News – Page 32 – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

December 2020 / January 2021 vol 26 no 11

Gentle singing brings comfort

By Kai Tiaki editors

December 1, 2020

When words are not enough, there is always singing. This is the philosophy behind the Wellington group Whakaahuru – The Gentle Singers.

December 2020 / January 2021 vol 26 no 11

Infection fears at MIQs

By Kai Tiaki editors

December 1, 2020

Nurses working in Auckland’s managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities are being declined Christmas leave due to ongoing staff shortages, says an NZNO organiser.

Concerns about safe staffing at managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities, particularly in Auckland, continue to be reported to NZNO, acting associate professional services manager Kate Weston said.

Research journal out

By Kai Tiaki editors

December 1, 2020

The effect of COVID-19 on conducting research is highlighted in the 2020 issue of NZNO’s research journal, Kai Tiaki Nursing Research (KTNR).

Wellington mental health staff ‘burning out’

By Kai Tiaki editors

November 1, 2020

NZNO is working with the Public Service Association (PSA) over staff and patient safety concerns at Wellington Hospital’s mental health and addictions service, Te Whare o Matairangi (TWM).

November 2020 vol 26 no 10

‘Never felt so professionally compromised’

By Kai Tiaki editors

November 1, 2020

A nurse working in an Auckland COVID-19 isolation facility says she has “never felt so professionally compromised”.

November 2020 vol 26 no 10

MECA claims underway

By Kai Tiaki editors

November 1, 2020

NZNO’s district health board multi-employer collective agreement (DHB MECA) bargaining team is now waiting on information from the DHBs themselves in order to progress their claims.

NZNO ready to meet new Health Minister

By Kai Tiaki editors

November 1, 2020

NZNO leaders say they are looking forward to working with the new Minister of Health Andrew Little as soon as possible.

November 2020 vol 26 no 10

Plan for more strike action finalised

By Kai Tiaki editors

November 1, 2020

NZNO issued a strike notice late last month covering some 3200 primary health care (PHC) nurses and receptionist/administration staff across more than 500 practices and accident/medical centres nationwide.

November 2020 vol 26 no 10

NZNO welcomes mesh review

By Kai Tiaki editors

November 1, 2020

NZNO WOMEN’S health college chair Denise Braid is welcoming the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) decision to review all declined injury claims related to surgical mesh since 2005.

Next year’s IND theme announced

By Kai Tiaki editors

November 1, 2020

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has announced the theme for International Nurses Day (IND) 2021.

November 2020 vol 26 no 10

Ara midwifery lecturer wins Ilam

By Kai Tiaki editors

November 1, 2020

Ara Institute of Technology midwifery lecturer Sarah Pallett has begun her new career as a Labour MP, representing the Ilam electorate. She won the seat resoundingly, ousting National MP and deputy leader Gerry Brownlee, who had held the seat since its creation in 1996.

November 2020 vol 26 no 10

Volunteer of the year

By Kai Tiaki editors

November 1, 2020

The 2020 Health Volunteer of the Year is Patricia (Patu) Sigley, nominated by Kororareka Marae Society. She also received the Māori health volunteer award.

College wants to attract more nurses into aged care

By Morag MacKenzie and co-editor Mary Longmore

November 1, 2020

The NZNO college of gerontology nursing is working with the Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) to bring a more person-centred approach to aged residential care (ARC) in New Zealand.

October 2020 vol 26 no 9

Army nurse honoured for work in Iraq

By Kai Tiaki editors

October 1, 2020

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.

October 2020 vol 26 no 9

Former NZNO head remembered

By Kai Tiaki editors

October 1, 2020

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.

October 2020 vol 26 no 9

‘Inequity is deep-seated in our society’

By Kai Tiaki editors

October 1, 2020

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.

October 2020 vol 26 no 9

New senior policy analyst for NZNO

By Kai Tiaki editors

October 1, 2020

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

October 2020 vol 26 no 9

Acute mental health units being upgraded

By Kai Tiaki editors

October 1, 2020

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

October 2020 vol 26 no 9

Primary health care professionals to be honoured

By Kai Tiaki editors

October 1, 2020

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.

Daily doses – uncut news

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.
27 Feb	Whakatāne Hospital to resume secondary obstetrics and gynaecology services Whakatāne Hospital will resume secondary obstetrics and gynaecology services from 8am on 13 April 2026.
26 Feb	Counsellors warn NZ is normalising crisis levels of youth distress Youth mental distress has become entrenched, suicide remains a national tragedy, and our systems are failing to intervene early enough, says the New Zealand Association of Counsellors (NZAC).
26 Feb	Record uptake nearly doubles advanced nurse education scholarships A record 235 primary care registered nurses will begin advanced education this year – nearly doubling the number originally planned – following strong demand for the Government’s new Registered Nurse Primary Care Scholarships, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
19 Feb	‘Top Up’ to deliver faster access to support Seven grassroots mental health initiatives supporting small and hard-to-reach communities have received funding to deliver faster access to support, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announced today.
18 Feb	Pharmac proposes funding new treatments that could transform early care for people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, a type of blood cancer People in New Zealand living with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) could soon benefit from funded access to targeted treatments under a new proposal from Pharmac.
13 Feb	Te Whatu Ora’s embarrassing U-turn over proposed car park plan Te Whatu Ora needs to go back to the drawing board and prioritise worker safety after reversing plans to charge hospital workers market rates for car parks, NZNO says.
11 Feb	Stark differences in COVID-19 vaccination rates between Māori and non-Māori, research finds A new study analysing COVID-19 vaccine uptake has found markedly lower vaccination rates among Māori, which researchers link to existing inequities in healthcare access.
9 Feb	ICN’s call for International Nurses Day 2026: empower nurses to save lives ICN has announced the theme for International Nurses Day (IND) 2026: Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives. This focus sends a clear message that to maximize the full life-saving impact of the nursing workforce, we must empower nurses with safe, fair work environments and full nursing practice, influence, and leadership.
5 Feb	Global nurse leaders gather in Japan to address urgent workforce crisis Nursing leaders from Japan and around the world are gathering in Yokohama this week for two major nursing events that are advancing the global conversation on how countries can protect, retain and invest in their nursing workforce as pressures mount across health systems worldwide.
4 Feb	Midwives to deliver more vaccinations to help protect families Midwives are now able to offer a wider range of funded immunisations, supporting families from pregnancy through the early months of a child’s life, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
30 Jan	Opening of E Tū Wairua Hinengaro – Mason Clinic Health New Zealand has marked the opening of E Tū Wairua Hinengaro, a new purpose-built facility at Auckland’s Mason Clinic designed to strengthen and modernise forensic mental healthcare in Aotearoa.
29 Jan	NZNO disgusted by nurse’s killing in the US Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO has expressed disgust at the shooting and killing of nurse Alex Pretti on a Minneapolis, US street on Saturday morning by federal officers.
27 Jan	New national group forms to support public healthcare in Aotearoa Kaitiaki Hauora - Together for Public Health has been formed as a national group bringing together patients, health workers, iwi and Māori health representatives, unions, advocacy organisations, and community groups, with backing from a growing number of organisations across the health sector.
22 Jan	Pharmac proposes to fund life changing treatments for people with cystic fibrosis Pharmac is proposing to fund new treatment options for people living with cystic fibrosis with eligible mutations, including young children, from 1 April 2026.
05 Jan	Nurses pay tribute to Dame Poutasi The passing of Dame Karen Poutasi has seen Aotearoa lose one of its foremost health leaders and a woman of high integrity, Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says.