Articles – Page 23 – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

November 2024

Labour accuses Government of ‘hypocrisy’ as health consultant costs balloon

By Mary Longmore

November 20, 2024

Labour’s health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall is accusing National of “hypocrisy” after revealing Te Whatu Ora’s spending on consultants grew by 18 per cent in the year to mid-2024.

September 2023

Axing Auckland nursing degree ‘short-sighted’ in the face of nursing shortfall

By Mary Longmore

September 6, 2023

Axing Massey’s Auckland nursing degree is ‘short-sighted’, say critics — but students describe a challenging learning environment.

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.

November 2024

Nurses needed to mahi-march in Pōneke next week

By Renee Kiriona

November 14, 2024

“We are expecting this to be the biggest hīkoi or political demonstration Wellington, and the nation, has ever seen so we want to make sure everyone is safe and we have some nurses there.”

November 2024

More staff needed to meet health targets, say emergency and primary health nurses

By Mary Longmore

November 13, 2024

Nurses say more staff are needed if they are to meet the Government’s health targets.

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.

November 2024

Non-Māori nurses have nothing to fear in joining hīkoi

By Renee Kiriona

November 12, 2024

“To our Pākeha nurses, there’s nothing to fear when you see thousands of Māori marching down the street. Come and join us, you’ll have fun and learn a lot about tangata whenua and our country’s founding document.”

November 2024

‘They ignore the data, they ignore us’ — nurses’ fears over planned safe staffing tool pause

By Mary Longmore

November 12, 2024

Nurses and kaiāwhina fear Te Whatu Ora’s planned pause on safe staffing calculations will put patients at risk.

November 2024

Rally hears voices of whānau under attack by Govt

By Renee Kiriona

November 7, 2024

More than 100 people took part in a Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa NZNO-led rally today at Parliament to oppose the tabling of the Government’s Treaty Principles Bill.

November 2024

Nurse shares mana and shines light on ‘raw realities’

By Renee Kiriona

October 29, 2024

Within minutes of being named the top nurse practitioner of Aotearoa for 2024, Margaret Hand was passing over that mana to her marae and other nurse practitioners in Te Tai Tokerau.

November 2024

First nurse wins emerging researcher award for Māori lung cancer mahi

By Mary Longmore

October 25, 2024

Stella Williams-Terei (Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri, Ngāpuhi) has become the first nurse to win a prestigious cancer research award for her work to improve care for Māori lung cancer patients.

November 2024

Stopwork nationwide hui pass five fight-back motions

By Renee Kiriona

October 23, 2024

Thousands of workers across the country stopped work today to take part in multiple hui to fight back on what unions are describing as this Government’s relentless attacks on working people.

October 2024

‘Man, it’s a fight’ — nursing students prepare to rally across Aotearoa

By Mary Longmore

October 18, 2024

‘You get through this three years and you’ve fought so hard to get this degree and now we’re fighting to get a job – it’s scary.’

November 2024

‘The struggle is real’ — nursing students nationwide take to the streets in a call for paid training

By Mary Longmore

October 21, 2024

Nursing students rallied around the country over the weekend in a passionate call for financial support to stem a drop-out rate of one in three.

June 2024

‘We stand in solidarity’: Nurses and kaiāwhina turn out in support of Te Tiriti protests

By Mary Longmore

May 30, 2024

Nurses, kaiāwhina and members of Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa NZNO joined tens of thousands who turned across the motu in support of Toitū Te Tiriti (honour the Treaty) protests aimed to disrupt the Government’s Budget 2024.

November 2024

Senior nurse leaders face cuts in proposed Te Whatu Ora reshuffle

By Mary Longmore

October 18, 2024

Te Whatu Ora is looking to axe four directors of nursing (DONs) by the end of the year in a blow to senior nursing leadership at the organisation.

November 2024

‘Fearless’ and outspoken or humble and calm — Canterbury nurses dominate NZNO awards

By Mary Longmore

October 15, 2024

Te Wai Pounamu (South Island) nurses dominated the recent awards for services to NZNO–Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa.

October 2025

‘There is joy in nursing, and we want to find it’

By Shivann Ramaekers and Helen Rook

October 3, 2025

Share your joy — two nurse researchers want to hear about your uplifting experiences in nursing.

October 2024

Kenepuru Hospital: ‘All hell will break loose if he doesn’t keep his word’

By Renee Kiriona

October 14, 2024

Porirua Mayor Anita Baker says she will hold Health Minister Shane Reti to his word that the after-hours accident and medical service at Kenepuru Hospital will not be chopped and replaced with a telehealth service.

October 2024

‘Liar, liar’: Nurses confront Prime Minister over Dunedin hospital ‘betrayal’

By Mary Longmore

October 11, 2024

Dunedin Hospital nurses were among dozens of protestors who confronted Prime Minister Christopher Luxon this week, when he made a flying visit to the flood-stricken region.

23 Oct	National’s hiring freeze puts lives at risk Last night’s warnings from doctors at Wairau Hospital that patients may die if they don’t get more staff is yet another example of the damage National’s hiring freeze has done to our health system.
23 Oct	Recognition of need to fix primary care crisis good for patients Recognition of the need to fix the crisis in primary health care is good for patients but stops short of a much-needed overhaul of the sector, NZNO says.
20 Oct	Winners of the 2026 NZ Primary Healthcare Awards \| He Tohu Mauri Ora announced Over 600 supporters of primary care gathered at the Auckland's Viaduct Events Centre on Saturday night for a glittering gala dinner for the 2026 New Zealand Primary Healthcare Awards \| He Tohu Mauri Ora.
19 Oct	Te Whatu Ora must fully staff vital Starship Children's Hospital wards Te Whatu Ora must fully staff all wards at Starship Children's Hospital including four vital wards which are short of a total of 18 full-time nurses, NZNO says.
16 Oct	Paid placements policy will help boost nursing workforce A policy to pay nursing students a weekly allowance while they're on clinical placements will help them graduate and boost Aotearoa New Zealand's homegrown nursing workforce, NZNO says.
5 Oct	Labour's pay rise a first step, but pay equity needs a full settlement Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO has welcomed Labour's promised pay rise for care and support workers as a first step. It says care and support workers now need a full settlement of their pay equity claim and a workable pay equity system for all of its members.
1 Oct	Health NZ releases first national report on serious adverse events Health New Zealand has published its first national Serious Adverse Event Report, acknowledging the serious harm experienced by patients and whānau and outlining the improvements identified and actions underway to strengthen patient safety. The report covers serious adverse events reported in Hospital and Specialist Services between 1 July and 31 December 2025.
25 Sept	380 more health care workers at the end of winter too little too late An announcement of 380 additional nurses, midwives and health care assistants for hospitals around the country at the end of winter is too little too late, NZNO says.
23 Sept	Auckland University research finds nurse shortages increase post-surgery deaths and complications New research by Auckland University has found addressing nurse shortages in post-operative care may save 182 lives a year because short-staffed wards have higher rates of potentially preventable deaths and complications after their surgeries.
21 Sept	Whanganui Hospital ED averaged 680% capacity over a week Working in an overcrowded emergency department (ED), up to 680% capacity over a week, makes staff feel overwhelmed with the pressure, Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO says.
14 Sept	WellSouth's Newborn Enrolment Kahu Taurima Programme a finalist at the Primary Care Awards 2026 WellSouth's Newborn Enrolment Kahu Taurima Programme is a finalist at the Primary Care Awards for the HALEO Best Supplier Service, Product or Campaign category. Winners will be announced on 17 October.
14 Sept	Global Study: Nursing Shortages Require Workforce Policy Solutions, Not Recruitment Campaigns Alone Why people choose nursing, and why they leave, comes down to the same factors. The global nursing shortage cannot be solved simply by encouraging more people to enter the profession, according to a new evidence brief.
8 Sept	Overworked, understaffed Gisborne ED staff strike Health and safety concerns arising from unsafe staffing levels have forced nurses at Gisborne Hospital’s emergency department (ED) to go on strike.
4 Sept	Strong growth in wāhine Māori and Pacific women’s cervical screening rates highlights success of self-testing programme Cervical screening participation has increased significantly for both wāhine Māori and Pacific women, reflecting the strong impact of self-testing, Screening Services and the dedicated efforts of health providers working alongside their communities.
4 Sept	Government must adopt Wai 2713 recommendations on disability system The Coalition Government must urgently adopt new recommendations from the Waitangi Tribunal which has found significant parts of the disability system prejudice tāngata whaikaha Māori (Māori with disabilities), NZNO says.
31 Aug	Employing graduate nurses will help keep them in nursing and the country A new proposal that will require Te Whatu Ora to offer all eligible graduate nurses jobs in the public health system will help keep them in nursing and in Aotearoa New Zealand, NZNO says.
26 Aug	Health Minister’s claim Winter Plan ‘managing well’ delusional Health Minister Simeon Brown’s claim that hospitals are ‘managing well’ because of the Government’s Winter Plan is delusional, NZNO says.
25 Aug	Hospital data shows nursing shortages continue to put patients at risk Te Whatu Ora data released today shows patients are continuing to be put at risk by the Coalition Government’s deliberate failure to safely staff hospital wards, NZNO says.
24 Aug	Fed-up North Shore ED staff declare state of emergency NZNO members working in the emergency department (ED) at North Shore Hospital have declared a state of emergency due to unsafe staffing levels resulting in ongoing overcrowding.
19 Aug	What happened to the winter health plan? The $25 million 2026 Winter Plan launched by Health Minister Simeon Brown in March to erase pressure on the health system has been an unmitigated disaster, Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO says.
11 Aug	Applications open for advanced nursing education programmes Health New Zealand is encouraging registered nurses to apply for two advanced education programmes that support nurses to further develop their clinical skills and expand access to care in communities across New Zealand.
3 Aug	Health New Zealand welcomes settlement of NZRDA collective agreement Health New Zealand welcomes the vote by New Zealand Resident Doctors Association (NZRDA) members to settle their collective agreement.
30 Jul	Backing our frontline rural health workforce Rural communities across New Zealand will benefit from three new investments that will support the rural health workforce and help more people access care closer to home, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says.
22 Jul	Te Whatu Ora must disclose staffing levels at time of tragic death Te Whatu Ora must disclose whether the Waikato emergency department (ED) was short-staffed at the time a man tragically died in the waiting room, NZNO says.
6 Jul	Reflecting on IND 2026 Looking back on last month’s International Nurses Day 12 May 2026 (IND 2026), the impact of this year's theme "Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives" continues to resonate across the world. ICN’s landmark IND 2026 report defined seven key powers of nursing and this message has been strengthened with nurses in every region celebrating, naming, and owning their powers throughout May.
3 Jul	Health New Zealand acknowledges Ombudsman statement on Wakari Ward 10A Health NZ welcomes the independent investigation by the Ministry of Health into Ward 10A. On Wednesday the Health NZ board agreed to close Wakari Ward 10a as a forensic intellectual disability (ID) unit, with the future use of the ward yet to be determined.
2 Jul	New programme to fast track bowel cancer care and cut colonoscopy waitlists Health New Zealand is today launching a national initiative, designed to fast track bowel cancer care and reduce colonoscopy waitlists by up to 30 per cent.
1 Jul	Six new Co-Response Team locations announced to strengthen support for people in mental distress The next six locations for Health New Zealand and NZ Police Co-Response Teams have been confirmed, expanding a model that helps people experiencing mental distress receive timely, wraparound support that better meets their health needs.
29 Jun	Mental health and addiction targets progress continues Health New Zealand continues to make important progress against its mental health and addiction targets, meeting four out of five national targets this quarter.
25 Jun	Access to care continuing to improve across a range of health indicators New health data released today shows continued improvement in access to care across a range of health indicators.
18 Jun	Funding "boost" continues dangerous under-funding of aged care The Health Minister’s funding "boost" for aged residential care continues underfunding to the sector and will continue unsafe practices and short staffing, which is putting vulnerable residents at risk, NZNO says.
16 Jun	Labour to make maternity scans free Labour will add free maternity scans to the Medicard alongside three free doctor’s visits a year, so every pregnant woman gets the care she needs.