Letters – Page 4 – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

May 2022

Medical exemption process for mandates ‘not fair’

By Maria Starink

April 14, 2022

Over the last 25-plus years, nursing has been intellectualised.

May 2022

Don’t give us coffee machines, give all nurses more pay for extra shifts

By Teresa Smith

April 14, 2022

I’d like the chance to tell you how things are for us in my workplace, acute services: the emergency department (ED) and high dependency unit (HDU) of a small rural hospital.

May 2022

NZ English test for Pacific-trained nurses too tough?

By Italia Tiffany Farani

March 28, 2022

My name is Italia. I am currently working as a health-care assistant in mental health.

May 2022

Better deals needed to encourage IQNs to work in NZ

By Ashly Mangalasseril

March 28, 2022

I am a registered nurse (RN) who completed the competency assessment programme (CAP) in May 2021. But I had to pay nearly NZ$12,000 to finish CAP. Travelling plus the OET (occupational English test) exam fee — all this adds up to huge amount.

May 2022

Health-care assistant plea over residency visa

By Sangita Shrestha

March 28, 2022

I am writing today to bring some issues to light.

May 2022

Retired nurse misses printed Kaitiaki

By Shirley Blackie

March 25, 2022

It is with regret that I have made the decision to stop my NZNO membership.

May 2022

Is there a way to get Kaitiaki as a PDF?

By Chris Hattan

March 25, 2022

Now that the NZNO monthly magazine is only online, I have been trying to find a downloadable file so I can read the magazine offline.

May 2022

Upset at Kaitiaki going digital-only

By Gayleen Watkins

March 25, 2022

Now you are digital-only, I am very upset!

May 2022

Rural nurses struggle to access Kaitiaki online

By Janet Jin

March 25, 2022

I write in response to [associate manager professional and nursing services] Kate Weston’s reply to “A loss for rural nurses” by Liz Perales in the December 2021 issue of Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand.

March 2022

NZNO professional and nursing services manager Mairi Lucas replies

By Mairi Lucas

March 25, 2022

I apologise for the inconvenience that some are experiencing when trying to access the new platform. I truly hope that these issues may change for you in the near future.

May 2022

Difficulty reading online

By Susan Orpin

March 25, 2022

How do I get a printed version of Kaitiaki? It is too hard to read this [online] and you have to be computer-literate to navigate the site.

Uncut – news briefs

6 May	Police and Health NZ continue to implement mental health response changes Phase Two of the Police Mental Health Response Change Programme is set to be extended with a second group of districts implementing Phase Two from 19 May.
1 May	New weekend urgent care service launched in Tairāwhati Access to urgent healthcare on weekends will be restored in Tairāwhati this Saturday (3 May 2025) with the launch of a new service, Health Minister Simeon Brown has announced.
29 Apr	Taupō Hospital accredited to train next generation of rural doctors Taupō Hospital has become the first hospital in the North Island to receive accreditation to deliver Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) training, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey have announced.
14 Apr	Rural Health Roadshow to hear from rural communities Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Rural Health and Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey announced today he will be coming to 12 rural locations across the country on a Rural Health Roadshow, starting this week in Levin.
10 Apr	Expanded emergency department at Auckland City Hospital will see capacity increase Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened Auckland City Hospital’s newly refurbished adult emergency department.
1 Apr	Health NZ wants your feedback on a Paediatric Adolescent and Young Adult Palliative Model of Care Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) is seeking feedback on potential options for national palliative care services for tamariki, rangatahi/children, young people and their whānau/families.
27 March	Bar still too high for small mental health providers Small mental health providers will still be locked out of co-funding from the Mental Health Innovation Fund despite a lower threshold.
25 March	ICN advocates for health system gender equity and women’s health The International Council of Nurses (ICN) brought the nursing voice to the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) which wrapped up on Friday. ICN participated in critical discussions on gender equity and women’s health throughout the event.
19 March	ICN warns of healthcare crisis as USAID funding cuts devastate nursing initiatives in the world’s most vulnerable regions The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has documented alarming firsthand evidence of widespread disruption and collapse of essential health care services following the sudden withdrawal of USAID and other funding.
19 March	New High Dependency Unit will expand critical care services in Wellington Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened Wellington Regional Hospital’s first High Dependency Unit (HDU).
13 March	Pharmac to fund more cancer medicines Pharmac is funding six more medicines for cancers and one for antibiotic resistant infections.
28 Feb	Pharmac CE resigns The Board of Pharmac wishes to announce that its Chief Executive for the last 7 years, Sarah Fitt, has resigned effective from 30 May 2025.
25 Feb	ICN issues updated statement on health care in conflict, calling for peace and compliance with international humanitarian law In recent years, the world has witnessed a disturbing increase in conflicts and wars, placing immense strain on health systems and exacerbating human suffering. Nurses have been at the forefront of these crises, responding to emergencies, supporting recovery efforts, and providing essential care to those affected by violence and displacement.
21 Feb	ICN’s new guidance on integrating nurse leaders into heart of health workforce planning The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has published a practical guide to including nurses in workforce planning decisions.
17 Feb	ICN warns of effect of US withdrawal from WHO on nurse-led services The International Council of Nurses (ICN) warned that the withdrawal of the United States from WHO has already halted some nurse-led services, including vaccination programmes and care for people with HIV/AIDS.
17 Feb	Minister acknowledges outgoing Director-General Health Minister Simeon Brown has today acknowledged the resignation of Director-General of Health and Chief Executive of the Ministry of Health, Dr Diana Sarfati, and thanked her for her service.
12 Feb	Pharmac funds medicines for liver, ovarian, and neuroendocrine cancers People with liver, ovarian, and neuroendocrine cancers will have access to more medicines from 1 March 2025.
11 Feb	Consultation begins on work to improve patient access to medical devices Pharmac is continuing to improve the way medical devices are managed for New Zealanders, today opening consultation on its comprehensive list of medical devices used by public hospitals.
3 Feb	First Whānau Āwhina Plunket site in NZ delivering childhood vaccinations Childhood immunisations are now being delivered at a Whānau Āwhina Plunket site in Whāngarei, with other regions soon to also provide the new service.
29 Jan	Local access to specialist audiology services comes to Wairarapa A newly established out-patient clinic for ear, nose, and throat (ENT) and audiology appointments is providing Wairarapa patients with local access to specialist hearing services for the first time.
29 Jan	Pharmac reconsiders oestradiol patch options following community feedback Pharmac is reviewing and reconsidering its oestradiol patch options after considerable feedback was received when it announced a move to a single funded brand late last year.
22 Jan	Consultations for cancer and ADHD medicines close soon Pharmac is encouraging people to have their say on proposals to fund six more medicines and change the brand of one medicine before consultation closes on 27 January.