August 2024 – Page 2 – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

August 2024

Former army medic recalls distressing memories, with return to Timor-Leste

By Andrew Macdonald

July 31, 2024

A Canterbury nurse who served as an army medic in the East Timor crisis, has just visited the now-independent Timor-Leste with her old comrades. She has distressing memories of the brutality of that conflict.

August 2024

Nursing Council drops 40-plus RN competencies in favour of six standards

By Mary Longmore

July 31, 2024

The Nursing Council has listened to nurses and dropped a proposal to make registered nurses (RNs) meet 41 separate competencies and enrolled nurses (ENs) 29, after an outpouring of concern over the workload.

August 2024

Former Te Whatu Ora chair speaks up for nurses

By Rob Campbell

July 29, 2024

Te Whatu Ora leaders say spending too much on nurses has pushed them into the red. Former chair Rob Campbell says nurses are part of the solution and must be supported with fair pay and safe staffing.

August 2024

Nurse specialist wants to help other nurses caring for rare cancer patients

By Liana Meredith

July 29, 2024

An Auckland nurse specialist describes her work with patients who have neuroendocrine cancer, after returning from an international conference on the rare and often slow-moving disease.

August 2024

Three out of five nursing students to get hospital jobs, Te Whatu Ora figures show

By Mary Longmore

July 24, 2024

Te Whatu Ora says it has employed 334 of the 535 mid-year nursing graduates who applied into supported entry roles — leaving 166 facing uncertain futures in the general talent pool.

August 2024

‘We are family’ — residents rally around nursing staff after bosses propose cutting 400 care hours

By Mary Longmore

July 19, 2024

Upset residents and their families and friends turned out to support staff striking over a proposal to cut 400 care hours a week at a Wellington aged care facility.

August 2024

Nursing students share pain, tears and laughter with heads of school

By Mary Longmore

July 18, 2024

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house recently as nursing tauira (students) spoke of their struggles, exhaustion and despair.

August 2024

‘We work just as hard’ — community nurses strike for the same pay as hospitals

By Mary Longmore

July 16, 2024

About 150 Access Community Health nursing staff went on strike around the country on this week, demanding the same pay and conditions as their Te Whatu Ora colleagues.

August 2024

‘Wonderful’ aged-care nursing is undervalued, says long-time nurse

By Alena Lynch

July 16, 2024

Long-time gerontology nurse Sally Fleming reckons working in aged care is extremely undervalued.

August 2024

JULY 2024 crossword

By Kathy Stodart

July 11, 2024

Instructions: Click on any cell to get started. Click on vertical / horizontal lines to change direction, or direction can be changed by clicking on Space / Enter key. Across and Down Clues can be toggle visible by clicking on the down / up arrows.

Medicines and older Māori — ‘It is through shared conversations that I understand’

By He Ako Hiringa

July 10, 2024

How do kaumātua view the medicines service they receive and how could it be improved? What ethnic variations are there in this service? This educational course focuses on medicines and older Māori and is relevant to nurses in primary care, alongside pharmacists and GPs.

August 2024

‘They have trampled on the mana of the future workforce’ — students in uproar over reports of hiring freeze

By Mary Longmore

June 21, 2024

Confused, demoralised and “absolutely gutwrenched” — these are the feelings of nursing tauira (students) after hearing Te Whatu Ora may be freezing mid-year graduate recruitment a week out from hiring decisions.

March 2025

By Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

January 1, 2022

Please send letters for publication to: [email protected]. We reserve the right to edit letters for sense and length, and will not publish letters that are libellous, incite racial, sexual or religious hatred or constitute personal attacks. Shorter letters (under 400 words) are preferred. Please include name, address, nursing qualifications and phone number.

Uncut – news briefs

8 May	NZ First’s gender definition bill will harm mental health, counsellors warn The New Zealand Association of Counsellors (NZAC) is deeply concerned by New Zealand First’s proposed Member’s Bill, which seeks to legally define “man” and “woman” solely based on biological sex.
6 May	Police and Health NZ continue to implement mental health response changes Phase Two of the Police Mental Health Response Change Programme is set to be extended with a second group of districts implementing Phase Two from 19 May.
1 May	New weekend urgent care service launched in Tairāwhati Access to urgent healthcare on weekends will be restored in Tairāwhati this Saturday (3 May 2025) with the launch of a new service, Health Minister Simeon Brown has announced.
29 Apr	Taupō Hospital accredited to train next generation of rural doctors Taupō Hospital has become the first hospital in the North Island to receive accreditation to deliver Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) training, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey have announced.
14 Apr	Rural Health Roadshow to hear from rural communities Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Rural Health and Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey announced today he will be coming to 12 rural locations across the country on a Rural Health Roadshow, starting this week in Levin.
10 Apr	Expanded emergency department at Auckland City Hospital will see capacity increase Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened Auckland City Hospital’s newly refurbished adult emergency department.
1 Apr	Health NZ wants your feedback on a Paediatric Adolescent and Young Adult Palliative Model of Care Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) is seeking feedback on potential options for national palliative care services for tamariki, rangatahi/children, young people and their whānau/families.
27 March	Bar still too high for small mental health providers Small mental health providers will still be locked out of co-funding from the Mental Health Innovation Fund despite a lower threshold.
25 March	ICN advocates for health system gender equity and women’s health The International Council of Nurses (ICN) brought the nursing voice to the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) which wrapped up on Friday. ICN participated in critical discussions on gender equity and women’s health throughout the event.
19 March	ICN warns of healthcare crisis as USAID funding cuts devastate nursing initiatives in the world’s most vulnerable regions The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has documented alarming firsthand evidence of widespread disruption and collapse of essential health care services following the sudden withdrawal of USAID and other funding.
19 March	New High Dependency Unit will expand critical care services in Wellington Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened Wellington Regional Hospital’s first High Dependency Unit (HDU).
13 March	Pharmac to fund more cancer medicines Pharmac is funding six more medicines for cancers and one for antibiotic resistant infections.
28 Feb	Pharmac CE resigns The Board of Pharmac wishes to announce that its Chief Executive for the last 7 years, Sarah Fitt, has resigned effective from 30 May 2025.
25 Feb	ICN issues updated statement on health care in conflict, calling for peace and compliance with international humanitarian law In recent years, the world has witnessed a disturbing increase in conflicts and wars, placing immense strain on health systems and exacerbating human suffering. Nurses have been at the forefront of these crises, responding to emergencies, supporting recovery efforts, and providing essential care to those affected by violence and displacement.
21 Feb	ICN’s new guidance on integrating nurse leaders into heart of health workforce planning The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has published a practical guide to including nurses in workforce planning decisions.
17 Feb	ICN warns of effect of US withdrawal from WHO on nurse-led services The International Council of Nurses (ICN) warned that the withdrawal of the United States from WHO has already halted some nurse-led services, including vaccination programmes and care for people with HIV/AIDS.
17 Feb	Minister acknowledges outgoing Director-General Health Minister Simeon Brown has today acknowledged the resignation of Director-General of Health and Chief Executive of the Ministry of Health, Dr Diana Sarfati, and thanked her for her service.
12 Feb	Pharmac funds medicines for liver, ovarian, and neuroendocrine cancers People with liver, ovarian, and neuroendocrine cancers will have access to more medicines from 1 March 2025.
11 Feb	Consultation begins on work to improve patient access to medical devices Pharmac is continuing to improve the way medical devices are managed for New Zealanders, today opening consultation on its comprehensive list of medical devices used by public hospitals.
3 Feb	First Whānau Āwhina Plunket site in NZ delivering childhood vaccinations Childhood immunisations are now being delivered at a Whānau Āwhina Plunket site in Whāngarei, with other regions soon to also provide the new service.
29 Jan	Local access to specialist audiology services comes to Wairarapa A newly established out-patient clinic for ear, nose, and throat (ENT) and audiology appointments is providing Wairarapa patients with local access to specialist hearing services for the first time.
29 Jan	Pharmac reconsiders oestradiol patch options following community feedback Pharmac is reviewing and reconsidering its oestradiol patch options after considerable feedback was received when it announced a move to a single funded brand late last year.
22 Jan	Consultations for cancer and ADHD medicines close soon Pharmac is encouraging people to have their say on proposals to fund six more medicines and change the brand of one medicine before consultation closes on 27 January.