Articles – Page 53 – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

October 2022

Introduction to biological medicines

By He Ako Hiringa

May 27, 2022

Biological medicines are being increasingly used to treat a range of conditions in New Zealand. Nurses need to understand what they are, how they are used and possible side effects in the patients they care for.

September 2021 vol 27 no 8

‘Sense of urgency’ in Pacific community

By Kai Tiaki editors

September 1, 2021

Frontline nurses vaccinating Auckland’s Pacific communities against COVID-19 have seen thousands of people since the Delta outbreak began last month, says a nursing team leader.

August 2022

Hand hygiene: A student nurse perspective

By Keenan D’Souza, Katarina Campbell, Amjad Alsiyabi, Sally Davis, Lucy Hou, Rebecca Zhao and Jackie Williams

March 21, 2022

RNs should be setting an example to student nurses on how to perform hand hygiene to the highest standards.

September 2021 vol 27 no 8

Racism stirs up dawn raids memory for Pacific nurse

By Kai Tiaki editors

September 1, 2021

Pacific nurses had enough to cope with without racist comments in the media, Pacific Nurses’ Section chair ‘Eseta Finau said.

September 2021 vol 27 no 8

No strike but nurses go purple

By Kai Tiaki editors

September 1, 2021

Delta thwarted strike plans on August 19. Instead, members rolled up their sleeves and got to work on the pandemic frontline.

September 2021 vol 27 no 8

Masks and PPE ‘a concern’

By Kai Tiaki editors

September 1, 2021

NZNO is concerned about a lack of access to and poorly fitted N95 masks for frontline vaccination teams in Auckland, acting professional and nursing services manager Kate Weston says.

Read more... Masks and PPE ‘a concern’

September 2021 vol 27 no 8

Staffing shortages laid bare by lockdown pressure

By Kai Tiaki editors

September 1, 2021

The COVID-19 lockdown has exposed chronic short-staffing as nurses were asked to work despite living with people potentially exposed to the virus.

September 2021 vol 27 no 8

NZNO successfully defends Employment Court LPS challenge

By Kai Tiaki editors

September 1, 2021

NZNO has claimed victory after being taken to the Employment Court by district health boards (DHBs) in their ongoing industrial dispute with members.

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

Maranga Mai! – Nurses find their political voice

By Cate Macintosh

June 7, 2023

A general election is a golden opportunity for NZNO members to take political action and achieve policy changes. But what does it mean to be politically engaged, aware and active? Kaitiaki spoke to some members who are leading the way.

September 2021 vol 27 no 8

Data lag could hide vacancies

By Kai Tiaki editors

September 1, 2021

Just under 1200 nurse vacancies were reported across the country’s district health boards (DHBs) at March 31 this year – about five per cent of the 25,000 DHB nursing workforce – but the real vacancy rate is likely to be “significantly higher”, says an NZNO safe staffing expert.

September 2021 vol 27 no 8

Get vaccinated, avoid spreading misinformation – Nursing Council

By Kai Tiaki editors

September 1, 2021

Nurses should get vaccinated – and shouldn’t spread vaccine misinformation, the Nursing Council of New Zealand says.

September 2021 vol 27 no 8

Aged care nurses must await DHB deal – Little

By Kai Tiaki editors

September 1, 2021

Aged care nurses must wait for district health board (DHB) nurses to strike a pay deal before attaining their own pay parity, Minister of Health Andrew Little says.

May 2024

A nurse’s burnout leads to hospital for carers

By Jacqui O'Connor

April 9, 2024

In 1993 I graduated as a New Zealand registered nurse. Starting from university, we were never taught the importance of caring for ourselves, or other carers, to help meet the huge demands of our roles.

May 2024

Nurses Memorial Fund is there to help

By Sharyn Lovell

April 3, 2024

In these difficult economic times, and with another wave of COVID-19, many people are experiencing financial hardship alongside the usual life events.

April 2024

Survey: How are we are doing in health & safety in New Zealand?

By Safeguard

March 4, 2024

Safeguard magazine’s annual State of the Nation survey is open and we invite you to take part.

September 2021 vol 27 no 8

NZNO staff moves – retirements & resignations

By Kai Tiaki editors

September 1, 2021

After 13 years at NZNO, policy analyst Māori Leanne Manson has resigned, to take up a senior role at Pharmac as pou tohu mātāmua (principal advisor) te whaioranga (Māori responsiveness strategy).

March 2024

‘Innovative’ nurse-pharmacist partnership can help with declining childhood immunisation rates

By Nicola Metcalfe

February 2, 2024

I write as a registered nurse (RN) and immunisation coordinator, deeply concerned about the declining childhood immunisation rates in Aotearoa.

September 2021 vol 27 no 8

NZNO kaiwhakahaere wins global human rights award

By Kai Tiaki editors

September 1, 2021

Kerri Nuku wins award while Indigenous Nurses Aotearoa Conference inspires Māori–healthcare professionals.

March 2024

Registered nurses considering post-graduate study sought

By Laura Ewens-Volynkina

February 15, 2024

Are you a registered nurse (RN) and thinking of doing postgraduate study in health sciences?

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.