Te Rūnanga Tauira chair Poihaere Whare
He aha ahau e hiahia ai ki te noho hei nēhi?
Ko te tino take i whiriwhiria ai e au te mahi nēhi, he hiahia nōku ki te āwhina i te tangata, otirā i ngā wā e tino rawarawa ana rātou.
Nā te manaaki i tētahi o ōku whanaunga i ō rātou rā whakamutunga, i tino hōhonu taku māramatanga ki te aroha me te mahi nui a te nēhi me te hunga hauora.
He wheako whakamamae te mātakitaki i ā rātou whakatāuke, i whakatuwhera i ōku kanohi ki te ngoikore o te oranga.
Nā tēnei wheako i whakakā te ngākau nui i roto i a au mō te mahi nēhi, i whakaatu hoki i te mana o te manaaki i runga i te aroha mō te oranga o te whānau me te hapori whānui.
I ahau hei ākonga nēhi Māori, ehara i te mea ko taku haerenga ake anake, engari ko te whakahihiri i tōku iwi, hapū, me te whānau hoki. Mā te mahi nēhi e taea ai te wero i ngā rerekētanga kei roto i te pūnaha hauora, kia waihangatia he ao e matua whakaarohia ana, e matua whakanuia ana hoki te oranga hauora o te iwi Māori.
Why do I want to become a nurse?
My primary reason for choosing nursing as a career is my desire to help people, particularly during their most vulnerable moments.
Witnessing their struggle was a heartbreaking experience that opened my eyes to the fragility of life.
Caring for my loved one in their final days profoundly deepened my understanding of compassion and the critical role of a nurse and health-care professional.
Witnessing their struggle was a heartbreaking experience that opened my eyes to the fragility of life. This experience fuelled my passion for nursing, highlighting the significant impact that compassionate care can have on the wellbeing of whānau and community.
As a Māori nursing student, my journey involves not only my personal empowerment but also the empowerment of iwi, hapū, and whānau.
Nursing provides a platform to challenge systemic disparities within the health system, promoting an environment in which Māori health prospects are prioritised and respected.
National student chair Floyd Watson
I came into nursing to be part of a change for the betterment of our people. Too often we see poor health outcomes for minority groups.
The only way I could see of having an impact on these issues, is by engaging and becoming part of the system that needed to be changed.
I came into nursing to be part of a change for the betterment of our people.
I saw joining NZNO’s national student unit (NSU) as a chance to start making those changes early and a place that could provide a platform to start the hard conversations we need to have as a nation.
National student vice-chair Dawn Blyth
I came into nursing as a mature student. I’ve been a mum to two boys for the last 17 years and decided that now was the time for me to do something.
It is a privilege to care for people in their time of need.
My heart is with helping people and this is something that can be accomplished through nursing. It is a privilege to care for people in their time of need.
The NSU is a place where I can advocate for students around New Zealand while they are training to become our future nurses.
Te Rūnanga Tauira vice-chair Siarra Marsh
Why do I want to be a nurse?
It’s because I saw the inequity my whānau and community were facing and knew I couldn’t sit by and watch it happen.
I knew if I wanted change, I had to be a part of it.
I knew if I wanted change, I had to be a part of it.
This grew within my first year of study as it’s become so obvious how much nursing students are struggling, especially our tauira Māori.
The NSU works as a team, and I know if we continue to fight together, that’s when we can really make a difference.
Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi (with your basket and my basket, the people will thrive).
Work to do
At NZNO’s conference this month, the new leaders acknowledged the work of former student co-leaders Bianca Grimmer and Davis Ferguson and said there was much work to do at a tough time for nursing graduates and students.
“So, we’re really looking forward to having you guys behind us as we try to fix these issues,” Watson said.