Opinion – Page 9 – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

November 2021 vol 27 no 10

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.

September 2021 vol 27 no 8

From the Employment Contracts Act to the COVID-19 lockdown

By Margaret Cain

September 1, 2021

Retiring NZNO professional nursing advisor Margaret Cain looks back at the big issues over three decades of working for nurses.

September 2021 vol 27 no 8

Hospice sector: Why political will and industrial strength matter

By NZNO industrial advisor Danielle Davies

September 1, 2021

NZNO’s hospice members are facing employer tactics aimed at breaking up a hospice MECA.

September 2021 vol 27 no 8

The Galleries: a Māori perspective on mental health

By Pipi Barton

September 1, 2021

Bob Elliott’s 35-year-old model, painting a portrait of the Māori view of mental health, remains as relevant today as it was then.

September 2021 vol 27 no 8

‘Mental health nurse’ an outdated term

By Heather Casey

September 1, 2021

What an opportunity! Recent and coming health reforms will see significant changes in health structures and with that the opportunity to reconsider the ways we think about nursing and nursing care. The structural reforms also provide the opportunity for nurses practising in mental health to think about their nursing role and identity, and how it impacts on services provided.

August 2021 vol 27 no 7

Life as a nurse practitioner opens a world of possibilities

By Ebson Abraham

August 1, 2021

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are highly skilled autonomous health practitioners who have advanced education, clinical training and demonstrated competency; they have the legal authority to practice beyond the level of a registered nurse (RN).

August 2021 vol 27 no 7

The kaiwhakahaere comments

By Kerri Nuku

August 1, 2021

Tēnā koutou to NZNO members as we move into the Māori new year, Matariki, a time to balance progress and stability.

Opinion: Good cop, bad cop, a Little bit of each

By co-editor Joel Maxwell

August 1, 2021

In any government, there are portfolios that cut across problematic issues. Andrew Little is one minister who has negotiated these challenges with some success – politically, at least.

August 2021 vol 27 no 7

Too long taken for granted, nurses are waking up to political realities

By NZNO professional nursing advisor Anne Brinkman

August 1, 2021

The predominately female profession of nursing has been ignored for too long, and nurses’ attitudes are hardening.

August 2021 vol 27 no 7

Cervical self-testing a long time coming

By Jane Grant

August 1, 2021

In July 2023, Aotearoa’s National Cervical Screening Programme (NCSP) will make its biggest change since it began in 1990, following the Cartwright Inquiry into experiments being conducted on patients at National Women’s Hospital without their consent.

July 2021 vol 27 no 6

What is the price of industrial action? We need those who stay behind

By co-editor Joel Maxwell

July 1, 2021

As we move into another phase of ongoing district health board (DHB) member industrial action, we should stop and spare a thought for those who stay on to hold the fort.

July 2021 vol 27 no 6

The president comments

By Tracey Morgan

July 1, 2021

“Whāia te iti Kahurangi ki te tuohu koe me he maunga teitei” – Seek the treasure you value most dearly; if you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain.

‘A lifetime of internalised racism manifested – and I broke.’

By Kimmel Manning

July 1, 2021

As Matariki nears and we begin to move into the New Year, so too comes the time for reflection.

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.