Do it for the patients’: Nurse shares advice, encouragement ahead of partial strikes

It's new, it's different and it means facing new challenges -- but do it for the patients, says a nurse with experience of groundbreaking partial strikes.

Policy welcomed but the two Chrises must work together, says nursing leader

Political debate on fixing Aotearoa New Zealand’s broken funding model for primary health care is an important first step but needs a bipartisan approach, says NZNO primary care spokesperson Tracey Morgan.

Rā Whakamana: Iwi and unions call for national day of solidarity to back workers’ rights and Treaty

Iwi leaders are weighing in on the fight to protect essential services and back workers, including nurses, midwives and health-care workers. 

‘One of the biggest strikes we’ve seen’ — nurses, teachers, doctors turn out despite weather chaos

'We are not alone in this,' say nurses and kaiāwhina as an estimated 23,000-plus turn out in Auckland alone for SOS -- save our services -- strikes.

‘Shoulder to shoulder’ — nurses prepare ahead of historic 100,000-strong day of actions

How do you prepare a rally speech for a day when nearly two per cent of the population of Aotearoa strikes?

Canterbury strike action: 93 days of wearing their message on their sleeves

Thousands of nurses, midwives and health-care workers have begun 93 days of partial strike action at the South Island's largest hospital.

Doctors follow nurses’ lead in turning their back on finger-wagging Minister

It wasn't quite a wall . . . but one lone doctor did stand and turn his back on Minister of Health Simeon Brown during a recent lecture on why they shouldn't be striking.

Nurses share pain, hope with firefighters as they turn out across the country

"Here come the nurses!" were the words of delighted firefighters as hundreds of nurses and kaiāwhina turned out to join about 2000 union members on strike around the country Friday.

‘That was a moral, emotional injury to the worker’ — tears and the truth at report launch

Everything we let happen to them now, will inevitably happen to us later.

Cops already outstripping nurses as pay equity crumbles, committee hears

It was nice while it lasted -- cops are already leaving nurses in the dust as pay equity collapses, the people's select committee has heard.

Our hidden shame — workers speak out on the shocking truth of caring for our elderly

Missing showers, being left alone to soil themselves and getting late, cold meals -- this is what kaumātua/residents in many aged-facilities endure today, say hundreds of nurses and kaiāwhina.

Hidden nursing crisis revealed: The shocking staffing numbers, and the Minister’s response

Hidden Te Whatu Ora figures have revealed acute mental health wards in crisis: those most desperately in need of help, face shifts desperately in need of nurses.

Strikes go ahead — but weather warnings force some rally cancellations

An historic day of planned strikes by more than 100,000 workers will go ahead tomorrow -- but some rallies are cancelled due to severe weather warnings.

Official NZNO national committee for thousands of kaiāwhina launches

For the first time in its history, NZNO now has a national committee for kaiāwhina.

Corrections nurses, health-care assistants vote for October strike amid staff safety fears

Prison nurses and health-care assistants have voted to strike this month -- frustrated at Corrections' refusal to address safety concerns after months of bargaining.

‘It will be massive! ‘ Nurses, kaiāwhina vote to strike on October 23

Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand nurses and kaiāwhina have voted for further strike action on October 23.

Picketing nurses greet visiting Mental Health Minister at under-pressure rural hospital

Picketing nurses outside Thames Hospital greeted Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey on a flying visit to the under-pressure rural facility today.

South Island’s community approach sees boost in cervical screening for Māori and Pacific

Cervical screening rates for Otago and Southland's Māori and Pacific communities have increased 10 per cent compared to last year, after primary health organisation WellSouth joined forces with community health providers.

A few precious days leave, but she picketed instead: Nurses support striking doctors, dentists

Registered nurse Amy Tubman was on precious leave with her children during the school holidays, but she was still out on the picket line, flag in hand, supporting a strike: this time it was the doctors.

Mental health, Pacific, emergency nurses among those honoured in emotional NZNO awards

Tears, passion and nurses' deep commitment to their communities over decades -- all were on display at a powerful NZNO awards ceremony in Pōneke this week.

Health Minister Simeon Brown sees red, literally, as nurses turn their backs during NZNO AGM

Health Minister Simeon Brown was greeted with a wall of silence -- and a wall of nurses' backs -- as he spoke to the NZNO annual general meeting on Wednesday.

How many hundreds? Infometric report reveals shocking hospital shortages in every shift

The nation's hospitals were collectively short 576 nurses every shift on average last year, a new Infometrics report has found.

A useful guide to help you meet your new competencies

Are you unsure how best to show you're meeting the new cultural safety requirements embedded in the Nursing Council pou (competencies)? Nurse educator Pipi Barton provides a guide that you can download and share.

‘Nursing is inherently political’ — Ebony Komene on her ‘uncomfortable’ work as a young Māori researcher

Young, Māori and a researcher -- together, yes, all of these things are unusual, agrees Ebony Komene.

‘It’s time for NZ to be a destination, not just a stepping stone’

A migrant nurse who departed for Australia, but then returned, outlines her plan to fix the 'leaky pipeline'.

Mythbusting: NZNO expert tackles Te Whatu Ora’s safe staffing denials

Even after Te Whatu Ora was forced to reveal how dangerously understaffed New Zealand's hospitals are, its leaders seem to still be in denial, NZNO's safe staffing expert says. 

Harmed as a student — left without income support as a nurse

A West Coast nurse calls for ACC reform and fair compensation for 'non-earners' injured during medical care.

Newly-elected student leaders bring mix of youth and maturity — and compassion galore

Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa -- NZNO's newly-elected student leaders share what drew them into nursing, and what they hope to achieve in their new roles.

A dose of theatre action for NZNO’s strike volunteer wardens

These nurses missed out on the recent Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand strikes as they volunteered to oversee life-preserving services (LPS). But free tickets from a production company to the hottest show in Auckland right now, gave them all the drama and action they needed.

‘I want to see every health-care worker valued and paid fairly’

A nurse and 'proud union member' explains why fair pay is so important.

Peace is union business, says long-time Auckland nurse after marching in support of Palestine

A long-time Auckland nurse explains why she attended last weekend's march for humanity in support of Palestine -- and why peace is union business.

A tale from across the ditch: Why I left, and why I want to come back

A former Auckland nurse and NZNO delegate now living in Australia says he is furious he had to leave.

Trust, transplantation and the grim question for Māori — who’s left to ask for a kidney if we’re all sick?

She was the only Māori nurse in a room full of indigenous people -- but no matter how far apart their homelands were geographically, their stories were the same.

Nurse puts ‘mana motuhake’ into campaign to fight syphilis

Some are calling her the "syphilis cop" but this registered nurse, and NZNO member, would much prefer to say that getting regular tests for sexually transmitted infections is about looking after your "mana motuhake".

Innovative Māori aged care model set to bring aroha, manaakitanga to kaumātua

Aged care in Aotearoa New Zealand is in crisis. Reports of staff being underpaid and over worked are common as are the reports of elderly residents not getting the care they should. Kaitiaki is exploring what's happening in this space. We talk with a granddaughter who is on a mission to transform aged care for … Continue reading "Innovative Māori aged care model set to bring aroha, manaakitanga to kaumātua"

Life, death, and never forgetting: Five lessons learned from 30 years as a kaiāwhina in aged care

Recognise their humanity, listen to their secrets, save their stories if you can - and never stop caring.

Looking out for the next generation of firefighters — and nurses

He is a firefighter. His sister is a nurse. And they both share the same goal to make their professions better for the next generation.

Rebecca Fenn: From London to driving a bus and nursing the ‘under-served’ in South Auckland

Rebecca Fenn is New Zealand's Nurse Practitioner of the Year whose inspiration to care for people came from her fascination with the "smell of hospitals" and "playing nurse dress up" as a child.

OBITUARY: Louise Rummel — ‘I was standing on the shoulders of giants in the profession’

Nursing has lost a much-loved educator who was determined that nursing students and new graduates should get the mentoring they needed. Louise Rummel was admired by nursing students for her knowledge, caring and kindness.

Ko Rebecca Fenn: Mai i Rānana ki tāna taraiwa i te pahi me te āwhina ki a rātou “kei raro e putu ana”

Kua whakawhiwhia Rebecca Fenn te tohu Mātanga Tapuhi o te Tau, nā tōna tamaititanga i waenganui i te "rongo ki ngā hōhipera" me "te tākaro hei nēhi" i whakaohooho i a ia kia atawhai i te iwi.

Pirihira Puata — registered nurse prescriber who sends her scripts to the chemist in te reo Māori

Ka tuhia e te tapuhi tūtohu a Pirihira Puata (Muriwhenua) ngā tūtohu rongoā i te reo Māori, ā, ka tukua ki ngā toa rongoā i te tonga me te uru o Tāmaki Makaurau, ā, ka kīia e ia, ko aua tūtohu e tino arohaina ana.

‘There is joy in nursing, and we want to find it’

Share your joy -- two nurse researchers want to hear about your uplifting experiences in nursing.

Nursing research a ‘slow burner’ but crucial tool, say NZNO’s deep thinkers

Nursing research is not just pen-pushing -- it's deeply connected to everyday nursing, says chair of NZNO's nursing research section (NRS)- te wāhanga rangahau, Lorraine Ritchie.

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‘This isn’t just a job, it is heartbreak on repeat’

Wellington nurse Latisha Coffey has her own insight into why nurses have been on strike.

Whitireia’s 2025 journal of nursing out now

The latest edition of the Whitireia Journal of Nursing, Health and Social Services will be released on October 30.

Message to the health minister: I’m one of those unemployed graduate nurses who can’t follow my dream

Three years ago, I began studying to become a registered nurse (RN) to create a better future for my children and myself.

A wonderful opportunity for advanced stomal therapy education

Stomal therapy nurses may have an opportunity to take an advanced education course in their specialty, that is usually only available via an expensive trip to Australia.