February 2023 – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

March 2023

‘I’m quite resilient – I guess [it’s] years of being a nurse’

By Cate Macintosh

March 6, 2023

She survived a deadly attack and, most recently, a cyclone that destroyed her home. But mental health nurse Ra Kupa is determined to rebuild and get back to work — and can still make strangers laugh.

March 2023

Emotional exhaustion hits nurses, two weeks after Cyclone Gabrielle

By Cate Macintosh

March 3, 2023

Nurses in regions devastated by Cyclone Gabrielle are in a state of shock, coping with post-event trauma while continuing to work and support each other.

February 2023

NZ nurses wanted for research into perioperative nurse bullying

By Margarette Somerville

March 2, 2023

Does inter nurse bullying exist among perioperative nurses in Australia and New Zealand?

March 2023

Napier campus likely to be closed for three months

By Cate Macintosh

February 27, 2023

Hawke’s Bay nursing school staff are juggling clean up operations at home and at work in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle’s devastation, with their Napier campus likely to be closed for three months.

March 2023

Nursing studies on hold as 90 per cent of Napier campus damaged in cyclone

By Cate Macintosh

February 24, 2023

Nursing students at Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) say their programme is in limbo after the flood-damaged Hawke’s Bay campus in Napier closed last week.

March 2023

Nurse returns to work, days after losing everything in cyclone

By Cate Macintosh

February 23, 2023

A Hawke’s Bay nurse who had to swim to safety from her flooded home and lost everything she owns in Cyclone Gabrielle was back on duty at Hawke’s Bay Hospital four days later.

March 2023

National anti-racism plan by the end of 2024

By Cate Macintosh

February 23, 2023

A national anti-racism action plan will be in place by the end of 2024, but doubts remain among some nurses about how effective it will be.

March 2023

Asthma: Thinking SMART, using AIR and making a difference

By Helen Cant and Gayle Robins

February 22, 2023

Nurses have an important role in asthma care, whether as prescribers, or as asthma educators in primary care, hospital clinics or with the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation. This article looks at the latest guidelines for asthma management and discusses strategies for reducing the disproportionate asthma burden in Māori and Pacific peoples.

March 2023

Health and nursing workforce ‘top priority’, says new Health Minister Ayesha Verrall

By Mary Longmore

February 21, 2023

‘It’s not rocket science, is it?’ New Minister of Health Ayesha Verrall says fixing the nurse workforce will lift pressures on waiting lists, hospitals and aged care.

March 2023

Thames Hospital staffing hit by cyclone road closures

By Cate Macintosh

February 17, 2023

Coromandel nurses who live on the east coast of the peninsula face an uncertain working future as Cyclone Gabrielle has wreaked havoc on the roads they travel to Thames Hospital.

March 2023

FEBRUARY 2023 crossword

By Kathy Stodart

February 16, 2023

Print out the grid (using print tab at the bottom right of this page) and use the clues below. December’s answers are below the clues.

Lumpectomy — an unflinching account of surviving breast cancer

By Tina Makereti

February 16, 2023

‘Why, when my cancer care was so excellent, did it also seem to miss so much of what is essential to health?’ Tina Makereti shares an excerpt from her award-winning essay about surviving breast cancer.

March 2023

Kaiwhakahaere among nurses forced to abandon flooded homes in cyclone

By Cate Macintosh and Mary Longmore

February 15, 2023

NZNO members are facing devastation and uncertainty as Cyclone Gabrielle continues its onslaught, with some left temporarily homeless and others stranded in regions without power and road access.

March 2023

‘We did it for awhi’ — nurses kick into action amid catastrophic floods

By Mary Longmore

February 9, 2023

Delivering kai, nappies and making home visits — nurses deliver wraparound care to flood-stricken Auckland communities.

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.

March 2023

Pay parity, pay equity for nurses: biggest challenges for new minister of health

By co-editors Cate Macintosh and Mary Longmore

January 31, 2023

NZNO leadership has praised new Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall for her “genuine approach”, while urging her to take swift action on pay parity – and outgoing Minister Andrew Little was thanked for “keeping door open and the conversation going”.

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.

March 2023

‘I feel like s…’ — vote for three per cent wage relief leaves sour taste

By Cate Macintosh

January 27, 2023

Desperate Whānau Āwhina Plunket members have voted to accept a three per cent lift in pay which they previously rejected, to stave off further financial hardship. They are now putting their hope in a pay parity top up which the Minister of Health has committed to.

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

Just one doctor at Thames Hospital – ‘a huge risk’

By Cate Macintosh

January 24, 2023

Thames Hospital ED normally has three day shifts for doctors, but recently this dropped to just one – a situation which left patients and staff vulnerable to serious adverse events, NZNO members say.*

Uncut – news briefs

20 Dec	Health NZ introduces public reporting of key primary healthcare measures and PHO performance Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) has introduced public reporting of key primary healthcare measures and Primary Health Organisation (PHO) performance.
19 Dec	Quarter 1 performance report released Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora has today published its Quarterly Performance Report for Quarter 1, covering the period 1 July to 30 September 2024.
18 Dec	Recent uptick in Boostrix immunisations amid whooping cough epidemic, but work still to do As the healthcare sector continues to respond to a whooping cough (pertussis) epidemic across the motu, it’s promising to see a recent uptick in the number of Boostrix immunisations among the 15- to 44-year-old age group, with a recent doubling of doses administered from about 1,000 per week to over 2,000 per week.
18 Dec	Extra security to again keep EDs safe this summer Health Minister Dr Shane Reti is again reminding New Zealanders that violence against patients, visitors and health workers won’t be tolerated, with additional security for hospital emergency departments across the country this summer.
13 Dec	Mental health and addiction targets implementation plans released Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora has today published its first quarterly results for four of the five mental health and addiction targets, covering the period 1 July – 30 September 2024.
12 Dec	Health targets encouraging – work continues New data shows that the Government’s focus on health targets is putting the brakes on the steep decline in delivery seen over the past five years.
12 Dec	Gisborne receives mental health beds boost Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey today opened Gisborne Hospital’s new acute mental health unit, Te Whare Awhi Ora, and says the region will be better served by a bigger, more therapeutic acute mental health unit.
9 Dec	Afghan women ‘banned from nursing and midwife training’ in latest blow to rights BBC News has reported that female nursing and midwifery students in Afghanistan have been told not to return to their studies, effectively ending women’s only access to further education, and putting women and children’s lives at risk.
9 Dec	How student and early career nurses can influence policymaking The International Council of Nurses (ICN) held a webinar which highlighted the vital importance of primary and preventative health care in meeting the World Health Organization’s (WHO) challenging goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030
3 Dec	Health NZ end-of-year deficit confirmed In publishing its annual report, Health NZ has confirmed it ended the financial year with a deficit of $722 million, against a target surplus of $54 million.
2 Dec	ICN says COP29 climate finance shortfall threatens the planet’s health The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has expressed profound disappointment with the outcomes of COP29, held in Baku, particularly the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance that was passed despite significant objections from developing countries.
29 Nov	Minister reminds public health officials of priorities Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti says the National Public Health Service should concentrate its focus on prioritising serious public health issues facing New Zealanders.
29 Nov	Community providers rally to protect hapū māma and pēpi as national whooping cough case numbers surpass 1,000 for 2024 Hapū māmā are being urged to get immunised, and parents and caregivers are encouraged to get their babies immunised on time, as whooping cough case numbers continue to climb across Aotearoa New Zealand.
28 Nov	Govt ignores health crisis, plans to axe 1500 public health roles The health of New Zealanders will suffer because of the Government’s plan to axe nearly 1500 roles at Te Whatu Ora, coming at a time when the public health system is already under severe pressure.
27 Nov	Health New Zealand Establishes Technical Advisory Group to Lead Transformation in Maternity Care This team of experts and community representatives will play a key role in the development of the Maternity Commissioning Framework, a core element of the wider Kahu Taurima programme, which aims to make maternity and early years services more equitable, accessible, and whānau-centered.
22 Nov	Whooping Cough epidemic declared across Aotearoa New Zealand Health agencies have confirmed today that Aotearoa New Zealand is now in the early stages of a Whooping Cough epidemic, with a nationally coordinated response now in place.
20 Nov	A Global Map of Winter Depression Healthnews has released an extensive study that ranks 194 countries based on their winter-pattern Seasonal Depression Disorder (SAD) risk.
18 Nov	Potential travel disruption expected with Tuesday’s national Hīkoi Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora urges those with an appointment scheduled at Wellington Regional Hospital on Tuesday morning or early afternoon, to please allow extra time to get to appointments.
15 Nov	ICN’s calls on G20 leaders to address international health worker migration crisis Ahead of the G20 Leaders Summit in Rio de Janeiro next week, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) welcomes the Declarations recently adopted by the G20 Health Working Group and health ministers.
13 Nov	Measles case confirmed in Tāmaki Makaurau Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora has confirmed today that a new case of measles has been identified on Waiheke Island in Auckland. The case and their household are being supported by the National Public Health Service (NPHS), with those most at risk now in quarantine to help reduce the chance of further spread.
5 Nov	Safety fears ahead of changes to mental health 111 calls Mental Health Nurses have serious concerns about the safety of their patients, the public, their colleagues and themselves when police changes to emergency 111 calls come into effect on Monday, New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa says.
31 Oct	General practices welcome fast-track approvals process A new fast-track approval process is a good start, but more is needed to fix New Zealand’s chronic GP shortage, says the General Practice Owners Association (GenPro)
24 Oct	International Council of Nurses Bucharest Declaration priorities for the future of nursing The International Council of Nurses (ICN) marked the 125 years since its founding in 1899 with an anniversary conference held in Bucharest, Romania and hosted by the Order of Nurses, Midwives, and Medical Assistants of Romania.
10 Oct	Call to immunise now as New Zealand at high risk of whooping cough outbreak Pregnant people, babies, children and others at high risk from whooping cough are urged to get vaccinated as soon as possible, as Aotearoa New Zealand stands at high risk of an outbreak.
9 Oct	New pilot with Plunket to deliver childhood immunisations To increase access and boost immunisation rates, Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora and Whānau Āwhina Plunket will pilot the delivery of childhood immunisations at a select number of sites across the country.
8 Oct	Health NZ Begins Development of National Perinatal Bereavement Care Pathway As Baby Loss Awareness Week shines a light on the heartbreak faced by many, Health NZ is taking a compassionate and hopeful step forward in transforming the support available for whānau who experience the loss of a baby.
7 Oct	Govt takes the scalpel to regional health budgets At Labour’s insistence, Te Whatu Ora financial documents have been released by the Health Select Committee today showing more cuts are on the way for our health system.
2 Oct	Orion Health and Streamliners form strategic partnership Orion Health, a global leader in digital health solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Streamliners, creators of HealthPathways which provides an online manual used to assist with clinical assessments.
1 Oct	Rollout of new medicines across New Zealand begins Today marks the first day a range of new medicines, including cancer medicines, will start to become available in hospitals and health centres across the country.
27 Sept	New Dunedin hospital: Southerners deserve better The Government’s announcement today that it will scale back the new Dunedin hospital will negatively impact patient care, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki O Aotearoa says.
26 Sept	Govt not addressing health workforce crisis The National Government is hiding the gaps in the health workforce from New Zealanders, by not producing a full workforce plan nearly a year into their tenure.
25 Sept	New programme offers step up for jobseekers seeking a career in health and wellbeing Local jobseekers have an exciting new opportunity to begin a career in Health following the launch of a new community-based kaiāwhina programme in the Hutt Valley.
23 Sept	Ministers oblivious to cuts’ effect on families The National Government is oblivious to the impact cuts to services will have on New Zealanders who are doing the hard yards caring for mentally ill family members.
19 Sept	Wānaka community to benefit from new overnight health service Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says an Overnight Acute Care Service opening in October will provide people in Wānaka and the surrounding area with the assurance of quality overnight care closer to home.
17 Sept	Dr Le Heron takes title of 2024 Alzheimers NZ Fellow Distinguished neurologist and cognitive neuroscientist, Dr Campbell Le Heron, has been made the 2024 Alzheimers NZ Fellow for his work researching and managing cognitive disorders.
11 Sept	Aged care will be worse off if redesign rushed New Zealanders needing aged care support and the people who care for them will be worse off if the Government pushes through a flawed and rushed redesign of dementia and aged care.
11 Sept	Govt takes action on mpox response, widens access to vaccine The Government is taking immediate action on a number of steps around New Zealand’s response to mpox, including improving access to vaccine availability so people who need it can do so more easily, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti and Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today.
10 Sept	ICN launches new position statement and discussion paper setting out a revolution in the delivery of Primary Health Care The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is launching its new position statement and a discussion paper on Primary Health Care (PHC) at its Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nursing Network (NP/APN Network) Conference in Aberdeen, Scotland.
9 Sept	First cancer medicine decision following Pharmac funding boost Pharmac has decided to widen access to two medicines for several types of cancer. Pembrolizumab (branded as Keytruda) will be funded from 1 October 2024 for eligible people with advanced triple-negative breast cancer, head and neck cancer, colorectal cancer, bladder cancer, and Hodgkin lymphoma. Nivolumab (branded as Opdivo) will be funded from 1 November for eligible people with kidney cancer.
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.