Articles – Page 61 – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

June 2021 vol 27 no 5

New health entities ‘fully functional’ by Sept 2022

By co-editor Joel Maxwell

June 1, 2021

Transition unit bosses give clues on how sweeping health reforms will roll out.

June 2021 vol 27 no 5

Leading from the two houses

By co-editor Joel Maxwell

June 1, 2021

New co-chair, Māori, for the National Nursing Leaders group Brenda Close talks about the two houses of modern nursing leadership.

June 2021 vol 27 no 5

Government lays out cash for transition to new health system

By co-editor Joel Maxwell

June 1, 2021

Budget 2021 had an extra $4.7 billion for health, along with nearly half a million to kick-start its health reforms. But there was no indication of new funding for health worker salaries.

June 2021 vol 27 no 5

Wellington neonatal unit gets big staffing top-up

By Kai Tiaki editors

June 1, 2021

Wellington’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) has hired an extra 26 full-time equivalent (FTE) nurses, after safe staffing acuity tool TrendCare helped identify a large shortfall.

March 2023

Body clocks, the pandemic and NZ nursing histories — an intriguing line-up of books you can borrow

By Heather Woods and Amanda Otzen

February 8, 2023

Histories of New Zealand nursing, experiences of the pandemic in Australia, the science of the body clock and its implications for shiftwork — the NZNO library has something for you in its roster of new books.

February 2023

‘My hands shake as I apologise for the millionth time’

By Amy Clark

January 30, 2023

An experienced nurse shares her struggles with IV cannulation.

June 2021 vol 27 no 5

Nan Kinross: Trailblazer and disruptor

By Joy Bickley Asher

June 1, 2021

Emeritus Professor Nancy Kinross, RN, PhD, CBE, 1926-2021.

February 2023

Lives transformed by Mercy Ships’ surgical care

By Sharon Walls

January 25, 2023

An Auckland nurse has completed her fifth tour of duty with Mercy Ships, and is inspired by the resilience of her patients who come from countries often lacking basic health care.

February 2023

Grisly experiences drove history graduate into nursing

By Mary Longmore

December 9, 2022

In the final of our NZNO board member profiles, Wellington perioperative nurse Simon Auty describes the grisly experiences that drove him to become a nurse.

June 2021 vol 27 no 5

Vera Ellen: Hutt Hospital’s former principal nurse dies

By Kai Tiaki editors

June 1, 2021

Former principal nurse at Hutt Hospital, Vera Ellen, died in April, aged 94.

December 2022

Academia, activism and nursing – the key drivers for Grant Brookes

By Cate Macintosh

December 8, 2022

An unexpected period of living rough while on his OE, gave Grant Brookes a taste of “how the other half lives” and deepened his drive to advocate for human rights. As part of a series on the NZNO board of directors, Brookes spoke to Kaitiaki about his story.

June 2021 vol 27 no 5

Nurses must find their voice, amid changes

By Jenny Carryer

June 1, 2021

Health Minister Andrew Little and the transition team have outlined significant change in the larger health service delivery structures.

April 2023

Why ‘Barbie’s Bill’ and advance care plans matter to nurses

By Louise Duffy

March 29, 2023

A national database of advance care plans is needed, to provide certainty for patients, families and hospital staff.

December 2022

Working at a local meat works, getting pregnant — or nursing

By Cate Macintosh

December 12, 2022

Nursing was an escape route from rural poverty and boredom into a world of service for Margaret Hand. She spoke to Kaitiaki about her passion to help vulnerable whānau for a series on the board directors.

April 2023

Course teaches conservative sharp debridement

By Rebecca Aburn

March 29, 2023

Learn the skills needed to safely and competently perform conservative sharp debridement.

June 2021 vol 27 no 5

Sounding the alarm in EDs

By professional nursing advisor Suzanne Rolls

June 1, 2021

Lately, I have been spending time with NZNO’s College of Emergency Nurses NZ (CENNZ) as they desperately try to find solutions to overcrowding in emergency departments (EDs) around the country.

What happens when workers don’t want to be vaccinated

By Lesley Harry

June 1, 2021

What happens when a health worker doesn’t want the COVID-19 vaccination? What if they work in a sector particularly vulnerable to the virus? NZNO aged care industrial advisor Lesley Harry gives insights into the state-of-play in a sector with ‘disproportionate’ risks to residents.

June 2021 vol 27 no 5

Pay freeze is bad policy and unions are fighting it

By Iain Lees-Galloway

June 1, 2021

Lead organiser and former Labour minister Iain Lees-Galloway shares insights on how the Government shapes policy and laws – and its recent pay-freeze mistake.

June 2021 vol 27 no 5

Jumping the ditch

By co-editor Joel Maxwell

June 1, 2021

Is the nursing brain drain real? And if it is, can you blame nurses for leaving?

Nursing support for people with mild mental health needs

By Helen Duyvestyn

June 1, 2021

What can a nurse do in everyday practice to support a person with mild depression and anxiety? A clinical nurse specialist recommends a variety of practical tools and advice.

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.