Opinion – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

July 2026

‘I chose the nurse’s heart over cold data’: Ensuring Leo’s spirit remains for the future

By Simone Inez Harriman

July 8, 2026

Whether health technology is wood or silicon, keeping the humanity in human-centred care will always be the goal, writes a nurse who discovered its importance first-hand.

July 2026

Why the Government’s pay equity amendments needed international scrutiny

By Gail Pacheco

July 6, 2026

Placing the decision to amend the pay equity framework under the international spotlight is more than just a legal challenge, writes Gail Pacheco.

July 2026

Winter ‘onslaught’ — nurses ponder how they’ll deal with ED overloads

By Natasha Hemopo and Wendy Sundgren

July 1, 2026

As the winter wave hits emergency departments (EDs), NZNO emergency nurse leaders are hearing of widespread understaffing, dangerously long waits and inpatient gridlock.

July 2026

Nurses could be pushed beyond scope: Warning as Palmerston North loses only gastro specialist

By Karen Kempin

June 30, 2026

Palmerston North’s last gastro doctor left in June. This week, Karen Kempin, gastroenterology nurses’ college secretary, spoke at a community meeting about the risks to nurses and patients.

July 2026

When evidence becomes politically inconvenient

By Pipi Barton

June 26, 2026

An experienced Māori nursing educator fears for cultural safety and Māori health outcomes in the wake of recent ministerial appointments to the medical and nursing councils.

July 2026

Government takeover of health and education regulators ‘abuse of power’ — unions

By Chris Abercrombie, Ripeka Lessels, Kerri Nuku, Fleur Fitzsimons, Garrick Cooper and Ti Lamusse

June 24, 2026

Union leaders representing nearly 250,000 workers are joining forces to protest against the recent ‘unprecedented political interference’ in professional regulation across health, education and public services.

July 2026

‘Affirmation’ from health-care providers tells different story to bill’s anti-trans angst

By George Parker et al

June 3, 2026

Trans health initiatives are not a “woke contagion”, as some politicians would have us believe, says a group of health-care experts — they are simply honouring cultural safety.

May 2026

‘It’s finally happening’ — NZNO’s new kaiāwhina group celebrated

By Marita Ansin-Johnson

May 20, 2026

Marita Ansin-Johnson — a founding member of NZNO’s new kaiāwhina national committee — reflects on the long road that led to it.

July 2026

Nurse grant body NERF pauses grants for administrative changes

By Kerri Nuku and Anne Daniels

May 13, 2026

The Nursing Education and Research Foundation (NERF) has paused grant and scholarship applications until July as it restructures its administration systems.

July 2026

Young, white and female: An ideal nurse in the 1980s

By Jacquie Kidd

May 13, 2026

In an exclusive extract from her new book, Ngākaurua, Māori health professor Jacquie Kidd describes her rage as she tries again to become a nurse in the 1980s — only to be confronted with an educational system steeped in racial prejudice.

May 2026

Pay equity wasn’t a nice-to-have — now the UN will have a chance to examine the issue

By Judy McGregor

May 6, 2026

For generations, women’s work has been undervalued – not accidentally, but systemically, writes Judy McGregor.

May 2026

An honest kōrero: Four decades later, are we honouring Irihapeti’s vision?

By Pipi Barton

May 4, 2026

If the goal was transformation, then why do Māori health inequities persist after decades of cultural safety education? Pipi Barton examines the disconnect between nursing education, its practice, and Irihapeti Ramsden’s vision.

May 2026

‘Missed meds, delayed treatments, staff pushed beyond limits’: Nurses have a right to safety

By Tina Giles

April 28, 2026

When nurses hesitate to enter ward doors then something has gone wrong. On workers’ memorial day, enrolled nurse Tina Giles shares her thoughts on fighting for workplace safety.

May 2026

Lack of staff sparks ‘grave fears’ for patients, striking district nurses tell local MP Erica Stanford

By Rosanne Maber and Michelle Beard

April 22, 2026

Auckland district nurses say a lack of resources mean they are having to use incontinence pads to dress patients’ leg ulcers.

May 2026

Why community health screening and education events are crucial

By Sione ‘Ulufonua.

April 22, 2026

Auckland emergency nurse Sione ‘Ulufonua is moved by the hard mahi and passion of health professionals at a recent free community screening day in Tāmaki Makaurau.

May 2026

Weaving together the strands — why we updated kawa whakaruruhau

By Waikura Kamo and Annette Huntington

April 20, 2026

The Nursing Council has updated its 2011 cultural safety guidelines. Kaiwhakahaere Waikura Kamo and chief education advisor Annette Huntington share the past, present and future of a document that has grown through generations of nurses.

May 2026

‘Growing up with Irihapeti’: Revealing the human behind the nursing leader

By Pirimia Burger

April 1, 2026

Even while being extraordinary, Irihapeti Ramsden was extraordinarily human, daughter Pirimia Burger revealed in her speech in February, reproduced here, marking refreshed kawa whakaruruhau guidance.

April 2026

‘Fuel in the car or food for the kids?’ — registered nurse faces spiralling fuel costs

By Jonathan [last name withheld by request]

April 1, 2026

I am a registered nurse and a solo father of two children — five and under.

April 2026

‘We stayed true’ — NZNO membership committee’s last chair reflects on achievements, challenges

By Anne-Maree Wagg

March 13, 2026

Final chair of the membership committee, Anne-Maree Wagg says it allowed her to grow as a leader and helped members’ voices be heard.

April 2026

The wisdom of health workers — should actual nurses be running Te Whatu Ora?

By Rob Campbell

March 2, 2026

Former Te Whatu Ora chair Rob Campbell walked away from a recent kōrero with NZNO-Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa’s national executive wondering why nurses and kaiāwhina aren’t running the show.

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.
29 May	WellSouth Statement on Budget 2026: a missed opportunity Budget 2026 is a missed opportunity for primary care, and for the communities that depend on it most, in particular our rural people and practices.
29 May	Updated - Nurses on front lines of Ebola outbreak at serious risk In response to the gravely concerning and escalating Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) warns that nurses and other frontline health workers are being put at serious risk and left fearful for their safety.
27 May	Health NZ committed to safeguarding patient information Health New Zealand welcomes the reports released today into the Manage My Health (MMH) cyber incident and is committed to ensuring all possible steps are taken to safeguard patient information.
22 May	More New Zealanders could benefit from funded vaccines from 2027 Pharmac is proposing changes that would give more New Zealanders access to funded vaccines from 2027, including expanded access to the flu vaccine for young children.
21 May	It’s not just the wallet: How the gender pay gap can hurt women’s bodies While many aspects of New Zealand’s enduring gender pay gap have been discussed, its physical impact on workers has been largely overlooked – until now.
21 May	Bupa nurses take pay equity claim over historic wage discrimination NZNO nurses working at Bupa aged residential care homes throughout Aotearoa New Zealand have raised a pay equity claim to address historic gender-based wage discrimination.
20 May	Waikato Hospital adds 10 forensic mental health beds Ten new forensic inpatient beds have been made available at the Regional Forensic Psychiatric Service at Waikato Hospital to expand forensic mental health capacity for adults in prison or on remand in Health New Zealand’s Midland region.
18 May	Strong gains in two-year immunisation target for Tamariki Māori Health New Zealand is welcoming a significant increase in Māori immunisation rates, with full immunisation at 24 months rising from just over 60 per cent in late 2024 to 71.5 per cent at the end of last month.
15 May	New global report shows empowering nurses is key to saving lives and strengthening health systems As the world marks International Nurses Day, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) is calling for urgent investment in nursing, supported by a major new global report, Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives, that presents seven key nursing powers.
14 May	Lakes and Whanganui nurses still waiting for Holiday Pay a decade on Photo by Fin Ocheduszko-Brown at Whanganui Chronicle Nurses at Lakes and Whanganui districts are calling on Te Whatu Ora to explain why after a decade of redress, they still don’t know when they will receive their full Holiday Act remediation payments, NZNO says.
13 May	Recognising the extraordinary contribution of nurses International Nurses Day is an opportunity to recognise the extraordinary role nurses play in caring for New Zealanders at every stage of life, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
12 May	Government’s decision to scrap fees free scheme will lead to further student exodus The Coalition Government’s decision to scrap the fees free policy for third year tertiary students has left nursing tauira outraged
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.