Letters – Page 3 – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

April 2025

Changes to NZNO membership fees

By Paul Goulter

March 31, 2025

It is the usual practice that NZNO increases membership fees each year according to the consumer price index (CPI).

April 2025

Help write the last chapter on cervical cancer

By Maria De Cort

March 25, 2025

It’s not often we can shout about a good news cancer story, but we have one shaping up and you can be a part of it.

April 2025

New website discusses health needs of New Zealand and Pacific nations

By Jocelyn Peach

March 12, 2025

Nursing has much to be proud of over the past 120 years. We can learn from how nurse leaders have managed situations in the past that are not dissimilar to challenges that we face today.

January 2025

A nurse explains why she’ll never return to mental health nursing in NZ

By Annelie Gannaway

January 8, 2025

It’s the year 2014 and my husband and I are about to leave New Zealand and move to Sweden.

January 2025

Compassionate and culturally-competent nurse sought for Gold Coast whānau

By Bradley [last name withheld]

January 7, 2025

We are a loving and dedicated Māori/ Polynesian family seeking a compassionate and skilled registered nurse or enrolled nurse to join our team in providing exceptional care for our child who sustained an acquired brain injury (ABI) at birth.

January 2025

Māori and Pacific Island workforce take the hit at Health NZ

By Dr Clive Aspin

December 20, 2024

Māori and Pacific Island workforce are taking the hit as Health NZ restructures one of its arms — National Public Health Service (NPHS) — disestablishing essential roles in public health services.

January 2025

No more Australian job advertisements in Kaitiaki

By Paul Goulter

December 18, 2024

At a time that our nursing graduates here in Aotearoa are struggling to find work and our biggest health employer Te Whatu Ora says it cannot afford any more nurses, we are facing an unprecedented risk to our nursing workforce which could impact our ability to care safely for patients for years to come.

December 2024

In their words: Nursing graduates lament

By Class of 2024: Nursing graduates around the country

November 29, 2024

Nursing graduates share their self-doubt, fears and dashed hopes after finding out this week hundreds had missed out on Te Whatu Ora roles. Most preferred not to be named so not to jeopardise future job prospects.

November 2024

Singing the praises of nurse practitioners

By Heather Woods

November 6, 2024

I am writing to sing the praises of a nurse practitioner intern that I saw recently.

November 2024

Australasian nursing group aims to reduce harm for communities impacted by drug and alcohol use

By Gavin Wallace

October 24, 2024

Earlier this year I joined the Drug and Alcohol Nurses of Australasia (DANA), the peak nursing organisation for nurses, nurse practitioners and midwives with a professional interest in addiction services.

November 2024

Financial literacy for women – scholarships available for nurses till Sunday

By Angela Meyer and Rachel Davies

October 23, 2024

Are you ready to explore and change your relationship with money? We at Hi Money are thrilled to offer 20 scholarships to women nurses or nurses who identify as woman for our November cohort.

November 2024

Aged care nurse says health cuts ‘unwelcome but necessary’

By Elizabeth White

October 9, 2024

As a registered nurse working in aged care, I sincerely wish there were no cuts to health funding.

October 2024

The health sector, nursing care and taxpayer expectations

By Robyn Henderson

September 25, 2024

I work in a public hospital in Christchurch and I am told by my manager that if I (or any of my colleagues) choose to leave, I will not be replaced. I am a frontline clinical nurse in a ward-based role, looking after all New Zealanders.

August 2024

Letters from distressed new graduates

By New graduate nurses

August 2, 2024

A range of new graduates — upset and frustrated about not being placed in a job — have shared their stories in these letters. Their names have been withheld by request.

June 2024

Notice of NZNO 2024 Board Leadership Elections and call for nominations

By Warwick Lampp

May 27, 2024

Nominations are required to fill the following leadership positions on the NZNO Board: Kaiwhakahaere and Tumu Whakarae, and President and Vice-president.

May 2024

A nurse’s burnout leads to hospital for carers

By Jacqui O'Connor

April 9, 2024

In 1993 I graduated as a New Zealand registered nurse. Starting from university, we were never taught the importance of caring for ourselves, or other carers, to help meet the huge demands of our roles.

May 2024

Nurses Memorial Fund is there to help

By Sharyn Lovell

April 3, 2024

In these difficult economic times, and with another wave of COVID-19, many people are experiencing financial hardship alongside the usual life events.

April 2024

Survey: How are we are doing in health & safety in New Zealand?

By Safeguard

March 4, 2024

Safeguard magazine’s annual State of the Nation survey is open and we invite you to take part.

February 2024

Health professionals’ views sought for survey on variations in sex characteristics

By Shaye Woolford, Katrina Roen and Eileen Joy

February 15, 2024

We are researchers from the University of Waikato – Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato and we are exploring health professionals’ experiences of working with people with variations in sex characteristics.

March 2024

Registered nurses considering post-graduate study sought

By Laura Ewens-Volynkina

February 15, 2024

Are you a registered nurse (RN) and thinking of doing postgraduate study in health sciences?

5 Oct	Labour's pay rise a first step, but pay equity needs a full settlement Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO has welcomed Labour's promised pay rise for care and support workers as a first step. It says care and support workers now need a full settlement of their pay equity claim and a workable pay equity system for all of its members.
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.