John Takamore stood at the picket line outside Wellington Hospital, just as passionate as hundreds of nurses and midwives who went on strike yesterday.
For the past five years, he has been in and out of hospital for prostate cancer.
“Nurses are expected to cover a lot of ground for mediocre pay,” he said.
“Government wants cheap labour so it is gambling with our lives.
“Our hospitals aren’t safe – I’ve seen it. We need more nurses and they need to treated better and paid properly.”
Up to 30,000 nurses, midwives and health-care workers throughout the country went on strike yesterday. Their main concern is staffing levels not being safe for their patients and themselves. They are all members of NZNO.
An outpatient from Porirua, who wanted to be known as Christina, said she wanted the Government to invest more in New Zealand nurses.
“The international nurses are just as good, but we need to focus on our nurses from our own backyards,” she said.
“It’s not fair that they study for years and so many of them miss out on jobs and end up going overseas.
“The nurses don’t have the time to look after people like they should. They are overworked and undervalued and have been for too long. It is time for this Government to invest in all those nursing graduates in this country who are waiting for a job.”
‘It is time for this Government to invest in all those nursing graduates in this country who are waiting for a job.’
George, from Tauranga, said nurses are the “backbone of the health system.”
“I’m sick of seeing nurses striking. Governments needs to stop resisting, and really listen to nurses.”
Wellington
The strike picket outside Wellington Hospital saw about 300 nurses and midwives turn out.
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick showed her support to the NZNO members there.
“We currently have a tax system that sees 311 of the country’s wealthiest households pay an effective rate of less than half that of the average New Zealander,” she said.
‘If we can fix the tax system, we will be able to fix many others systems including health.’
“If we can fix the tax system, we will be able to fix many others systems including health.”
Auckland
Nurses in Auckland got creative during their strike, joining hands and arms and legs to form the letters WTF. And no – it does not stand for what many of you might be thinking.
The acronym actually poses a very important question – where is the funding?
Hutt Valley
Outside Hutt Hospital, up to 200 nurses and kaiāwhina – supported by doctors – were on a very noisy High Street, calling for safer staffing.
“Hutt people love to toot!” laughed one of the nurses, as more deafening horns rolled past.
What’s causing the safety issues?
NZNO delegate, and enrolled district nurse, Leiani Blair told Kaitiaki lack of staffing meant district nurses could not pair up to do risk assessments. “There is not enough of us to go in pairs, most of the time,” said Blair, who had personally felt unsafe several times.
Nurse practitioner Sue Anderson said safe staffing tool CCDM (care capacity demand management) “held them accountable to have proper staffing – of course they’re going to want to get rid of it.”
She said already staff who left or went on maternity leave were not being replaced and she only feared things would get worse.
She said already staff who left or went on maternity leave were not being replaced and she only feared things would get worse.
“The future’s looking really crap – no-one’s going to want to do these jobs.”
Nurse educator Jaydeen Thistoll said it would be very hard to safely staff the hospital without CCDM, which had made a huge difference. “How are we going to manage safe staffing without it?”
Delegate Eden Baker said CCDM had made a huge difference.
“For me, it’s not just about the pay – although that’s insulting – but having safe staffing just creates a more healthy environment for everybody – patients and nurses.”
Nurse Reshmi Lata said the medical wards were regularly at orange or yellow status (understaffed).
NZNO delegate Nathan Clark – who was wearing his Christmas Grinch scrubs in a message to Te Whatu Ora — said nursing seemed hugely undervalued by Te Whatu Ora currently.
“We are going to see our youngest and brightest go overseas, while we have an ageing workforce.”
But Te Whatu Ora had a fight on its hands, he added. “The gloves are off – I’m from the Hutt.”
Support from doctors
Doctors also joined nurses on the picket lines.
Tania Wilton said nurses were “the backbone of the system”, while Lydia Dunford said it was about being a team.
“We all work together for the patients, so what affects nurses, affects us and patients.”