April 2025 – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

March 2026

‘End of an era’ — reunion for Palmerston North Hospital’s final nursing class of ’86

By Wendy Maddock

February 27, 2026

Palmerston North Hospital’s last cohort of hospital-trained registered nurses graduated in May 1986 and are having a reunion this May. Were you there? Even if you didn’t complete your training?

March 2026

Respiratory nurses raise ‘crucial’ voice on lung health in Aotearoa

By Jacquie Westenra

February 23, 2026

Jumping on a new national respiratory strategy group, catching up with the Minister of Health and doubling their committee members — NZNO’s respiratory nurses are not afraid to raise their voices for better lung health in Aotearoa. Chair Jacquie Westenra shares what’s been working for them.

April 2025

Nurse practitioners ‘safer’ than physician associates — NZNO president

By Kaitiaki co-editors

May 2, 2025

Allowing overseas-trained physician associates to become regulated here is a risky “quick fix” to doctor shortages, NZNO-Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa president Anne Daniels is warning.

May 2025

May Day: Striking nurses (and mokopuna) among thousands set to fight back tomorrow

By Renee Kiriona

April 30, 2025

Perioperative nurses at Auckland City Hospital, Starship Hospital and Greenlane Hospital will strike tomorrow while thousands of other nurses throughout the country use their break times to march and rally as part of the nationwide May Day events.

May 2025

We need to demand a fairer tax system

By Rosemary Avison

April 29, 2025

When money is tight and the Government is cutting one service to provide for another equally deserving service, it divides the people and we fight amongst ourselves.

May 2025

Pacific nursing section is set to grow Aotearoa’s Pacific nursing workforce

By Ēseta Finau and Abel Smith

April 29, 2025

From supporting students to nurturing leaders, the Pacific nursing section (PNS) is working every angle to boost the numbers and skills of our Pacific nursing community, explains chair Ēseta Finau and treasurer Abel Smith.

May 2025

Attacks on cultural safety in health highlight politicians’ ignorance

By Jenny Carryer

April 28, 2025

‘It is hugely annoying to watch MPs pontificating on something about which they have a very superficial understanding.’

May 2025

The registered nurse’s lament

By Sarah Fraser-Clark

April 23, 2025

I was inspired to write this after reading the letters from the class of 2024 new graduates who had missed out on NETP positions with Te Whatu Ora, the release of the Government’s Health Infrastructure Plan and my own recent experience.

May 2025

Māori women and girl survivors of sexual violence face double trauma

By Emma Chevalier Trager-Lewis (UN Interviews)

April 23, 2025

Two Māori nursing leaders are at the United Nations highlighting the plight facing Māori health. In this interview with a UN reporter, they highlight the issue of violence, including sexual violence, toward Māori women who are three times more likely to be abused than non-Maori women.

May 2025

‘Tech is good for Māori and Māori is good for tech’: It’s cool to kōrero — April 2025

By Kathy Stodart

April 17, 2025

Auē! Kua wareware i a au taku kupuhipa. — Oh no! I’ve forgotten my password.

April 2025

Nurses the heroes in this year’s ANZAC musical evening of remembrance

By Lindsay Stanley

April 17, 2025

An ANZAC eve event in Auckland next week will highlight the role of nurses in both military and civilian service.

May 2025

‘Imagine’ — Wellington nurse shares her vision of a well-funded health system

By Hilary Gardner

April 17, 2025

Wellington nurse and NZNO delegate Hilary Gardner shares her vision for a well-funded health system in Aotearoa.

April 2025

Back to the future: Guns or care?

By Mikey Brenndorfer and Alastair Duncan

April 16, 2025

A nurse and unionist together make the case for less military and more health spending.

May 2025

Nurses moved to tears by ‘overwhelming’ community support over Nelson Hospital

By Mary Longmore

April 15, 2025

A unexpectedly large community turnout moved Nelson Hospital staff to tears on Saturday as nurses, doctors, health-care assistants and families joined hands to form a 1000-strong human chain outside the hospital.

May 2025

Proposed constitutional shake-up would see ‘more egalitarian’ and te Tiriti-led NZNO

By Mary Longmore

April 11, 2025

All members will in May have the chance to vote on a proposed new NZNO — Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa constitution which would change the way the organisation is structured and members represented.

May 2025

Taupō could become health system’s next ‘Buller casualty’

By Renee Kiriona

April 11, 2025

Something serious is brewing in the central North Island like a “ticking time bomb” ready to go off any moment now, according to Malcolm Mulholland, head of Patient Voice Aotearoa.

April 2025

New Wellington Hospital carparks wonderful, say nurses

By Mary Longmore

April 11, 2025

‘We do feel like we’ve been listened to’, say staff over safety fears.

April 2025

NZNO mental health nurses call for immediate halt to police withdrawal

By coeditors

April 11, 2025

Police withdrawal from mental health call-outs should be stopped until Te Whatu Ora makes critical resources available, NZNO — Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa mental health nurses say.

April 2025

Theatre nurse pioneer and founder of The Dissector dies

By Michael Esdaile

April 8, 2025

Pamela Marley, a theatre nursing pioneer who helped found the country’s first professional perioperative nursing group, has died.

April 2025

Nurses’ union backs call to scrap anti-Treaty bill

By Renee Kiriona

April 4, 2025

Parliament’s Justice Committee has released its report into the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill and has recommended it does not proceed.

Daily doses – uncut news

29 May	WellSouth Statement on Budget 2026: a missed opportunity Budget 2026 is a missed opportunity for primary care, and for the communities that depend on it most, in particular our rural people and practices.
29 May	Updated - Nurses on front lines of Ebola outbreak at serious risk In response to the gravely concerning and escalating Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) warns that nurses and other frontline health workers are being put at serious risk and left fearful for their safety.
27 May	Health NZ committed to safeguarding patient information Health New Zealand welcomes the reports released today into the Manage My Health (MMH) cyber incident and is committed to ensuring all possible steps are taken to safeguard patient information.
22 May	More New Zealanders could benefit from funded vaccines from 2027 Pharmac is proposing changes that would give more New Zealanders access to funded vaccines from 2027, including expanded access to the flu vaccine for young children.
21 May	It’s not just the wallet: How the gender pay gap can hurt women’s bodies While many aspects of New Zealand’s enduring gender pay gap have been discussed, its physical impact on workers has been largely overlooked – until now.
21 May	Bupa nurses take pay equity claim over historic wage discrimination NZNO nurses working at Bupa aged residential care homes throughout Aotearoa New Zealand have raised a pay equity claim to address historic gender-based wage discrimination.
20 May	Waikato Hospital adds 10 forensic mental health beds Ten new forensic inpatient beds have been made available at the Regional Forensic Psychiatric Service at Waikato Hospital to expand forensic mental health capacity for adults in prison or on remand in Health New Zealand’s Midland region.
18 May	Strong gains in two-year immunisation target for Tamariki Māori Health New Zealand is welcoming a significant increase in Māori immunisation rates, with full immunisation at 24 months rising from just over 60 per cent in late 2024 to 71.5 per cent at the end of last month.
15 May	New global report shows empowering nurses is key to saving lives and strengthening health systems As the world marks International Nurses Day, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) is calling for urgent investment in nursing, supported by a major new global report, Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives, that presents seven key nursing powers.
14 May	Lakes and Whanganui nurses still waiting for Holiday Pay a decade on Photo by Fin Ocheduszko-Brown at Whanganui Chronicle Nurses at Lakes and Whanganui districts are calling on Te Whatu Ora to explain why after a decade of redress, they still don’t know when they will receive their full Holiday Act remediation payments, NZNO says.
13 May	Recognising the extraordinary contribution of nurses International Nurses Day is an opportunity to recognise the extraordinary role nurses play in caring for New Zealanders at every stage of life, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
12 May	Government’s decision to scrap fees free scheme will lead to further student exodus The Coalition Government’s decision to scrap the fees free policy for third year tertiary students has left nursing tauira outraged
30 Apr	BroPilot grounding digital tools in whānau, culture, and care A passion for his Māori culture and a desire to make AI accessible to everyone inspired Troy Baker, Senior ICT Specialist, Health New Zealand to develop BroPilot – a culturally grounded way of working with Microsoft Copilot that reflects Māori values, whakaaro, and real lived experience.
29 Apr	Heartbreaking tragedies were avoidable - NZNO Analysis by a media outlet, published today, finding health care staff shortages were contributing factors in the deaths of 11 babies is a national and avoidable tragedy, NZNO says.
28 Apr	CTU launches Roving Health and Safety Representatives policy on Workers’ Memorial Day The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi has today launched our Roving Health and Safety Representatives policy at the Workers’ Memorial Day commemoration in Wellington, with further events held across the motu in Manawatū, Christchurch, and Otago.
24 Apr	“The 80s Calling”: New national campaign challenges outdated HIV stigma Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey today launched Health New Zealand’s “The 80s Calling”; a provocative new campaign designed to reduce stigma, normalise conversations about HIV, and support people living with HIV.
23 Apr	Government’s attack on Māori health raised at the UN Concerns over the Coalition Government’s active reversal of policies designed to improve Māori health outcomes were raised at the United Nations in New York this morning.
16 Apr	Tribute to Professor Lester Levy’s service to healthcare Health New Zealand Chief Executive Dr Dale Bramley is paying tribute to Health NZ Board Chair Professor Lester Levy, who finishes in the role at the end of the month.
10 Apr	Chronic health care assistant short staffing harming vulnerable patients Te Whatu Ora’s attempt to cut costs by requiring health care assistants to carry out cohort patient watches is harming vulnerable patients and staff, NZNO says.
9 Apr	New group education clinics speeding up knee and hip surgery care Health New Zealand is rolling out a new group education approach for people waiting for hip and knee surgery in north and west Auckland, resulting in more patients being seen sooner.
25 Mar	National Diabetes Roadmap launched to improve care, prevention, and quality of life Health New Zealand has launched a new National Diabetes Roadmap (‘the Roadmap’) to improve care, strengthen prevention, and support better health outcomes and quality of life for people living with diabetes.
24 Mar	ACT should leave nursing to professionals and medical evidence Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says ACT MP Todd Stephenson has dismissed the Nursing Council’s draft code of conduct - which proposes strengthening cultural safety, whānau-centred care and te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations - as political ideology.
23 Mar	UK report reflects ICN warnings on international recruitment ripoff — now countries must act together The International Council of Nurses (ICN) warmly welcomes a new report from the UK All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Global Health and Security that recognizes the huge sums saved by high-income countries who recruit abroad and acknowledges the severe harms caused by unethical recruitment from fragile source countries left without nurses.
20 Mar	HPV self-test boosts cervical cancer screening ‘across the board’, new study confirms Making human papillomavirus (HPV) self-testing available to all women increases the number of people screened for cervical cancer, a new study led by researchers from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington has confirmed.
19 Mar	ICN at CSW70: Violence against nurses is a gendered crisis threatening global health The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has warned that violence against nurses is a global gendered crisis that threatens health systems, patient safety and workforce sustainability
17 Mar	Additional winter health care workers a drop in the ocean of need The Government’s announcement today of 378 extra staff to help hospitals cope with winter demand is a drop in the ocean of what patients need, NZNO says.
12 Mar	Funding change will ensure more consistent emergency care for New Zealanders A simple change in how ambulance medicines are funded is set to create more consistent emergency care.
9 Mar	Questions over dilapidated and cramped renal unit forced to ration dialysis The Health Minister must explain why after years of concerns from nurses about Christchurch Hospital’s barely functioning dialysis unit, he only stepped in late yesterday when life-saving treatment had to be rationed, NZNO says.
3 Mar	Hospitals and health workers should never be targets The right of health care workers to provide care during international conflicts must be protected, Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO says.
2 Mar	Public and Mental Health Nurses settle collective agreement Health New Zealand welcomes the ratification of the two Public Service Association (PSA) Public and Mental Health Nurses collective employment agreements for Auckland and the Rest of New Zealand.
27 Feb	Whakatāne Hospital to resume secondary obstetrics and gynaecology services Whakatāne Hospital will resume secondary obstetrics and gynaecology services from 8am on 13 April 2026.
26 Feb	Counsellors warn NZ is normalising crisis levels of youth distress Youth mental distress has become entrenched, suicide remains a national tragedy, and our systems are failing to intervene early enough, says the New Zealand Association of Counsellors (NZAC).
26 Feb	Record uptake nearly doubles advanced nurse education scholarships A record 235 primary care registered nurses will begin advanced education this year – nearly doubling the number originally planned – following strong demand for the Government’s new Registered Nurse Primary Care Scholarships, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
19 Feb	‘Top Up’ to deliver faster access to support Seven grassroots mental health initiatives supporting small and hard-to-reach communities have received funding to deliver faster access to support, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announced today.
18 Feb	Pharmac proposes funding new treatments that could transform early care for people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, a type of blood cancer People in New Zealand living with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) could soon benefit from funded access to targeted treatments under a new proposal from Pharmac.
13 Feb	Te Whatu Ora’s embarrassing U-turn over proposed car park plan Te Whatu Ora needs to go back to the drawing board and prioritise worker safety after reversing plans to charge hospital workers market rates for car parks, NZNO says.
11 Feb	Stark differences in COVID-19 vaccination rates between Māori and non-Māori, research finds A new study analysing COVID-19 vaccine uptake has found markedly lower vaccination rates among Māori, which researchers link to existing inequities in healthcare access.
9 Feb	ICN’s call for International Nurses Day 2026: empower nurses to save lives ICN has announced the theme for International Nurses Day (IND) 2026: Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives. This focus sends a clear message that to maximize the full life-saving impact of the nursing workforce, we must empower nurses with safe, fair work environments and full nursing practice, influence, and leadership.
5 Feb	Global nurse leaders gather in Japan to address urgent workforce crisis Nursing leaders from Japan and around the world are gathering in Yokohama this week for two major nursing events that are advancing the global conversation on how countries can protect, retain and invest in their nursing workforce as pressures mount across health systems worldwide.
4 Feb	Midwives to deliver more vaccinations to help protect families Midwives are now able to offer a wider range of funded immunisations, supporting families from pregnancy through the early months of a child’s life, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
30 Jan	Opening of E Tū Wairua Hinengaro – Mason Clinic Health New Zealand has marked the opening of E Tū Wairua Hinengaro, a new purpose-built facility at Auckland’s Mason Clinic designed to strengthen and modernise forensic mental healthcare in Aotearoa.
29 Jan	NZNO disgusted by nurse’s killing in the US Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO has expressed disgust at the shooting and killing of nurse Alex Pretti on a Minneapolis, US street on Saturday morning by federal officers.
27 Jan	New national group forms to support public healthcare in Aotearoa Kaitiaki Hauora - Together for Public Health has been formed as a national group bringing together patients, health workers, iwi and Māori health representatives, unions, advocacy organisations, and community groups, with backing from a growing number of organisations across the health sector.
22 Jan	Pharmac proposes to fund life changing treatments for people with cystic fibrosis Pharmac is proposing to fund new treatment options for people living with cystic fibrosis with eligible mutations, including young children, from 1 April 2026.
05 Jan	Nurses pay tribute to Dame Poutasi The passing of Dame Karen Poutasi has seen Aotearoa lose one of its foremost health leaders and a woman of high integrity, Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says.