Safe staffing – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

May 2025

‘We are burning out’ — Pacific nurses speak out on understaffing

By Imelda Rokoua

May 9, 2025

A survivor of domestic violence who became a nurse to give better care than she experienced says constant short-staffing is making it really hard.

January 2025

Health workforce plan to grow-our-own ‘hollow’, says NZNO

By Mary Longmore

December 13, 2024

Te Whatu Ora’s plan to train more local health workers is a hollow promise given how few graduates it has employed, says NZNO — Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku.

December 2024

‘It is gaslighting’ — nurses refute Levy’s claims hospitals are fully staffed

By Mary Longmore

December 11, 2024

Te Whatu Ora says it’s fully staffed with nurses and kaiāwhina — yet it won’t reveal how many shifts were below safe staffing targets in 2024.

January 2025

Safe staffing and stronger community health care — returning president and vice-president share their aims

By Mary Longmore

December 9, 2024

In the first of two leadership profiles, Kaitiaki talks to returning NZNO president Anne Daniels and vice-president Nano Tunnicliff about their priorities.

November 2024

Nurses and kaiāwhina vote to strike before Christmas

By Mary Longmore

November 18, 2024

Unhappy with Te Whatu Ora’s bargaining position, nurses and kaiāwhina have voted strongly to hold an eight-hour nationwide strike on December 3 followed by rolling district strikes.

October 2024

Where’s the money? Nurses challenge Government over its health targets plan

By Mary Longmore

September 13, 2024

Exhausted emergency, perioperative, primary health and cancer nurses may be left wondering how they are meant to treat more patients quicker, without any more funding.

July 2024

‘My God you’re influential — use it’. Call to action for nurses, kaiāwhina and midwives to push for safe staffing

By Mary Longmore

July 9, 2024

The real-life stories of nurses, combined with hard evidence on the harm caused by poorly staffed hospitals, are crucial to getting safe nurse-to-patient ratios legalised here in Aotearoa, nurse leaders heard.

July 2024

New Zealand can lead the world in culturally safe nurse-to-patient ratios

By Mary Longmore

July 4, 2024

Māori nursing leaders want Aotearoa, New Zealand, to be the first in the world to introduce culturally safe nurse-to-patient ratios, alongside clinical.

July 2024

From far north to deep south, nurses and kaiāwhina call for change

By Mary Longmore

June 25, 2024

Nurses and kaiāwhina who jumped aboard the country-wide safe staffing bus tour say public support has been “amazing” — and want the Government to invest in safely staffed hospitals.

June 2024

‘We are sick and tired of being burnt out’ — safe staffing bus tour starts with a sizzle in the far North

By Mary Longmore

June 10, 2024

Nurses in Northland, Nelson and Palmerston North kicked off an 11-day safe staffing bus tour of Aotearoa on Monday with a sizzle in the sunny north — and some drizzle further south.

June 2024

‘People aren’t on a spreadsheet’ — nurses share pain over latest cut-backs with health leaders

By Mary Longmore

May 30, 2024

A nurse who has quit and another who “literally ran” her entire shift were among those who spoke to Te Whatu Ora leaders face-to-face about latest cost-cutting — one breaking down in tears as she spoke.

June 2024

‘It’s bittersweet, but I don’t think I want to nurse here anymore’

By Mary Longmore

May 16, 2024

An Auckland nurse says she is reluctantly giving up on nursing in Aotearoa after burning out just six weeks after coming back to work here.

June 2024

Nurses and kaiāwhina across Aotearoa brave chill winds to call for safer staffing

By Mary Longmore

May 9, 2024

Nurses and kaiāwhina braving brutal near-zero temperatures in some places to speak up for safer staffing received warm support from the public as they rallied across the country today.

May 2024

‘It’s heart-breaking’ — nurses and kaiāwhina to rally across Aotearoa for safe staffing

By Mary Longmore

May 8, 2024

From aged care to mental health, nurses and health-care assistants (HCAs) are rallying around the country tomorrow (May 9) for safer staffing ratios ahead of this month’s Budget 2024.

January 2024

‘Listen to us — keep us safe’: Nurses nationwide call for funding from new Government over nursing crisis

By Mary Longmore

December 1, 2023

Te Whatu Ora nurses have described gruelling workplaces, rife with burnout, violence and unsafe staffing levels, as they turn out across the country to demand more investment in their workforce.

November 2023

‘I won’t be silenced’ — Gisborne Hospital nurse whistleblower fears she is a target after disciplinary attempt

By Mary Longmore

October 9, 2023

Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa–NZNO is taking legal action to support Gisborne Hospital ward 5 nurse Christine Warrander after hospital managers threatened her with disciplinary action over a social media post.

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

Maranga Mai! What needs to change for a safe, representative and flourishing nursing workforce?

By Mary Longmore

July 25, 2023

Safe staffing, funding and mentoring for all nurses are key to a flourishing, representative and skilled workforce with enough Māori and Pacific to safely care for all Aotearoa communities — a key focus of NZNO’s Maranga Mai! strategy.

July 2023

Mental health nursing ‘beyond crisis’

By Mary Longmore

June 19, 2023

NZNO mental health nurses say their workforce is “beyond crisis” with record levels of violence — often fuelled by methamphetamine — coinciding with a dearth of senior nurses.

June 2023

Hundreds support striking Gisborne nurses after court win

By Mary Longmore

May 24, 2023

A hard-won one-hour strike by 24 Gisborne Hospital ward 5 nurses and health-care assistants (HCAs) this afternoon drew “huge” support, says an emotional nurse who led the fight all the way to the courtoom.

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.