May 2022 – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

July 2022

‘Hard work, comradeship and fun’ — a history of hospital training in Palmerston North

By Kathy Stodart

June 3, 2022

‘The Right Girls’ is a journey back in time to the era of hospital training.

October 2022

Introduction to biological medicines

By He Ako Hiringa

May 27, 2022

Biological medicines are being increasingly used to treat a range of conditions in New Zealand. Nurses need to understand what they are, how they are used and possible side effects in the patients they care for.

July 2022

Migrant nurses vital to NZ and need better support, MPs told

By Monina Hernandez

May 26, 2022

Migrant nurse leader calls on MPs to better support IQNs, who are vital to the New Zealand health service.

May 2022

What does the Budget mean for the health sector in the long term?

By Brian Easton

May 25, 2022

When the finance minister says the health system is inefficient, what he means is that it is underfunded, says economist and policy analyst Brian Easton.

June 2022

Purple reigns in Aotearoa for care and support workers

By Mary Longmore

May 23, 2022

Union members turned out around the motu today in support of pay equity for care and support workers in the disability, aged care and mental health and addiction sectors.

June 2022

Researchers seek RNs in aged care

By Rhona Winnington

May 20, 2022

IT IS now more than six months since the End of Life Choice Act 2019 was implemented in New Zealand, with the latest government statistics indicating that 206 individuals have applied for an assisted death.

June 2022

Frontline health workers ‘completely overlooked’ in Budget — NZNO

By Mary Longmore

May 20, 2022

NZNO was “profoundly disappointed” with yesterday’s Budget, which barely mentioned nurses or their wages and conditions, chief executive Paul Goulter said.

July 2022

Enrolled nurses’ scope of practice to be reviewed this year — Nursing Council

By Mary Longmore

May 18, 2022

NZNO’s enrolled nurses (ENs) say they are looking forward to working closely with the Nursing Council to review their scope of practice, after a 2019 survey found ENs preferred not to work “under the direction” of nursing colleagues.

June 2022

Te reo Māori support not readily available in past times

By Polly Grainger

May 18, 2022

I am writing to you about the Kaitiaki news piece “Nursing magazine ditches century-old healthy-food title, finally becomes ‘guardian’” by co-editor Joel Maxwell [Feb 25, 2022]

June 2022

Collapse of negotiations with care workers shows little has changed in how the Government views the work of women

By Katherine Ravenswood

May 18, 2022

Ahead of the 2022 Budget, apprenticeships have been given a $230 million funding boost while negotiations between care workers and the Government have fallen apart. It’s hard not to see this as a gender equity issue.

June 2022

Rallies planned to support care and support workers

By Mary Longmore

May 18, 2022

Cross-union rallies are being planned around the motu this Monday, May 23, in support of care and support workers across the aged care, disability and mental health and addictions sectors.

June 2022

Investing in Māori nurses to address health inequities an opportunity for the 2022 Budget

By NZNO kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku and Auckland University of Technology associate professor of public health Heather Came

May 17, 2022

The sudden crisis of COVID-19 has highlighted the deepening inequities in such a dramatic way and laid visible the major challenges within the health sector. On the back of the global pandemic there was always going to be difficult economic and social outcome decisions. With the Budget looming, the political debate about where to invest has already begun.

June 2022

‘That’s the scale of the injustice’ – NZNO won’t back down on back pay

By NZNO chief executive Paul Goulter

May 12, 2022

After a “clear and strong” member mandate to turn the district health boards’ pay equity proposal over to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) to determine backpay, senior nurse rates and how to safely cement pay equity into the system, NZNO chief executive Paul Goulter shares his views.

June 2022

Nurses urged to ‘rise up’ at launch of Maranga Mai! campaign on nursing shortage

By Mary Longmore

May 12, 2022

NZNO’s 55,000-plus members were urged to come together and take action over long-standing nursing shortages, at the launch of NZNO’s Maranga Mai! campaign on International Nurses Day.

May 2022

What faith community nurses do

By Dorothy Finlay

May 11, 2022

The NZ Faith Community Nurses Association has been active for over 20 years, but strangely it is not well known in the New Zealand nursing scene.

June 2022

What is going on with NZNO?

By Sam Mojel

May 11, 2022

I am a long-standing workplace delegate. In spite of this, I am unable to answer my own questions, let alone the questions from NZNO members, about “what is going on with NZNO?”

June 2022

DHB nurses opt for Employment Relations Authority ruling over pay equity claim

By Mary Longmore

May 10, 2022

NZNO is “urgently” asking the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) to determine back pay and pay equity rates, after district health board (DHB) members strongly rejected a pay equity settlement proposal.

June 2022

Maranga Mai – a call for all NZNO members to rise up

By Mary Longmore

May 10, 2022

NZNO is calling on members to “rise up” and support the launch of its new campaign, Maranga Mai, on International Nurses’ Day this Thursday, May 12th.

July 2022

MAY crossword

By Kathy Stodart

May 9, 2022

Print out this crossword grid (see PRINT tab at bottom right of page), and use the clues below.

What employment means for people with schizophrenia

By Alex Pajel

May 5, 2022

Health-care professionals need to understand the benefits employment brings to people with schizophrenia.

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.