Features – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

July 2026

‘We need to take up space’: Rōpū means handful of Māori nurse PhD students not alone

By Mary Longmore

July 24, 2026

A small but passionate rōpū of Māori nurses undertaking doctoral study through Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, has formed a supportive whānau that stretches across Aotearoa.

July 2026

Hitting the self-belief switch: NP intern Turuhira Marino on ditching doubts

By Joel Maxwell

July 20, 2026

Turuhira Marino is completing an internship to become a nurse practitioner, but has already become fully-qualified in believing in herself.

July 2026

Why stop at 65? Nurse extraordinaire Ros Corban on working into her 80s

By Joel Maxwell

June 26, 2026

Back then new nurses wore starched dresses, starched hats, belts, thick white stockings, white shoes and the lingering fear of doctors and fierce ward sisters.

June 2026

A journey shaped by determination, sacrifice, and purpose — Mele Penu’s path to EN

By Ceasar Jr. Beltran

May 20, 2026

What does it take to be a role model for your daughter and grow your nursing career? Enrolled nurse Mele Penu shares her story of resilience, perseverance, and sacrifice.

May 2026

Presence and absence in aged residential care: The quiet reality of loneliness and isolation

By Adetoun Oyekunle

April 13, 2026

Nurse and researcher Adetoun Oyekunle reflects on the daily loneliness she’s witnessed among aged-care residents.

May 2026

‘Not a birthday I expected to see’ — nurse, patient and professor Jacquie Kidd on stage-four cancer and racism

By Mary Longmore

April 9, 2026

When poet, nurse and Māori health professor Jacquie Kidd, Ngāpuhi, talks to me, it is her 63rd birthday.

April 2026

‘It’s never too late to be what you might have been’ — Ros Rowarth on 50 years of nursing

By Joel Maxwell

March 30, 2026

Somewhere her colleagues miss her, and are gently easing themselves into her absence, somewhere there’s a former patient who gave her an emotional slap in the face that set her on the path to new growth in her 50s. Somewhere there’s a set of red epaulettes that she proudly attached to her first nursing uniform.

April 2026

‘So many hospitals are being attacked’: Myanmar doctor seeks NZNO nursing know-how

By Joel Maxwell

March 13, 2026

Cynthia Maung is a Myanmar refugee, a doctor and a leader who started her clinic using a rice-cooker as a steriliser. Now she’s keen to upskill her local nursing workforce with NZNO’s help.

April 2026

Expect more hacks, but ‘no going back’ warns nurse and health information expert

By Joel Maxwell

March 8, 2026

The shiny new digital world of health care in 2026 is starting to look a lot like the dusty old world of the Wild West — even the names are recycled, reveals Karen Day.

February 2026

Ka whai wā te tapuhi nei ki te whāngai i ngā tini e haere mai nei ki Rātana

By Renee Kiriona

January 26, 2026

E hia manomano tāngata Māori, kaiārahi tōrangapū, Māngai Pāremata hoki puta noa i te whenua e whakarite ana mō ngā whakanuitanga ā-tau i Rātana kia whakanui i tō te rangatira hāhi whānautanga. Ā, kei waenganui i a rātou tētahi tapuhi hōhipera kiriwhakapōtae e whāngaia ana te tini.

February 2026

Nurse finds time to feed masses heading to Rātana

By Renee Kiriona

January 22, 2026

Thousands of Māori people throughout the country, political leaders and MPs are gearing up for the annual Rātana commemorations to celebrate the birth of the church’s founder. And a graduate hospital nurse will be among those who feed them.

January 2026

A life of dedication: Remembering Sue Claridge 1955-2025

By Marilyn Casey

January 15, 2026

It is with profound sadness that we bid farewell to Sue Claridge, a cherished colleague, mentor and friend, whose legacy will resonate throughout the perioperative nursing community of Christchurch and New Zealand.

January 2026

Daisy, Bunny and pals: I work in residential care, my pets are my therapy when I get home

By Emily Bolton

January 12, 2026

In a Kaitiaki summer feature we’re sharing our readers’ amazing pets – answering the age old question of what makes the perfect animal companion to the busy health professional.

January 2026

Tibbs, Ziggy, Panda and Jaina: They help me through the hard times

By Aura Sanderson

January 5, 2026

In a Kaitiaki summer feature we’re sharing our readers’ amazing pets – answering the age old question of what makes the perfect animal companion to the busy health professional.

January 2026

Lilah: She helped me through long nights of study to my theatre nursing role

By Melissa Gratwicke

December 29, 2025

In a Kaitiaki summer feature we’re sharing our readers’ amazing pets – answering the age old question of what makes the perfect animal companion to the busy health professional.

January 2026

Nurses make 100 emerging Māori leaders’ list for 2025

By Kaitiaki coeditors

December 22, 2025

Three nurses have made the annual list of 100 people who have been identified by Te Rau Ora as emerging Māori leaders.

January 2026

Nursing pets: From ‘foster fail’ to beloved member of exclusive circle of friends

By Allie Sutton

December 22, 2025

In a Kaitiaki summer feature we’re sharing our readers’ amazing pets – answering the age old question of what makes the perfect animal companion to the busy health professional.

November 2025

Flight nurses: Working between heaven, earth and hell

By Renee Kiriona

November 16, 2025

There are fewer than 500 flight nurses in Aotearoa. They work between heaven and earth, and sometimes hell, starting their day in a hangar rather than a hospital ward, ready to fly wherever life is hanging in the balance. Kaitiaki talks with two flight nurses about nursing in the air.

November 2025

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

By Joel Maxwell

November 7, 2025

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.

November 2025

Nurse puts ‘mana motuhake’ into campaign to fight syphilis

By Renee Kiriona

October 23, 2025

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”.

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.
29 May	WellSouth Statement on Budget 2026: a missed opportunity Budget 2026 is a missed opportunity for primary care, and for the communities that depend on it most, in particular our rural people and practices.
29 May	Updated - Nurses on front lines of Ebola outbreak at serious risk In response to the gravely concerning and escalating Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) warns that nurses and other frontline health workers are being put at serious risk and left fearful for their safety.
27 May	Health NZ committed to safeguarding patient information Health New Zealand welcomes the reports released today into the Manage My Health (MMH) cyber incident and is committed to ensuring all possible steps are taken to safeguard patient information.
22 May	More New Zealanders could benefit from funded vaccines from 2027 Pharmac is proposing changes that would give more New Zealanders access to funded vaccines from 2027, including expanded access to the flu vaccine for young children.
21 May	It’s not just the wallet: How the gender pay gap can hurt women’s bodies While many aspects of New Zealand’s enduring gender pay gap have been discussed, its physical impact on workers has been largely overlooked – until now.
21 May	Bupa nurses take pay equity claim over historic wage discrimination NZNO nurses working at Bupa aged residential care homes throughout Aotearoa New Zealand have raised a pay equity claim to address historic gender-based wage discrimination.
20 May	Waikato Hospital adds 10 forensic mental health beds Ten new forensic inpatient beds have been made available at the Regional Forensic Psychiatric Service at Waikato Hospital to expand forensic mental health capacity for adults in prison or on remand in Health New Zealand’s Midland region.
18 May	Strong gains in two-year immunisation target for Tamariki Māori Health New Zealand is welcoming a significant increase in Māori immunisation rates, with full immunisation at 24 months rising from just over 60 per cent in late 2024 to 71.5 per cent at the end of last month.
15 May	New global report shows empowering nurses is key to saving lives and strengthening health systems As the world marks International Nurses Day, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) is calling for urgent investment in nursing, supported by a major new global report, Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives, that presents seven key nursing powers.
14 May	Lakes and Whanganui nurses still waiting for Holiday Pay a decade on Photo by Fin Ocheduszko-Brown at Whanganui Chronicle Nurses at Lakes and Whanganui districts are calling on Te Whatu Ora to explain why after a decade of redress, they still don’t know when they will receive their full Holiday Act remediation payments, NZNO says.
13 May	Recognising the extraordinary contribution of nurses International Nurses Day is an opportunity to recognise the extraordinary role nurses play in caring for New Zealanders at every stage of life, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
12 May	Government’s decision to scrap fees free scheme will lead to further student exodus The Coalition Government’s decision to scrap the fees free policy for third year tertiary students has left nursing tauira outraged
30 Apr	BroPilot grounding digital tools in whānau, culture, and care A passion for his Māori culture and a desire to make AI accessible to everyone inspired Troy Baker, Senior ICT Specialist, Health New Zealand to develop BroPilot – a culturally grounded way of working with Microsoft Copilot that reflects Māori values, whakaaro, and real lived experience.
29 Apr	Heartbreaking tragedies were avoidable - NZNO Analysis by a media outlet, published today, finding health care staff shortages were contributing factors in the deaths of 11 babies is a national and avoidable tragedy, NZNO says.
28 Apr	CTU launches Roving Health and Safety Representatives policy on Workers’ Memorial Day The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi has today launched our Roving Health and Safety Representatives policy at the Workers’ Memorial Day commemoration in Wellington, with further events held across the motu in Manawatū, Christchurch, and Otago.
24 Apr	“The 80s Calling”: New national campaign challenges outdated HIV stigma Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey today launched Health New Zealand’s “The 80s Calling”; a provocative new campaign designed to reduce stigma, normalise conversations about HIV, and support people living with HIV.
23 Apr	Government’s attack on Māori health raised at the UN Concerns over the Coalition Government’s active reversal of policies designed to improve Māori health outcomes were raised at the United Nations in New York this morning.
16 Apr	Tribute to Professor Lester Levy’s service to healthcare Health New Zealand Chief Executive Dr Dale Bramley is paying tribute to Health NZ Board Chair Professor Lester Levy, who finishes in the role at the end of the month.
10 Apr	Chronic health care assistant short staffing harming vulnerable patients Te Whatu Ora’s attempt to cut costs by requiring health care assistants to carry out cohort patient watches is harming vulnerable patients and staff, NZNO says.
9 Apr	New group education clinics speeding up knee and hip surgery care Health New Zealand is rolling out a new group education approach for people waiting for hip and knee surgery in north and west Auckland, resulting in more patients being seen sooner.
25 Mar	National Diabetes Roadmap launched to improve care, prevention, and quality of life Health New Zealand has launched a new National Diabetes Roadmap (‘the Roadmap’) to improve care, strengthen prevention, and support better health outcomes and quality of life for people living with diabetes.
24 Mar	ACT should leave nursing to professionals and medical evidence Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says ACT MP Todd Stephenson has dismissed the Nursing Council’s draft code of conduct - which proposes strengthening cultural safety, whānau-centred care and te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations - as political ideology.
23 Mar	UK report reflects ICN warnings on international recruitment ripoff — now countries must act together The International Council of Nurses (ICN) warmly welcomes a new report from the UK All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Global Health and Security that recognizes the huge sums saved by high-income countries who recruit abroad and acknowledges the severe harms caused by unethical recruitment from fragile source countries left without nurses.
20 Mar	HPV self-test boosts cervical cancer screening ‘across the board’, new study confirms Making human papillomavirus (HPV) self-testing available to all women increases the number of people screened for cervical cancer, a new study led by researchers from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington has confirmed.
19 Mar	ICN at CSW70: Violence against nurses is a gendered crisis threatening global health The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has warned that violence against nurses is a global gendered crisis that threatens health systems, patient safety and workforce sustainability
17 Mar	Additional winter health care workers a drop in the ocean of need The Government’s announcement today of 378 extra staff to help hospitals cope with winter demand is a drop in the ocean of what patients need, NZNO says.
12 Mar	Funding change will ensure more consistent emergency care for New Zealanders A simple change in how ambulance medicines are funded is set to create more consistent emergency care.
9 Mar	Questions over dilapidated and cramped renal unit forced to ration dialysis The Health Minister must explain why after years of concerns from nurses about Christchurch Hospital’s barely functioning dialysis unit, he only stepped in late yesterday when life-saving treatment had to be rationed, NZNO says.
3 Mar	Hospitals and health workers should never be targets The right of health care workers to provide care during international conflicts must be protected, Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO says.
2 Mar	Public and Mental Health Nurses settle collective agreement Health New Zealand welcomes the ratification of the two Public Service Association (PSA) Public and Mental Health Nurses collective employment agreements for Auckland and the Rest of New Zealand.