March 2024 – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

May 2024

Tough new government health targets could backfire, warn nurses

By Mary Longmore

April 9, 2024

Emergency nurses fear tough new targets for emergency departments (EDs) will put already-stretched staff under more pressure, risking “gaming” of wait time data.

May 2024

Nurses Memorial Fund is there to help

By Sharyn Lovell

April 3, 2024

In these difficult economic times, and with another wave of COVID-19, many people are experiencing financial hardship alongside the usual life events.

May 2024

Faster, fairer pathways for overseas nurses into New Zealand, says Nursing Council

By Mary Longmore

March 28, 2024

Concerns have been raised that newly streamlined pathways for internationally-qualified nurses (IQNs) into Aotearoa, New Zealand skip too lightly over cultural and clinical preparedness.

April 2024

It’s cool to kōrero — March 2024

By Kathy Stodart

March 28, 2024

Upoko: head

April 2024

When words fail: Why hasn’t anyone listened to nurses?

By Mary Longmore

March 27, 2024

Collective union action is the only way nurses will achieve safe staffing after years of being ignored, former director of the Safe Staffing Health Workplaces unit (SSHWU) Jane Lawless says.

May 2024

Innovative Marlborough practice, Manu Ora, proud to be recognised in business awards

By Tania Gregory and Ann McAslan

March 26, 2024

Staff at Manu Ora, a small innovative Blenheim primary health care practice, were thrilled to receive three awards at the recent Marlborough Chamber of Commerce business awards.

April 2024

Stomal nurses conference brings patients, nurses and doctors together

By Marie Buchanan and Preeti Charan

March 25, 2024

A recent conference brought together both stomal therapy nurses and those who have experienced ostomies – abdominal surgery to allow bodily waste to exit when a disease of the digestive or urinary system is present.

April 2024

‘If we don’t provide the voice of nursing, who will?’ Under-pressure nurses are determined to be heard

By Mary Longmore

March 22, 2024

Members of NZNO’s professional colleges and sections were called on to “shape the issues” facing health, at an energetic college and section day in Te Whanganui-a-tara, Wellington, this week.

April 2024

What is a systematic review, and how is it useful for nurses?

By Margaret Hughes

March 21, 2024

All nurses know that our practice should be linked to evidence, but even the idea of reading and assessing a piece of research can be overwhelming.

April 2024

Te Aka Whai Ora is gone — but the aims of Māori nurses stay true

By Mary Longmore

March 14, 2024

Amid the ashes of Te Aka Whai Ora, Māori nurses will still be chasing better pay, safer staffing and culturally safe workplaces.

April 2024

Nurse practitioner trainee numbers soar with 50 per cent funding boost

By Mary Longmore

March 8, 2024

Rising confidence amid more supportive pathways are behind a leap in nurses training to become mātanga tapuhi (nurse practitioners) this year, leaders say.

April 2024

MARCH 2024 crossword

By Kathy Stodart

March 6, 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.

South Island nurse prescriber programme going strong as it nears 100 graduates

By Mary Longmore

March 6, 2024

Te Waipounamu (South Island)’s first community nurse prescriber programme is celebrating two years and 52 graduates — and there are no signs of it slowing down, its clinical education lead Nicky Burwood says.

April 2024

Cutting through the noise: Why whānau-centred midwifery is not erasing women

By George Parker, Elizabeth Kerekere, Fleur Kelsey and Suzanne Miller

March 5, 2024

Proposed changes to a document that regulates midwifery practice in Aotearoa have caught the eye of some trans-exclusionary groups. A group of midwifery academics explains why the revisions should be celebrated.

April 2024

Survey: How are we are doing in health & safety in New Zealand?

By Safeguard

March 4, 2024

Safeguard magazine’s annual State of the Nation survey is open and we invite you to take part.

March 2024

Hepatitis C targeted for global eradication

By He Ako Hiringa

February 29, 2024

A short course of oral antivirals can cure hepatitis C, but the challenge lies in overcoming stigma and identifying those with chronic infection, as they may be asymptomatic for many years. Nurse prescribers and specialists, and those in primary care generally, have a role to play in identifying hepatitis C patients and ensuring they get the best care.

April 2024

Measure RNs against six pou — not 41 competencies, say nurses

By Mary Longmore

February 29, 2024

As consultation on new nursing competencies closes, nurses are embracing moves towards a culturally safer workforce — but say they should be measured against a handful of pou (domains) instead of dozens of new competencies:

March 2024

It’s cool to kōrero — February 2024

By Kathy Stodart

February 29, 2024

Waewae — feet.

March 2024

Helping to ensure your older patients are safer at home

By Hato Hone St John

February 28, 2024

The independence of older adults is facilitated by living in their own homes which enables greater autonomy and closer connections with their family, friends, and community. Living at home for as long as possible is highly valued by older adults¹, and is consistent with social policy that older adults should ‘age in place’ including those who require care and support².

March 2024

What can Pākeha do? Anti-racism event offers chance to ‘stand up, fight back’

By Mary Longmore

February 22, 2024

A Te Tiriti o Waitangi-focused event in March will help nurses and kaiāwhina become more culturally and politically competent at an ‘alarming’ time, say organisers and NZNO’s kaiwhakahaere.

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.