News – Page 9 – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

October 2023

Pasifika young nurse of the year draws on his own ‘tough’ experiences in sexual health work

By Mary Longmore

September 22, 2023

Tōpūtanga Tapuhi o Kaitiaki Aotearoa — NZNO’s young nurse of the year John Fa’ukafa says the “tough” times he endured as a young Pasifika male coming out as gay made him the nurse he is today.

September 2023

Healthline and telehealth nurses to strike over pay ‘cut’ from profitable bosses

By Mary Longmore

September 8, 2023

Nurses who take calls around the clock from some of our most vulnerable have voted to go on a 24-hour strike next week, after an offer they describe as an effective pay cut.

September 2023

Nurses turn out for striking senior doctors

By Mary Longmore

September 6, 2023

‘Here come the nurses!’ was the appreciative cry from senior doctors striking outside Wellington Hospital yesterday as Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa — NZNO members spilled off the Newtown bus and took their place on the picket line beside their colleagues.

September 2023

Axing Auckland nursing degree ‘short-sighted’ in the face of nursing shortfall

By Mary Longmore

September 6, 2023

Axing Massey’s Auckland nursing degree is ‘short-sighted’, say critics — but students describe a challenging learning environment.

September 2023

‘Disappointed’ primary health nurses pin hopes on pay equity claim

By Mary Longmore

August 31, 2023

NZNO is preparing to “urgently” lodge a pay equity claim for primary health care (PHC) members, who narrowly voted to accept a pay deal after two years of bargaining and a strike.

September 2023

Matariki brings a new name for college of child and youth nurses

By Mary Longmore

August 25, 2023

Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa — NZNO’s college of child and youth nurses (CCYN) has been gifted a new name to reflect its commitment to equitable health outcomes for tamariki in Aotearoa.

September 2023

‘Do you live or do you try and finish this degree?’ — Tauira share the personal toll of trying to become a nurse

By Mary Longmore

August 23, 2023

A third of nursing students are reconsidering their career choice, because the job seems too stressful, an NZNO student survey has found.

September 2023

Schools of nursing unite in urgent call to protect ‘at risk’ nurse educators

By Mary Longmore

August 23, 2023

Academics from across Aotearoa’s 20 nursing schools are speaking up in an unprecedented and “urgent” call to protect what they say is an at-risk but crucial part of the nursing workforce.

September 2023

And it’s a ‘yes’ (just) — Te Whatu Ora nurses, members, accept pay proposal in close vote

By Mary Longmore

August 7, 2023

Strike action has been called off as NZNO nurses, health-care assistants, midwives and kaiāwhina voted — closely — to accept Te Whatu Ora’s offer, after more than 10 months of collective agreement negotiations.

September 2023

Fast-track door to nursing in Aotearoa opens for Pacific nurses

By Mary Longmore

August 7, 2023

A grandmother of seven is among 40 ākonga (students) who have signed up for a new diploma to support Pacific-trained nurses into the New Zealand workforce.

September 2023

Victoria University’s nursing staff escape cuts but midwifery remains in sights

By Mary Longmore

August 3, 2023

Nursing staff at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington (VUW)’s school of nursing and midwifery are breathing a sigh of relief today after finding out there would be no cuts to its nursing programme staff.

September 2023

Proposed perioperative practitioner role could push nurses out of theatres — college

By Mary Longmore

August 2, 2023

Nurses fear a proposal to turn anaesthetic technicians (ATs) into ‘perioperative practitioners’ could spell the end of nurses in operating theatres.

September 2023

Nurses vote ‘overwhelmingly’ to accept pay equity offer

By Mary Longmore

July 31, 2023

After more than a year of litigation, more than 30,000 nurses, health-care assistants (HCAs) and other kaimahi hauora have voted “overwhelmingly” to accept Te Whatu Ora’s pay equity offer.

August 2023

Te Whatu Ora members prepare to strike as call goes out for 4000 more nurses

By co-editors

July 27, 2023

Te Whatu Ora nurses, midwives, kaiāwhina and health-care assistants are preparing to strike next month, as NZNO calls for thousands more nurses to fill workforce gaps.

August 2023

Nursing schools fight ‘significant’ proposed staff cuts

By Mary Longmore

July 20, 2023

Proposed cuts to more than a quarter of Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University of Wellington (VUW)’s school of nursing and midwifery staff have been paused after a $128 million Government tertiary education rescue package.

August 2023

Nurses welcome ‘critical’ $128 million funding boost for tertiary education

By Mary Longmore

July 18, 2023

Nurse educators are welcoming a $128-million funding boost for tertiary education, saying it is is “critical” to maintaining a highly skilled nursing workforce and improving patient outcomes.

August 2023

Scale of nursing deficit ‘confronting’, says minister as workforce plan announced

By Cate Macintosh

July 5, 2023

A long awaited national health workforce plan includes a target to reduce attrition rates of student nurses from 30 to 20 per cent, and provide more support to the existing workforce.

August 2023

Boost to student placements ‘amazing’ — but do we have enough teachers?

By Cate Macintosh

July 5, 2023

A commitment to boost nursing student numbers by 10 per cent has been welcomed as ‘positive news’ for the nursing sector, but concerns remain over how the additional recruits will be supported to get through their training.

July 2023

Members encouraged to have say on NZNO’s future

By Cate Macintosh

June 30, 2023

NZNO members are being urged to give feedback on the future of the organisation, it’s structures and governance as part of a wide-ranging review which many hope will result in a re-write of the constitution.

July 2023

Celebration over pay disparity ‘fix’ for Māori, iwi, Pacific providers on hold for many

By Cate Macintosh

June 26, 2023

Many nurses and kaiāwhina who work for Māori, iwi and Pacific providers haven’t had a pay increase, despite an injection of $200 million towards closing the gap in rates with Te Whatu Ora.

13 May	On International Nurses Day a new State of the World’s Nursing Report charts a path toward Universal Health Coverage As the world’s nurses celebrate International Nurses Day (IND), ICN issues a rallying cry to governments around the globe for urgent nursing support, following the launch of the second World Health Organization (WHO) State of the World’s Nursing (SOWN) report.
8 May	NZ First’s gender definition bill will harm mental health, counsellors warn The New Zealand Association of Counsellors (NZAC) is deeply concerned by New Zealand First’s proposed Member’s Bill, which seeks to legally define “man” and “woman” solely based on biological sex.
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.