News – Page 33 – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

April 2021 vol 27 no 3

Staunch trade unionist and ex-NZNO staffer dies

By Kai Tiaki editors

April 1, 2021

Former Christchurch NZNO office manager and long-time trade unionist Andy Lea died last month, aged 72. He started at NZNO in 2005 and retired because of ill health in 2019.

April 2021 vol 27 no 3

Equal pay win for Canterbury MIQ nurses

By Kai Tiaki editors

April 1, 2021

About 60 NZNO nurses working in Christchurch managed isolation or quarantine (MIQ) facilities will be getting paid the same rates as their Auckland colleagues, after lobbying from NZNO.

April 2021 vol 27 no 3

MIQ nurses ‘shunned’ by communities

By Kai Tiaki editors

April 1, 2021

A senior nursing lecturer says the stigma faced by nurses working in managed isolation or quarantine (MIQ) facilities is “concerning” and nurses should know what they are signing up for.

April 2021 vol 27 no 3

$6 million for more Māori, Pacific midwives

By Kai Tiaki editors

April 1, 2021

A $6 million initiative to triple the number of Māori midwives and quadruple the number of Pacific midwives over the next four years would make a big difference to those communities, chair of NZNO’s Pacific Nursing Section ‘Eseta Finau says.

April 2021 vol 27 no 3

Nurses ‘best advertisers’ for vaccine

By Kai Tiaki editors

April 1, 2021

Nurses can make a real difference in encouraging people to have the COVID-19 vaccine, says the nurse leading Wellington’s border vaccination programme, Marie Habowska.

April 2021 vol 27 no 3

PHC MECA ratified at last

By Kai Tiaki editors

April 1, 2021

The proposed primary health care multi-employer collective agreement (PHC MECA) has been overwhelmingly endorsed by members.

Emergency nurses plead for help

By Kai Tiaki editors

April 1, 2021

Emergency nurses are pleading with the Government to urgently step in to alleviate “critical” and unsafe pressures on emergency departments (EDs) and hospitals around the country.

April 2021 vol 27 no 3

Pacific approach ‘essential’

By Kai Tiaki editors

April 1, 2021

Pacific communities must be reached through community groups and churches to encourage COVID-19 vaccination, chair of the NZNO Pacific Nursing Section, ‘Eseta Finau, says.

April 2021 vol 27 no 3

Māori authority must have ‘power’

By Kai Tiaki editors

April 1, 2021

NZNO supports a fully autonomous Māori Health Authority (MHA) with the power to create, commission and fund health services for Māori, acting chief executive Mairi Lucas says.

April 2021 vol 27 no 3

Morgan takes up presidency on as-needs basis

By Kai Tiaki editors

April 1, 2021

Tracey Morgan, elected unopposed as NZNO vice president last October, will act as president on an as-needs basis until new board elections in September.

April 2021 vol 27 no 3

DHB offer ‘insulting’

By Kai Tiaki editors

April 1, 2021

NZNO members working in district health boards (DHBs) are poised to reject the multi-employer collective agreement (MECA) offer, now out for consideration.

Making a connection beyond the mask

By co-editor Mary Longmore

April 1, 2021

The COVID-19 epidemic has highlighted the deep need for more culturally supportive care for critically ill Māori patients, a Waikato critical care nurse says.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

NZNO ‘thrilled’ with PHC MECA vote

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 16, 2021

The proposed primary health care multi-employer collective agreement (PHC MECA) has been overwhelmingly endorsed by members.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Board still to decide how best to fill presidential vacancy

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 1, 2021

NZNO’s board of directors was still considering how best to fill the presidential vacancy, when Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand went to press.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Acting chief executive appointed

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 1, 2021

NZNO’s manager of nursing and professional services (MNPS) Mairi Lucas (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Raukawa) has been appointed acting chief executive (CE) by NZNO’s board of directors, following Memo Musa’s resignation last month.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Secondment to help with community nurse prescribing

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 1, 2021

Deputy chief nurse at Counties Manukau District Health Board (DHB) Karyn Sangster has been seconded to the Nursing Council for 12 months to advance its nurse prescribing agenda.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Offer to follow ‘focused’ DHB MECA negotiations

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 1, 2021

Two small teams of negotiators are exploring “ideas and options” for a new NZNO/district health board multi-employer collective agreement (DHB MECA).

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Members petition for release of review report

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 1, 2021

A member petition for the NZNO board of directors to release the full evaluation of its performance has so far attracted 200 signatories.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Board review recommends some radical changes

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 1, 2021

A smaller board of nine, an appointed chair, two appointed directors to bridge skill gaps and a half-time president and kaiwhakahaere are among the key recommendations of the NZNO governance review, completed late last year.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Growing interest in IPC nursing – college

By co-editor Mary Longmore

March 1, 2021

Infection prevention skills have never been more crucial, says college.

27 Oct	Pilot registry to trial a safer path for women’s pelvic health Health New Zealand has started a pilot in Christchurch today to test processes required to establish a nationwide registry for female pelvic floor procedures, including surgical mesh.
23 Oct	National’s hiring freeze puts lives at risk Last night’s warnings from doctors at Wairau Hospital that patients may die if they don’t get more staff is yet another example of the damage National’s hiring freeze has done to our health system.
23 Oct	Recognition of need to fix primary care crisis good for patients Recognition of the need to fix the crisis in primary health care is good for patients but stops short of a much-needed overhaul of the sector, NZNO says.
20 Oct	Winners of the 2026 NZ Primary Healthcare Awards \| He Tohu Mauri Ora announced Over 600 supporters of primary care gathered at the Auckland's Viaduct Events Centre on Saturday night for a glittering gala dinner for the 2026 New Zealand Primary Healthcare Awards \| He Tohu Mauri Ora.
19 Oct	Te Whatu Ora must fully staff vital Starship Children's Hospital wards Te Whatu Ora must fully staff all wards at Starship Children's Hospital including four vital wards which are short of a total of 18 full-time nurses, NZNO says.
16 Oct	Paid placements policy will help boost nursing workforce A policy to pay nursing students a weekly allowance while they're on clinical placements will help them graduate and boost Aotearoa New Zealand's homegrown nursing workforce, NZNO says.
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.