Nursing workforce – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

December 2024

Papers reveal directors of nursing fighting for graduate employment

By Mary Longmore

December 19, 2024

No pause? Fear, confusion and ‘murky waters’ as directors of nursing (DONs) say they were not permitted to hire mid-year graduates.

December 2024

Hundreds of nursing graduates miss out on Te Whatu Ora jobs

By Mary Longmore

November 27, 2024

Te Whatu Ora is being accused of failing in its most basic duty — protecting the future nursing workforce of New Zealand.

September 2024

Nurses — have we gone from hero to zero?

By Anita Cook

August 26, 2024

A Wellington nurse laments the way nurses are being treated lately after putting their lives on the line during the COVID-19 pandemic.

September 2024

Left out in the cold: Is it really about health budget constraints?

By Pipi Barton

August 13, 2024

In an urgent call to better support New Zealand-trained nurses, senior Māori nursing lecturer at NorthTec, Pipi Barton (Ngāti Hikairo ki Kāwhia) recalls being an out-of-work nursing graduate in the 1990s.

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

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.

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.

December 2022

Maranga Mai! Immigration — what needs to change?

By Mary Longmore

November 17, 2022

Maranga Mai! — NZNO’s campaign to fix the nursing crisis –calls for immigration rules that will increase the recruitment and retention of migrant nurses. But after being left off the fast-track to residency here amid a global nursing shortage, migrant nurses are eyeing other countries with fewer barriers. What needs to change?

December 2022

‘We have given until we’ve bled’ — the importance of a shared struggle

By NZNO chief executive Paul Goulter

November 7, 2022

You may have noticed I’ve been talking a lot lately about the power of the collective and NZNO members — whether nurses, kaiāwhina or health-care assistants — turning up for each other, no matter where or what part of the health sector you work in.

December 2022

Minister looking at paid third-year placements, but no sign of more fees-free

By co-editors Mary Longmore and Cate Macintosh

November 6, 2022

Paid clinical placements ‘a nod in the right direction’, but free nursing study for all is the goal, say student nursing leaders.

November 2022

Maranga Mai! Registration — what needs to change?

By Mary Longmore

September 23, 2022

As Aotearoa New Zealand faces down a nursing shortfall of thousands, changes are afoot to how overseas nurses are registered here. In the second part of a series exploring Maranga Mai!, NZNO’s campaign to fix the nursing crisis, Kaitiaki looks at what needs to change in the registration process.

September 2022

The Aussies are doing it — can we train nurses for free here?

By Mary Longmore

September 1, 2022

Nursing students say they would welcome free training in New Zealand, after the Australian state of Victoria this week announced a $270 million investment to train 10,000 nurses and midwives over the next two years.

October 2022

Te wero, our challenge, to grow our own workforce

By Sue Adams and Josephine Davis

August 31, 2022

The COVID-19 surge workforce — of unregulated health workers — could be an important source of new nurses.

September 2022

NZNO puts out call for Pasifika nurses at Southland Polyfest

By Mary Longmore

August 30, 2022

“What could be better than our rangatahi meeting proud Māori and Pasifika nurses?” NZNO students reach out to Pasifika community

September 2022

Maranga Mai! Education — what needs to change?

By Mary Longmore

August 24, 2022

About a third of Aotearoa’s nursing workforce is comprised of overseas-trained nurses, nurse vacancies are into the thousands and an estimated one in three nursing students are dropping out — with even higher rates for Māori and Pacific1. In the first of a series exploring Maranga Mai!, NZNO’s campaign to fix the nursing crisis, Kaitiaki looks at what needs to change in nursing education.

September 2022

Nursing Council eases written English test for overseas nurses

By Mary Longmore

August 19, 2022

The Nursing Council is easing standards on the written English test for overseas-trained nurses, in an effort to reduce barriers.

September 2022

Real nurses star in campaign to draw more Māori, Pasifika & men into nursing

By Mary Longmore

August 5, 2022

NZNO nurses from military to burns and plastic surgery feature in a new NZNO-Ministry of Health (MoH) recruitment drive to encourage more people into nursing — particularly Māori, Pasifika and men.

September 2022

Thanks minister, but please put nurses on the fast-track to residency

By Mary Longmore

August 2, 2022

NZNO is cautiously welcoming a raft of new health workforce measures and a global nurse recruitment campaign — but says ultimately Aotearoa needs to grow its own health workforce.

Uncut – news briefs

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.