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The COVID-19 response and nurses’ role in it and personal protective equipment (PPE) supply problems were key topics at the NZNO virtual conference Community wellbeing in Aotearoa Nursing 2020 and beyond on September 16.

University of Otago Professor of Public Health Michael Baker praised the effectiveness of New Zealand’s elimination approach to COVID-19 – and public health nurses.

A full inquiry into New Zealand’s response to COVID-19 should have begun “weeks ago”, to better prepare the country for future pandemics, McGuiness Institute founder Wendy McGuiness told the conference.

COVID-19 had brought the “critical importance of nursing into sharp focus”, outgoing chief nursing officer (CNO) Margareth Broodkoorn told the conference.

Auckland GP Graham Gulbransen has treated 1500 patients at his medical cannabis service in Henderson – New Zealand’s first – since opening in 2018.

Now was the time for nurses to “stamp their mark, understand their value and ensure they worked in solidarity”, Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku said in her concluding remarks to conference.

Member groups were given a second opportunity to raise issues over the 2019 AGM minutes, after technical challenges prevented discussions when the minutes were earlier accepted.

NZNO will restore mention of its work on violence and aggression against nurses to its strategic plan 2021-25, at members’ request during the AGM.

A full and independent review of the NZNO constitution will go ahead after all 10 constitutional and policy remits were passed at this year’s online annual general meeting (AGM), heralding a raft of changes within NZNO’s governance and management.

NZNO received $500,000 less membership revenue over 2019/20, as NZNO membership growth did not meet projections, NZNO corporate services manager David Woltman told the annual general meeting.