Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand articles from December 2006

Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand archives from December 2006

Let them eat cake.(christmas celebrations ar New Zealand Nurses Organisation)(Editorial)
December 1, 2006... It's the countdown to Christmas. As if anybody needs to be reminded. The list of things to do--presents to buy, cards to send, bookings to make, arrangements to confirm, work to finish, deadlines to meet--seems to lengthen in direct proportion...

Experiences of migrant mothers.(LETTERS: TELL US WHAT YOU THINK)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... Thanks for the thoughtful piece by Wendy Hicks on breastfeeding choices (October, p23), suggesting that midwives need to be flexible in attitudes and practice. I was particularly struck by Wendy's comments about "Caring for mothers as well as...

Rooming-in promotes breastfeeding.(LETTERS: TELL US WHAT YOU THINK)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I am responding to an opinion piece published in your October issue--"Respecting breastfeeding choices" by Wendy Hicks (p23). One aspect of the article needs further discussion. Hicks states that rooming-in needs to be a mothers choice. She...

Erroneous presumptions in article.(LETTERS: TELL US WHAT YOU THINK)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... Health professionals working with mothers and babies strive to meet their challenges and needs in the early days after birth using best practice. We were therefore concerned to read the viewpoint by Wendy Hicks in the October issue (Respecting...

Questions haunt nursing student.(LETTERS: TELL US WHAT YOU THINK)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I am a year-one nursing student from Waiariki Institute of Technology, doing my bachelor of nursing at Windermere in Tauranga. I have recently been out on my first practicum for three weeks and have come away with a multitude of questions. I am...

Time to get back to basics.(LETTERS: TELL US WHAT YOU THINK)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... Our patients are why we nurses exist, aren't they? Over the fast century or so, nurses have had to fight to have their profession recognised and honoured. Central always to this struggle has been the patient. Has that changed? When someone...

The 'dream team' could endanger health.(LETTERS: TELL US WHAT YOU THINK)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... They call themselves "the dream team", but the combination of John Key and Bill English leading the National Party is more like a nightmare for nurses and other health workers, should they ever become the Government. Only two days into his...

Care plus workshop assists nurse.(LETTERS: TELL US WHAT YOU THINK)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I want to thank NZNO for enabling me to attend a workshop on managing lifelong conditions (currently known as Care Plus) in Palmerston North recently. Without the NZNO grant I would not have been able to attend. I suspect few Pacific Island...

New online cancer nursing courses.(LETTERS: TELL US WHAT YOU THINK)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... CancerNursing.org has recently launched two new, free online courses--Hypercalcaemia in malignant disease and cancer of the prostate. The courses can be studied at the learner's own pace and in their own time and there is no cost to the nurse....

NDU grateful for NZNO support.(LETTERS: TELL US WHAT YOU THINK)(National Distribution Union)(New Zealand Nurses Organisation)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I know that general secretary of the National Distribution Union (NDU) Laila Harre has already thanked NZNO for its support in the recent dispute between Progressive Enterprises supermarket workers and their bosses. However, I wanted to record...

Notice to members.(Correction notice)
December 1, 2006... The co-editors apologise to Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand readers for the removal of news pages 7-8 in the November issue. These pages were removed by our printing company before distribution, on our instructions, when it was realised one of...

Performing seals: a nursing consultant and child of postmodernism, Gertrude Steen, shares with the Te Henga section of the Nurses' Marxist Union the best way of approaching the complexities of competencies a la PDRPs.((A)MUSING ON NURSING)
December 1, 2006... The Te Henga section of the Nurses' Marxist Union had a PDRP party the other night. You will know about this new sort of party, of course. It's the nursing equivalent of the Tupperware Party, updated for the 21st century. You will also know...

It's a deal--proposed settlement in primary care.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(labor agreements)
December 1, 2006... It's a deal--after nearly 12 months of negotiations, a proposed settlement for primary health care (PHC) nurses and administrative staff has been reached. NZNO and the New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA) are recommending the deal which, if...

Elton John fans support petition.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Four hundred signatures from Elton John fans--collected before his concert in Wellington early this month--boosted the total number of signatures on NZNO's aged-care petition to close to 15,000. The petition calls on politicians to ensure next...

Right to strike defended.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... CALLS for health workers' right to strike to be scrapped, made during the recent week-long strike by members of the Medical Laboratory Workers' Union, have been rebutted by NZNO. Chief executive Geoff Annals said any strike action involved a...

Delegates spread the fair share for aged care message.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... NZNO delegates donned their Fair Share for Aged Care tee shirts for the Council of Trade Unions/Government forum in Wellington this month. Prime Minister Helen Clark, Government Ministers Steve Maharey, Trevor Mallard, Ruth Dyson and David...

New council chair from clinical practice.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(appointment of Beverley Raina as chairperson)
December 1, 2006... Experience in education, management and clinical practice are among the skills newly-elected Nursing Council chair Beverley Rayna brings to the role. Elected at the new Council's first meeting in early November, Rayna said she would also bring...

English second language for most Auckland nursing students.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(surveys)(Survey)
December 1, 2006... More than half the first-year nursing students attending the four Auckland institutes offering nursing degrees, speak English as their second language. This is a key finding of a survey by the Northern Region of Nurse Education in the Tertiary...

Northtec introduces on-line nursing degree.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... NorthTec Tai Tokerau Wananga is to trial an online nursing degree next year for students in the mid to Far North. Kaitaia-based students will make up the majority of the class to trial the programme, which will initially run over four years,...

Nursing scholarship to help students.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The Dame Te Atairangikaahu Nursing Scholarship, established in memory of the late Maori queen by the Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) at Turangawaewae, is to encourage Tainui students to undertake full-time nursing or midwifery studies,...

Relational organising brings success.(NEWS AND EVENTS)
December 1, 2006... Union organising based on establishing relationships, common values and building staff communities is far more effective than organising centred on arousing anger and solely focused on issues. That's the philosophy expounded by United...

Flexible working hours good for health care workers.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(New Zealand Nursing Organizations support for work hours)
December 1, 2006... NZNO fully supports calls for more flexible working hours, spearheaded by Green MP Sue Kedgley's Private Members' Bill. The Bill gives employees with young or disabled children a statutory right to request flexible working arrangements, and...

Otago nurses intervene to save nursing leadership.(NEWS AND EVENTS)
December 1, 2006... A proposal that could have disestablished up to 20 full-time equivalent senior nursing positions, including nine nurse educator positions, at Otago District Health Board (DHB) has largely been scrapped, thanks to the efforts of nurses and NZNO....

Diabetes Award winners.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(awards for nurses)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Three diabetes nurses were among the 2006 Lilly Partnership in Diabetes Awards winners, announced last month. Specialist nurse educator Jenny Britland from the Wakatipu District was winner of the special nurse section, nominated by GP...

Calls for national forum on CTA funding.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Clinical Training Agency)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... NZNO welcomes a more flexible and equitable model for funding postgraduate nursing studies, as proposed in the recently released Ministry of Health Clinical Training Agency (CTA) draft specifications. According to the specifications, registered...

Rita McEwan remembered.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(death of Rita McEwan )(Obituary)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Psychiatric nursing leader Rita McEwan died late last month at the age of 88. McEwan was an educator, clinician, inspector and adviser. She was principal of the School of Advanced Nursing Studies in Wellington, principal nurse at Porirua...

Nurse specialist may gain prescribing right.(NEWS AND EVENTS)
December 1, 2006... The government is considering extending prescribing rights to nurse specialists. Speaking at the inaugural conference for nurse practitioners (NPs) in Dunedin last month, Health Minister Pete Hodgson said such a move would encourage "more...

Magnet appraisers to visit Hutt hospital in March.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(hospital management standards)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Three magnet appraisers from the United States (US) are due to visit Hurt Hospital next March. Over four days, the appraisers will cover all shifts and meet all nursing staff in a series of focus groups. They would also meet allied staff and...

Australian workers protest.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(protests for industrial law)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... More than 200,000 Australians protested late last month during a national day of action against the Howard Government's industrial legislation. There were rallies in 300 cities and towns across Australia on November 30. In Auckland and...

First National PDRP conference.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Professional Development and Recognition Programme)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Creating a culture of practice development was the theme of the first Notional Professional Development and Recognition Programme (PDRP) conference, hosted by Hutt Valley District Health Board (DHB) and co-ordinated by the hospital PDRP...

Responsible clinician role offers opportunities for nurses: very few nurses work in the statutory role of responsible clinician. But it is a role that offers opportunities for advanced practice and for improving client outcomes.(RESEARCH)(growth opportunities for nurses)
December 1, 2006... Statutory roles under mental health legislation offer mental health nurses a means of having advanced practice skills recognised, as well as contributing to improved access to services. In this paper we report on a recent study investigating...

Volunteering in Mozambique: being part of a dental team in Mozambique called for a lot of adaptability and ability to work in very basic conditions. One nurse felt privileged to take part.(NURSING OVERSEAS)
December 1, 2006... Earlier this year I had the privilege to be part of a dental team that travelled to Mozambique, following an invitation from Iris Ministries, a nondenominational Christian mission set up in Mozambique to care for orphaned and abandoned...

Making a difference in the developing world: a nurse who registered a year ago, has found her nursing niche in voluntary work in developing countries devastated by natural disasters.(NURSING OVERSEAS)(experiences of a nurse during natural disasters)(Personal account)
December 1, 2006... From as early as I can remember, I have wanted to be a nurse. I recall, aged seven, reading one of my aunt's nursing text books and longing for the day I could train and practise as a nurse. One of my aunts had travelled extensively in Africa,...

Building profiles to create individualized care: helping residents become the people they want to be and do what they want to do is the basis of care at Moana House and Village.(VIEWPOINT)(medical care)
December 1, 2006... Caring for the elderly in residential facilities continues to be undervalued and underfunded. This means that, in some facilities, the quality of care is not as good as it should be. Many providers fail to recognise the individual needs of...

Caring for a community wanderer: caring for a person with dementia in the community can be challenging. Behaviour that includes wandering poses particular risks to both sufferer and carer.(PRACTICE)
December 1, 2006... As a registered nurse working in the community as part of the Waikato District Health Board's Older Persons Assessment Team (OPAT), I saw increasing numbers of older people affected by dementia. This disorder causes progressive deteriorating...

Working among the poorest of the poor: a nursing lecturer and a nursing student--a mother and daughter--share their experiences of time spent last December and January doing volunteer work in Thailand and in India with the Missionaries of Charity, the religious order founded by Mother Teresa.(NURSING OVERSEAS)(servicing at missionaries)
December 1, 2006... The Missionaries of Charity run a home for abandoned children with HIV/AIDS in a very poor rural village in north western Thailand. We worked there as volunteers with the sisters for three weeks, followed by four weeks in the Home for the Dying...

Kiwi aid worker asks New Zealanders to dig deep to help fleeing Darfur refugees; ChildFund NZ launches Darfur emergency appear.(relief measures to be adopted)
December 1, 2006... A United Nations report released last week on Darfur said the number of people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance now stands at 4 million people. This has doubled since the start of 2005. Jan England, United Nations Emergency Relief...

New additions to the NZNO library.(Client education: a partnership approach for health practitioners.)(Trust and betrayal in the workplace: building effective relationships in your organization.)(Handbook of nursing leadership: creative skills for a culture of safety.)(International Council of Nurses: Advanced nursing practice.)(Quiet leadership: six steps to transmitting performance at work: help people think better, don't tell them what to do!)(Manage meetings positively: how to take charge and come up with results.)(Care of the difficult patient: a nurse's guide.)(Communication for nurses: talking with patients.)(135 tips for writing successful business documents.)(Dying: A New Zealand guide for the journey.)(Contract matters: negotiation.)(Get your groove back: how spiritual intelligence (SQ) can give you the work and life you really want.)(Guidance for mentors of student nurses and midwives. An RCN toolkit.)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... The following items have recently been added to the library collection. Descriptions are taken from accompanying publicity material with three reviews written by NZNO members. Client education: a partnership approach for health...

Making ethical decisions during disasters: it is essential nurses prepare for a possible disaster and are aware of the ethical dilemmas they may face when delivering care to patients in difficult circumstances.(PROFESSIONAL FOCUS)
December 1, 2006... Recently two North American nurses and a physician were charged with murder as a result of their actions during Hurricane Katrina. (1) This charge was related to their administration of intravenous analgesia and sedation to critically ill...

Consultation--what's it all about? Developments in some district health boards over the last few months indicate a lack of respect for genuine consultation with nurses.(INDUSTRIAL FOCUS)(Employment Contracts Act)
December 1, 2006... Over recent months many NZNO members and staff could be forgiven if they thought they were having a flashback to the late '80s or the '90s when the public health sector went through restructuring and review after review. Sometimes these...

Career opportunities for gastroenterology nurses.(SECTION/COLLEGE NEWS)(job opportunities for nurses)(Conference news)
December 1, 2006... NZNO's Gastroenterology Nurses' Section (GNS) annual conference, held alongside the New Zealand Society of Gastroenterology annual scientific meeting, was held in Blenheim from November 15-17. More than 100 nurses from throughout New Zealand...

Responding to the challenges of child health nursing.(SECTION/COLLEGE NEWS)(Conference news)
December 1, 2006... More than 90 child health nurses attended a seminar organised by the Nurses for Children and Young People of Aotearoa NZNO section, and held in Nelson at the end of October. This day was prior to the Paediatric Society of New Zealand conference...

Examining mental health excellence.(SECTION/COLLEGE NEWS)(conference on mental health)(Conference news)
December 1, 2006... The second Mental Health Nurses' Section conference was held in Auckland at the end of October, jointly hosted by Auckland University and the Mason Clinic. The theme of "excellence" provided an opportunity for health professionals from...

Parish nurses share the journey.(SECTION/COLLEGE NEWS)(conferences on nursing)(Conference news)
December 1, 2006... Sharing the journey was the theme of the New Zealand Faith Community Nurses' Association's (NZFCNA) annual conference, held in Christchurch at the end of October. Twenty-three nurses from Auckland to Gore attended, keen to join in an...

Building good relationship with sections/colleges.(SECTION/COLLEGE NEWS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Around 35 section and college chairs and treasurers attended a one-day meeting in Wellington late last month. The purpose of the day was to explore issues raised at a similar day held before NZNO conference in September; for business services...

Celebrations planned to mark historic settlement.(SECTOR REPORTS)(celebrations for pay hikes)
December 1, 2006... NZNO and Service and Food Workers' Union (SFWU) members employed at Guardian Health Group's (GHG) 31 sites around the country have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a collective agreement (CA) which delivers a guaranteed four percent pay...

Pay and employment equity reviews begin.(SECTOR REPORTS)(employee pay reviews)
December 1, 2006... Pay and employment equity (PaEE) reviews have started in five district health boards (DHBs): Auckland, Taranaki, MidCentral, Hurt Valley and Otago. These reviews will took at what the five DHBs already do and know, identify and analyse...

NZNO/DHB MECA negotiations underway.(SECTOR REPORTS)(New zealand Nurses Organmization / District Health Board multi-employer collective agreement )
December 1, 2006... Negotiations for the second NZNO/District Health Board (DHB) multi-employer collective agreement (MECA) began in Wellington on December 11, with NZNO advocate Glenda Alexander feeling confident the negotiations would be conducted positively....

Southern Region bargaining round-up.(SECTOR REPORTS)(employee wages)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Firstly, the Southern organising team wishes all delegates, activists and members a Merry Christmas and a happy and safe New Year. We would like to acknowledge those who have given their time to participate in NZNO's campaigns and who have made...

Pay parity at Plunket.(SECTOR REPORTS)(remuneration of nurses)
December 1, 2006... Plunket staff are voting on whether to accept a settlement offer which delivers pay parity for Plunket nurses and moves other staff significantly closer to that goal. Mediation last month resulted in the proposed settlement, which NZNO's...

NZNO to support Australian unions.(BOARD OF DIRECTORS)(New Zealand Nurses Organization)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... NZNO will donate $2000 to the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) to assist unions in their ongoing campaign to reverse the current industrial legislation in Australia. This follows a recommendation from the New Zealand CTU that unions...

Support for CTU Unity Fund.(BOARD OF DIRECTORS)(donations to Council of Trade Union Unity Fund)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... NZNO will grant $5000 to the Council of Trade Union (CTU) Unity Fund. The purpose of this fund is to finance specific organising projects in private sector workplaces. The CTU has identified building union membership in the private sector as a...

New structure diagram proposed.(BOARD OF DIRECTORS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The need to review the NZNO structure diagram in the NZNO rules booklet was discussed. Te Runanga kaiwhakahaere Brenda Close suggested NZNO adopt a more bicultural model, based on the concept of a whare. The centre pou of the whare could...

Board to attend 2007 hui.(BOARD OF DIRECTORS)(meetings)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Te Runanga o Aotearoa NZNO national executive komiti intends inviting the board of directors to its next annual general hui (AGH) in Wellington later next year. In August this year, some board members attended the AGH in Blenheim, more in the...

Neonatal nurses moving to college status.(BOARD OF DIRECTORS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... As the New Zealand Association of Neonatal Nurses NZNO moves towards completion of its application for college status, the board has endorsed its new education policy and standards, nursing standards, its strategic plan 20062011, its...

The future of Paua.(BOARD OF DIRECTORS)(positive action in unity and aroha)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... NZNO policy analyst Maori Sharon Clair reported on the positive action in unity and aroha (PAUA) project. Members had continued to see value in the project and wanted it to continue beyond its completion date next year, she said. This would...

Governance statement endorsed.(BOARD OF DIRECTORS)
December 1, 2006... The board has endorsed the governance statement prepared by NZNO's Primary Health Care Nurses Council. This information is for nurses who are currently, or who may be contemplating positions on governance boards in primary health care. The...

Improving communication.(BOARD OF DIRECTORS)(jobs assigned)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Following a discussion on the need for improving communication within the organisation, particularly with board members and between members, chief executive Geoff Annals was directed to produce a draft communications report for this month's...

Honararia to remain at 2005 rate.(BOARD OF DIRECTORS)(remunerations)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The honoraria for the president and chair of Te Runanga are to remain at the amounts set in 2005. The president will continue to receive $30,000 and Te Runanga chair $25,000. Board members review the amount paid to the holders of these two...

Practice nurse accreditation.(BOARD OF DIRECTORS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The board has endorsed the recent three-yearly review of NZNO's practice nurse accreditation programme. The new, fifth edition of the programme will be used for the application rounds in March and August next year.

What is partnership? In terms of NZNO, what does a bicultural partnership really mean? What would it look like in practice? Te Runanga o Aotearoa NZNO chair Brenda Close poses some questions and provides some answers.(TE RUNANGA)(New Zealand Nurses Organisation)
December 1, 2006... Maori are tangata whenua of Aotearoa/ New Zealand. We have a connection to this land and a whakapapa that provides our connection to and place in this world. Our culture is unique to this land and different to all other cultures. There are...

Events 2006.(Calendar)
December 1, 2006... EVENTS 2006 2007 Feb 22-23 South Island Respiratory Christchurch Educators' Forum email: elisabeth@ asthmacanty.org.nz 2007 Mar 15-16 Case...