December 2023 – Page 2 – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

December 2023

Prioritise nursing workforce — Te Whatu Ora union meetings will send strong message to new Government

By Mary Longmore

November 20, 2023

As health budgets are being set, now is the time for Te Whatu Ora nurses, kaiāwhina and other workers to turn out and be heard by the new Government, say NZNO-Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa members.

December 2023

Frenemies to friends? As nurses fear being edged from their profession, caregivers are demanding more respect

By Mary Longmore

November 17, 2023

Nurses are feeling under threat from less qualified workers — while kaiāwhina are demanding clarity and respect for their role, leading to a challenging kōrero for NZNO-Tōpūtanga Tapuhi o Kaitiaki Aotearoa and the wider health system.

December 2023

NOVEMBER 2023 crossword

By Kathy Stodart

November 9, 2023

Print out the grid (using PRINT tab at the bottom right of this page) and use the clues below. October answers are below the clues.

Māori nurses must be recognised as taonga — and key to a future with equal health for all

By Denise Wilson

November 8, 2023

50 years after nurse education moved out of hospitals, Māori health professor and former nurse Denise Wilson reflects on the “ugly” backlash over cultural safety — and challenges the profession to make way for Māori leaders.

December 2023

The benefits of a bedside nursing handover

By Nicole Simonson

November 8, 2023

Nursing educators emphasise the benefits of bedside nursing handover. A final-year nursing student was surprised to find she never saw it happen during her clinical placements.

December 2023

2024 skills and training scholarships offered to union members and families

By Sheryl Cadman

November 3, 2023

The Northern Drivers’ Charitable Trust (NDCT) is a registered charitable trust that was established in 1987.

May 2024

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

6 Sept	Health agencies working with Police on rebalancing roles for mental health responses Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora and the Ministry of Health - Manatū Hauora are working with Police to change some of the ways agencies respond to mental health. The change will see an increased health-led response, supporting Police to focus on core Policing.
4 Sept	Nurses’ bargaining starts with action for safe staffing Nurses are kicking off their collective bargaining with Te Whatu Ora by taking action for safe staffing on Friday, New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says.
29 Aug	Te Whatu Ora redundancy proposal in breach of collective agreements Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora’s call for employees to end their employment via voluntary redundancy is in breach of the established consultation processes, New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says.
28 Aug	ICN urges nurses to be vigilant after WHO declares mpox an international public health emergency The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has called for extra vigilance in the wake of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) declaration that the upsurge in mpox 2024 outbreaks in the African region constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
27 Aug	Retirees to rally for safe Aged Residential Care Wellington retirees will rally tomorrow to protest staffing cuts at Aged Residential Care facilities. They want a fair go for staff and residents.
26 Aug	Mental health declines, relationships and jobs at risk without HRT, survey results show A nationwide survey that canvassed over 2000 hormone replacement therapy (HRT) users has proven how critical hormones are to general health, productivity, and mental wellness.
23 Aug	Govt funding boosts immunisation in high needs communities Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti has welcomed preliminary data on a major immunisation initiative, saying it reinforces a commitment to get resources and funding out of a Wellington-based bureaucratic tangle and directly to frontline providers.
22 Aug	Dargaville nurses to strike over doctor shortage Staff at Dargaville Hospital are sick and tired of working in fear because of the unavailability of an on-site doctor. Therefore, members of New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) will strike for one hour to voice their frustrations on 29 August.
22 Aug	New health report makes recommendations to support rural primary healthcare A new report about rural primary care identifies inequities in service provision, major pressures on funding and workforce, unsustainably high levels of clinical risk, and barriers for patients to access care when and where they need it.
19 Aug	ICN contributes to Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has submitted a comprehensive evidence-based report highlighting gravely concerning nurse recruitment trends, as part of the latest reporting round on implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel.
16 Aug	Health NZ corrects the record: Whangārei Hospital remains open Whangārei Hospital Emergency Department continues to accept patients and new admissions and any claims otherwise are false and inaccurate.
13 Aug	Healing Humanity Initiative Launches with First Grant to 3D Hands The Healing Humanity Initiative, in collaboration with the Hunt Family Foundation, is thrilled to launch and announce its first grant of $20,000 to Free 3D Hands.
8 Aug	Cutting frontline services will result in worsening mental health outcomes Family violence is likely to increase, more young people will switch off at school and there will be a worsening of mental health outcomes thanks to the Government’s latest cost-cutting exercise.
6 Aug	Update on cancer drug Keytruda access Health New Zealand is moving forward implementation planning to ensure a small group of cancer patients can take advantage of free early access to the drug Keytruda shortly ahead of Pharmac starting to fund the medication.
6 Aug	Govt delivers on overdue Christchurch ED unit Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says delivery of a long overdue Emergency Observation Unit for Christchurch Hospital will reduce admissions, free up valuable resources across the hospital and help deliver on shorter stays in Emergency Departments.
5 Aug	Significant step forward proposed for bowel cancer Pharmac is looking to fund a medicine for bowel cancer that would help people live longer. Public consultation has opened on Pharmac’s proposal to fund cetuximab (branded as Erbitux) for a type of bowel cancer where the cancer is located on the left side of the bowel and has spread to other parts of the body.
2 Aug	Community nurses continue to battle for higher wages About 150 community health nurses employed by Access Home Health continue with their struggle for fair wages and respect from their employer. The nurses are members of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO).
1 Aug	ICN urges United Nations Secretary General to instigate decisive action to stop attacks on nurses in conflict zones Geneva, Switzerland ─ The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has written to the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) asking for firm and decisive action to be taken to prevent attacks on nurses and health care facilities.
31 July	Health NZ reset takes a step forward with the appointment of regional Deputy Chief Executives Following its announcement of a major reset, Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora has appointed four highly experienced health leaders to the roles of regional Deputy Chief Executives.
29 July	Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All World Breastfeeding Week, from 1-7 August, celebrates and aims to normalise breastfeeding every year. WellSouth Primary Health Network is key to this supporting expectant and breastfeeding mothers and their family in Otago and Southland.
29 July	Fed-up Thames’ emergency department nurses to stage rally Members of New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) employed at Thames Hospital’s emergency department (ED) will voice their frustrations at constant understaffing and increased workloads at a rally on Tuesday.
25 July	Graduates working together to tackle the world’s most vital health issues Geneva, Switzerland; 25 July 2024 - Former graduates of the International Council of Nurses’ flagship nursing leadership programme are continuing to work together to address critical health issues around the world.