March 2021 vol 27 no 2

NZNO ‘thrilled’ with PHC MECA vote

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 16, 2021

The proposed primary health care multi-employer collective agreement (PHC MECA) has been overwhelmingly endorsed by members.

Education must promote nursing’s voice

By professional nursing adviser Anne Brinkman

March 1, 2021

Nursing education must prepare confident nurses able to clearly communicate the value of nursing across the health system.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Realistic patient simulations

By Andy Redpath

March 1, 2021

Patient simulations that mimic high-stress, multi-patient clinical situations are important to prepare students for the realities of practice.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Vaccine rollout raises many member issues

By acting industrial services manager Glenda Alexander

March 1, 2021

The rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine poses employment, professional and personal issues for members.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Board still to decide how best to fill presidential vacancy

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 1, 2021

NZNO’s board of directors was still considering how best to fill the presidential vacancy, when Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand went to press.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Acting chief executive appointed

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 1, 2021

NZNO’s manager of nursing and professional services (MNPS) Mairi Lucas (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Raukawa) has been appointed acting chief executive (CE) by NZNO’s board of directors, following Memo Musa’s resignation last month.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Secondment to help with community nurse prescribing

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 1, 2021

Deputy chief nurse at Counties Manukau District Health Board (DHB) Karyn Sangster has been seconded to the Nursing Council for 12 months to advance its nurse prescribing agenda.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Offer to follow ‘focused’ DHB MECA negotiations

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 1, 2021

Two small teams of negotiators are exploring “ideas and options” for a new NZNO/district health board multi-employer collective agreement (DHB MECA).

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Members petition for release of review report

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 1, 2021

A member petition for the NZNO board of directors to release the full evaluation of its performance has so far attracted 200 signatories.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Nurses urged to use their voice

By co-editor Mary Longmore

March 1, 2021

Speakers at NZNO’s first professional forum for 2021 suggest advocacy is a key part of nursing and nurses must always keep a record of their advocacy efforts.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Annual plan updated

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 1, 2021

NZNO’s draft annual plan has been revised and updated to include the three pillars included in the organisation’s 2021-2025 strategic plan and to update the plan’s key priorities, chief executive Memo Musa told the board.

Board review recommends some radical changes

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 1, 2021

A smaller board of nine, an appointed chair, two appointed directors to bridge skill gaps and a half-time president and kaiwhakahaere are among the key recommendations of the NZNO governance review, completed late last year.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Pharmacists, vision and hearing specialists to become members

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 1, 2021

The board agreed to allow pharmacists and vision and hearing specialists employed by Tai Tokerau’s largest Māori health provider, Ngāti Hine Health Trust, and covered by its collective agreement (CA) with NZNO, to become members of NZNO.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Equity framework to be ‘socialised’ to staff, members

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 1, 2021

The board approved a project brief on the development of an equity framework to guide NZNO in all its work.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Board approves 2021/2022 budget deficit

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 1, 2021

In his report to the board, corporate services manager David Woltman presented a budgeted deficit of $478,000 for 2021/22 and small surpluses in the following two years.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Growing interest in IPC nursing – college

By co-editor Mary Longmore

March 1, 2021

Infection prevention skills have never been more crucial, says college.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

NZNO finances better off due to COVID

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 1, 2021

NZNO is facing a pre-tax deficit of $673,000 for the nine months to December 31, 2020 – $448,000 better than the budgeted pre-tax deficit of $1.121 million.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

No longer ‘tedious’ hand-washers

By co-editor Mary Longmore

March 1, 2021

Infection prevention and control nursing is finally commanding the respect it deserves.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

IPC nurses stretched ’50 ways’

By co-editor Mary Longmore

March 1, 2021

Wellington clinical nurse specialist Karen Corban has done everything in the past year, from preparing for an Avatar film crew flying in, to ensuring Wellington’s MIQ facilities are safe.

March 2021 vol 27 no 2

Changes to Holidays Act welcomed

By Kai Tiaki editors

March 1, 2021

Workers will be able to get sick leave, bereavement and family violence leave from the first days of their employment under changes to the Holidays Act.

Uncut – news briefs

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.