Opinion – Page 4 – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

March 2022

Overcoming barriers to COVID-19 testing and vaccination – everything matters

By Susan Shaw and Rain Lamdin

February 16, 2022

Non-violent language and less-invasive techniques for testing and vaccination are important tools for overcoming public fear.

February 2022

Has the time come for nurses to gain a mega MECA?

By Joel Maxwell

February 8, 2022

A universal collective agreement for all nurses across all sectors – is it possible?

February 2022

The president comments: Nurses’ courage and self-determination

By Anne Daniels

February 8, 2022

February 2022

Redeployment — can we make it less stressful?

By Catherine Montgomery and Angela Clark

February 8, 2022

Being redeployed to another area can be challenging, and leave you feeling like a fish out of water.

December 2021 vol 27 no 11

A life in public health: ‘I didn’t know you didn’t talk about gay rights in Taranaki’

By Kai Tiaki editors

December 1, 2021

A career that began on the fringes for Heather Came, has now been recognised at the very heart of public health.

December 2021 vol 27 no 11

The kaiwhakahaere comments

By Kerri Nuku

December 1, 2021

Tēnā koutou to NZNO members – as 2021 closes and 2022 arrives, it is a good time to take a broader look at social justice and how we all fit into this important kaupapa.

Farewell to a challenging year, as we brace for more COVID in the community

By Kate Weston

December 1, 2021

It is that time where we reflect on the year, and 2021 has certainly been a challenging one. We have seen everything from large-scale industrial action, a national pandemic response and now mandatory vaccination for the vast majority of health and disability services staff.

December 2021 vol 27 no 11

‘New thinking needed’ on aged care RN crisis

By Margaret Crozier

December 1, 2021

Better status and remuneration are needed to ease the nursing crisis in aged care, says a major recruiter.

December 2021 vol 27 no 11

Please keep reading online – for nursing

By Teresa O’Connor & Anne Manchester

December 1, 2021

This final print edition of Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand is a momentous moment in the publication’s 113-year history. It is, we suppose, an inevitability in this third decade of the 21st century.

February 2022

Nurse practitioners ready to play a role in assisted dying

By Tamah Clapham

December 1, 2021

After seeing too many people die without whānau, Auckland NP Tamah Clapham has trained and registered to provide care under the End of Life Choice Act.

December 2021 vol 27 no 11

Digital organising accelerates in 2021

By associate industrial services manager Iain Lees-Galloway

December 1, 2021

It has become trite to say but nevertheless true that we live in extraordinary times.

November 2021 vol 27 no 10

To care and be cared for

By Ruth Abad and Natalie Seymour

November 1, 2021

Over the past 12 years working as an aged care registered nurse (RN) in New Zealand, I, Ruth Abad, have seen a vast change in the profession.

A daughter’s view from the inside – aged care

By co-editor Mary Longmore

November 1, 2021

Earlier this year, NZNO delegate and registered nurse Jean Al-Daghestani quit the Lower Hutt aged care facility she has worked in as coordinator for the past six years for a community nursing role.

November 2021 vol 27 no 10

No one asked us

By Anna Hickey

November 1, 2021

Auckland registered nurse and clinical nurse educator Anna Hickey wrote about a recent experience with a patient for her post-graduate diploma in child health at Auckland University of Technology.

Together we are stronger – reflections on the DHB MECA campaign

By David Wait

November 1, 2021

We started this campaign with a clear intent that member leadership and unity would be key to our success. We finished this campaign united, strong, and with members standing together for themselves, their patients and the professions.

November 2021 vol 27 no 10

The president comments

By Anne Daniels

November 1, 2021

“A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care that the balances are correct. This every sister of the Bene Gesserit knows.” – Manual of Muad’Dib by the Princess Irulan. (Dune).¹

‘You can’t know what you would decide’

By co-editor Mary Longmore

November 1, 2021

Nurse practitioner Jackie Robinson is a voice for nurses on the SCENZ – support and consultation for end of life in New Zealand – group overseeing the End of Life Care Act which came into effect November 7.

October 2021 vol 27 no 9

Hospital visitors must be limited in a pandemic

By acting manager nursing and professional services Kate Weston

October 1, 2021

In September 2021, NZNO supported members at Auckland District Health Board (ADHB) who had put in place a provisional improvement notice (PIN), citing health and safety concerns over a permissive visitor policy.

October 2021 vol 27 no 9

Time for change to fully digital future

By co-editor Joel Maxwell

October 1, 2021

There is a Māori proverb, a whakataukī, that goes like this: Ka mate kāinga tahi, ka ora kāinga rua.

September 2021 vol 27 no 8

Workplace policies needed on end of life law

By professional nursing advisor Michelle McGrath

September 1, 2021

Nurses need to think about what their roles will be under the End of Life Choice Act and seek the support and guidance they will need.

Uncut – news briefs

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.
20 Dec	Health NZ introduces public reporting of key primary healthcare measures and PHO performance Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) has introduced public reporting of key primary healthcare measures and Primary Health Organisation (PHO) performance.
19 Dec	Quarter 1 performance report released Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora has today published its Quarterly Performance Report for Quarter 1, covering the period 1 July to 30 September 2024.
18 Dec	Recent uptick in Boostrix immunisations amid whooping cough epidemic, but work still to do As the healthcare sector continues to respond to a whooping cough (pertussis) epidemic across the motu, it’s promising to see a recent uptick in the number of Boostrix immunisations among the 15- to 44-year-old age group, with a recent doubling of doses administered from about 1,000 per week to over 2,000 per week.
18 Dec	Extra security to again keep EDs safe this summer Health Minister Dr Shane Reti is again reminding New Zealanders that violence against patients, visitors and health workers won’t be tolerated, with additional security for hospital emergency departments across the country this summer.
13 Dec	Mental health and addiction targets implementation plans released Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora has today published its first quarterly results for four of the five mental health and addiction targets, covering the period 1 July – 30 September 2024.
12 Dec	Health targets encouraging – work continues New data shows that the Government’s focus on health targets is putting the brakes on the steep decline in delivery seen over the past five years.
12 Dec	Gisborne receives mental health beds boost Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey today opened Gisborne Hospital’s new acute mental health unit, Te Whare Awhi Ora, and says the region will be better served by a bigger, more therapeutic acute mental health unit.
9 Dec	Afghan women ‘banned from nursing and midwife training’ in latest blow to rights BBC News has reported that female nursing and midwifery students in Afghanistan have been told not to return to their studies, effectively ending women’s only access to further education, and putting women and children’s lives at risk.
9 Dec	How student and early career nurses can influence policymaking The International Council of Nurses (ICN) held a webinar which highlighted the vital importance of primary and preventative health care in meeting the World Health Organization’s (WHO) challenging goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030
3 Dec	Health NZ end-of-year deficit confirmed In publishing its annual report, Health NZ has confirmed it ended the financial year with a deficit of $722 million, against a target surplus of $54 million.
2 Dec	ICN says COP29 climate finance shortfall threatens the planet’s health The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has expressed profound disappointment with the outcomes of COP29, held in Baku, particularly the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance that was passed despite significant objections from developing countries.
29 Nov	Minister reminds public health officials of priorities Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti says the National Public Health Service should concentrate its focus on prioritising serious public health issues facing New Zealanders.
29 Nov	Community providers rally to protect hapū māma and pēpi as national whooping cough case numbers surpass 1,000 for 2024 Hapū māmā are being urged to get immunised, and parents and caregivers are encouraged to get their babies immunised on time, as whooping cough case numbers continue to climb across Aotearoa New Zealand.
28 Nov	Govt ignores health crisis, plans to axe 1500 public health roles The health of New Zealanders will suffer because of the Government’s plan to axe nearly 1500 roles at Te Whatu Ora, coming at a time when the public health system is already under severe pressure.
27 Nov	Health New Zealand Establishes Technical Advisory Group to Lead Transformation in Maternity Care This team of experts and community representatives will play a key role in the development of the Maternity Commissioning Framework, a core element of the wider Kahu Taurima programme, which aims to make maternity and early years services more equitable, accessible, and whānau-centered.
22 Nov	Whooping Cough epidemic declared across Aotearoa New Zealand Health agencies have confirmed today that Aotearoa New Zealand is now in the early stages of a Whooping Cough epidemic, with a nationally coordinated response now in place.
20 Nov	A Global Map of Winter Depression Healthnews has released an extensive study that ranks 194 countries based on their winter-pattern Seasonal Depression Disorder (SAD) risk.
18 Nov	Potential travel disruption expected with Tuesday’s national Hīkoi Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora urges those with an appointment scheduled at Wellington Regional Hospital on Tuesday morning or early afternoon, to please allow extra time to get to appointments.
15 Nov	ICN’s calls on G20 leaders to address international health worker migration crisis Ahead of the G20 Leaders Summit in Rio de Janeiro next week, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) welcomes the Declarations recently adopted by the G20 Health Working Group and health ministers.
13 Nov	Measles case confirmed in Tāmaki Makaurau Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora has confirmed today that a new case of measles has been identified on Waiheke Island in Auckland. The case and their household are being supported by the National Public Health Service (NPHS), with those most at risk now in quarantine to help reduce the chance of further spread.
5 Nov	Safety fears ahead of changes to mental health 111 calls Mental Health Nurses have serious concerns about the safety of their patients, the public, their colleagues and themselves when police changes to emergency 111 calls come into effect on Monday, New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa says.
31 Oct	General practices welcome fast-track approvals process A new fast-track approval process is a good start, but more is needed to fix New Zealand’s chronic GP shortage, says the General Practice Owners Association (GenPro)
24 Oct	International Council of Nurses Bucharest Declaration priorities for the future of nursing The International Council of Nurses (ICN) marked the 125 years since its founding in 1899 with an anniversary conference held in Bucharest, Romania and hosted by the Order of Nurses, Midwives, and Medical Assistants of Romania.
10 Oct	Call to immunise now as New Zealand at high risk of whooping cough outbreak Pregnant people, babies, children and others at high risk from whooping cough are urged to get vaccinated as soon as possible, as Aotearoa New Zealand stands at high risk of an outbreak.
9 Oct	New pilot with Plunket to deliver childhood immunisations To increase access and boost immunisation rates, Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora and Whānau Āwhina Plunket will pilot the delivery of childhood immunisations at a select number of sites across the country.
8 Oct	Health NZ Begins Development of National Perinatal Bereavement Care Pathway As Baby Loss Awareness Week shines a light on the heartbreak faced by many, Health NZ is taking a compassionate and hopeful step forward in transforming the support available for whānau who experience the loss of a baby.
7 Oct	Govt takes the scalpel to regional health budgets At Labour’s insistence, Te Whatu Ora financial documents have been released by the Health Select Committee today showing more cuts are on the way for our health system.
2 Oct	Orion Health and Streamliners form strategic partnership Orion Health, a global leader in digital health solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Streamliners, creators of HealthPathways which provides an online manual used to assist with clinical assessments.
1 Oct	Rollout of new medicines across New Zealand begins Today marks the first day a range of new medicines, including cancer medicines, will start to become available in hospitals and health centres across the country.
27 Sept	New Dunedin hospital: Southerners deserve better The Government’s announcement today that it will scale back the new Dunedin hospital will negatively impact patient care, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki O Aotearoa says.
26 Sept	Govt not addressing health workforce crisis The National Government is hiding the gaps in the health workforce from New Zealanders, by not producing a full workforce plan nearly a year into their tenure.
25 Sept	New programme offers step up for jobseekers seeking a career in health and wellbeing Local jobseekers have an exciting new opportunity to begin a career in Health following the launch of a new community-based kaiāwhina programme in the Hutt Valley.
23 Sept	Ministers oblivious to cuts’ effect on families The National Government is oblivious to the impact cuts to services will have on New Zealanders who are doing the hard yards caring for mentally ill family members.
19 Sept	Wānaka community to benefit from new overnight health service Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says an Overnight Acute Care Service opening in October will provide people in Wānaka and the surrounding area with the assurance of quality overnight care closer to home.
17 Sept	Dr Le Heron takes title of 2024 Alzheimers NZ Fellow Distinguished neurologist and cognitive neuroscientist, Dr Campbell Le Heron, has been made the 2024 Alzheimers NZ Fellow for his work researching and managing cognitive disorders.
11 Sept	Aged care will be worse off if redesign rushed New Zealanders needing aged care support and the people who care for them will be worse off if the Government pushes through a flawed and rushed redesign of dementia and aged care.
11 Sept	Govt takes action on mpox response, widens access to vaccine The Government is taking immediate action on a number of steps around New Zealand’s response to mpox, including improving access to vaccine availability so people who need it can do so more easily, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti and Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today.
10 Sept	ICN launches new position statement and discussion paper setting out a revolution in the delivery of Primary Health Care The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is launching its new position statement and a discussion paper on Primary Health Care (PHC) at its Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nursing Network (NP/APN Network) Conference in Aberdeen, Scotland.
9 Sept	First cancer medicine decision following Pharmac funding boost Pharmac has decided to widen access to two medicines for several types of cancer. Pembrolizumab (branded as Keytruda) will be funded from 1 October 2024 for eligible people with advanced triple-negative breast cancer, head and neck cancer, colorectal cancer, bladder cancer, and Hodgkin lymphoma. Nivolumab (branded as Opdivo) will be funded from 1 November for eligible people with kidney cancer.
6 Sept	Health agencies working with Police on rebalancing roles for mental health responses Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora and the Ministry of Health - Manatū Hauora are working with Police to change some of the ways agencies respond to mental health. The change will see an increased health-led response, supporting Police to focus on core Policing.
4 Sept	Nurses’ bargaining starts with action for safe staffing Nurses are kicking off their collective bargaining with Te Whatu Ora by taking action for safe staffing on Friday, New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says.