Winner of NZNO’s award of honour winner, Fiji-born nurse Abel Smith, spoke about how his mum urged him to “be brave” when she first dropped him off to nursing school in the city far from his small village.
“At night, I wanted to run away back home — but I didn’t know the way back and I didn’t have any money,” Smith told members at the awards dinner in Wellington this week.
‘Stick at it, and it will pay you dividends. . . not just monetarily, but prestige and honour.’
“But I’ve stuck with it over the last 43 years — 40 years as an RN in different countries and it’s been a rewarding career and I’ve never regretted it.” said Smith who is director of nursing Pacific at Te Toka Tumai, Auckland Hospital.
Smith urged young nurses — currently facing a tough job market — to not give up too soon.
“Stick at it, and it will pay you dividends. . . not just monetarily, but prestige and honour,” said Smith, a long-time member of NZNO’s Pacific nurses section.
“We are still here, because we love what we do and we’re invested in the people we serve.”
‘I believe my heart is truly in Te Tai Tokerau — so much love for my colleagues.’
Whangārei emergency nurse and NZNO delegate Sacha Young was awarded for her services to nursing. Young — who has been involved with NZNO Te Tai Tokerau regional council for more than six years — espoused te Tiriti o Waitangi in action, kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku said.
Not only did she include Te Rūnanga in each regional hui, but was never too proud to seek guidance on tikanga and cultural matters, Nuku said.
An emotional Young said she was “lost for words which is very unusual for me because I’m very articulate normally”.
“I really want to give my āwhi to Te Tai Tokerau — the most incredible people I could ever work with.”
Young said she moved from West Auckland to Te Tai Tokerau 25 years ago to nurse her terminally unwell father.
“Dad said to me ‘I want you to promise me you’ll go back to nursing’ which I’d started at the Eastern Institute of Technology. So I made that promise.”
“I believe my heart is truly in Te Tai Tokerau — so much love for my colleagues.”
‘Epitome of humility’
Awarded for 26 years of service to NZNO, Taranaki registered nurse (RN) Jennie Rae was described as the “epitome of humility”, calm under pressure and always willing to support and develop colleagues.
An emotional Rae said NZNO development had been “immense” over her 26 years as an active delegate.
‘Mental health services is an area where, to quote the Prime Minister, we are not back on track — we are way off track.’
“So many passionate delegates out there doing the mahi every day . . . there’s a legacy of NZNO that will go on and on. It’s just fabulous to be part of,” said Rae, also a long-time member of the NZNO mental health nurses section.
Mental health ‘not on track’
Long-time Auckland mental health nurse Helen Garrick was also awarded for her services to nursing — after 50 years in mental health and addiction nursing.
As well as many roles in education, Garrick continues to work in mental health and is long-time chair of NZNO’s mental health nurses section.
Garrick said the award was “very humbling” but there was a lot of work to do in mental health nursing.
” Mental health services is an area where, to quote the Prime Minister, we are not back on track — we are way off track. We are derailed all over the place.” she said.
“The people on those trains are going to stay there for a long time if we don’t stand up for them — so I see that as part of my role.”
Honorary members
Hawke’s Bay enrolled nurse Sandra Corbett and Dunedin critical care nurse and NZNO delegate Debbie Robinson were also awarded honorary membership for their contributions.
Sandra Corbett, who has been long-time co-chair of Te Matau a Māui Regional Council and cervical screening advocate said her time at NZNO had been a “blast”.
“I’ve had wonderful opportunities to grow and develop and be part of the global scene of the nursing movement. We are such an important part of the health and wellbeing of our community — kia kaha whānau!”
Robinson — currently overseas — had been an active delegate for safe staffing and preceptor at Dunedin Hospital, and keen supporter of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in her mentoring of new graduates.
See also Abel Smith’s sharing his story of his journey into nursing from his village.