Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand articles from June 2005

Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand archives from June 2005

Making nursing a popular career choice again.(EDITORIAL)
June 1, 2005... Traditionally, nursing has been a popular career choice for young women. Many of today's nurses were part of groups of girls who commenced hospital-based training programmes, with intakes in large hospitals spaced only a few months apart. ...

The case for nurse anaesthetists.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... I am responding to Denise Hetherington's letter published in last month's magazine (p3) regarding nurse anaesthetists. Denise raises questions about whether patients would consent to treatment by nurse anaesthetists and the competence of nurse...

Tolerating differences of opinion.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... As one of the many people who wrote to Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand some months ago expressing dismay at NZNO's support of the Civil Union Bill without a mandate from its members, I was once again dismayed to read that those who opposed NZNO's...

Dissatisfaction with pay offer.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... I was surprised to read Alison Burt's letter (Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand, April, p3) thanking NZNO and organising services manager Laila Harre for their "success" in the recent negotiations, particularly as she is from Auckland. I have yet...

ENs' work in infection control praised.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... I am writing on behalf of the Midland Region of NZNO's National Division of Infection Control Nurses. At our regional meeting, members expressed the wish to formally support enrolled nurses (ENs). We have been impressed with the...

Abortion debate welcomed.(LETTERS)
June 1, 2005... I am replying to the letters published in response to my article in the February issue of Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand about abortion ("Taking the judgement out of abortion, p26-27). I thank the correspondents and am glad some debate is now...

Relationships with patients were once ok.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... I read with interest the article "Keeping boundaries clear with patients" by Joy Bickley Asher, published in last month's issue (p24). I'm confused. Either I've been too busy nursing, or I must be guilty of not keeping up with the times. After...

Gratitude from Niue nurses.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... Fakalofa atu. I would like to thank NZNO for the 11 sets of nursing uniforms and shoes that we received at the end of March. It was a good Easter present for the nurses in Niue and they are thrilled to wear the new uniforms. We would like...

Nurses needed for international survey.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... Munich University's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) research branch is seeking nurses with outstanding expertise in the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. We have recently developed...

Harre to contest union post.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Laila Harre )
June 1, 2005... NZNO's organising services manager and architect of the Fair Pay Campaign, Laila Harre, (right) is to run for national secretary of the National Distribution Union (NDU). This elected position, as head of the 19,200-strong private sector union,...

Positive response to pay parity campaign in Primary Health.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The first milestone of NZNO's strategy for a multi-employer collective agreement (MECA) in the primary health care sector has been achieved, with a settlement of the medical receptionists' MECA. Negotiations last month achieved an offer,...

Delegate conventions focus on leadership and campaigning.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Six down, three to go--that was the state of play regarding NZNO's regional delegate conventions when Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand went to press. Close to 300 delegates have attended conventions in Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin,...

Direct debit winners.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Five lucky NZNO members have each won a digital camera in a one-off draw for people who switched from salary deduction to direct debit to pay their NZNO subscriptions. The winning members were registered nurse (RN) Helen Tippler from Nelson;...

Australian government aiming to undermine workers' rights.(NEWS AND EVENTS)
June 1, 2005... Australian Prime Minister John Howard late last month announced unprecedented changes to Australia's industrial relations laws, aimed at undermining the award system, putting workers on individual contracts and abolishing unfair dismissal...

First male nurse starts work for Plunket.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... In taking on his new role at Whangarei Plunket centre, Keith Curry has become Plunket's first male nurse. Being the only male out of 625 nurses might be a daunting prospect for some, but Curry says both Plunket and the families he works with...

DHB members appointed to Committee of Inquiry.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The six District Health Board New Zealand (DHBNZ) members of the Committee of Inquiry into Safe Staffing and Healthy Workplaces have been appointed. They are director of nursing at Auckland DHB, Taima Campbell; director of nursing at MidCentral...

Many nurses still want to leave jobs, survey reveals.(major survey conducted by Auckland University's Nursing School)
June 1, 2005... Nearly one third of nurses working in district health boards (DHBs) are intending to leave in the next 12 months, according to a major survey conducted by Auckland University's Nursing School--the same proportion as when the survey was first...

No-fault medical misadventure law passed.(amendment to the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... From next month, people who suffer injury as a result of medical treatment will no longer have to prove their health professional was at fault or that the injury was "rare and severe" to get help from the Accident Compensation corporation...

Public Health under the spotlight.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Making the links for Public Health is the overarching theme for the Public Health Association's conference in Wellington next month. Other themes include reducing inequalities in health, sustainable development, public health law and public...

DHBS working to boost 'flu vaccination rates.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Fourteen district health boards)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Fourteen district health boards (DHBs) have responded to NZNO's request for information on their influenza ('flu) vaccination programmes. NZNO's chief executive Geoff Annals wrote to all DHB chief executives last month asking for this...

Honouring nursing practice on International Nurses' Day.(NEWS AND EVENTS)
June 1, 2005... Award ceremonies were a major feature of International Nurses' Day celebrations around the country last month. Capital and Coast District Health Board (DHB) marked the day with the inaugural primary health care nurses' scholarships and...

Maori nursing course soon to become a reality.(NEWS AND EVENTS)
June 1, 2005... The country's first Maori nursing school could soon become a reality, if the Nursing Council and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority approve the course curriculum. The proposed nursing school is being formed through an alliance of the...

Health scholarships launched.(NEWS AND EVENTS)
June 1, 2005... Southland's Community Trust has launched a $90,000 a year health scholarship programme to address health workforce gaps in the region. Scholarships from the Murihiku Health Scholarship Fund will be awarded for study and/or training expressly...

Putting children on the political agenda.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Plunket Society is one of a number of organisations leading the Every Child Counts campaign to promote the interests of children and families in the lead up to this years election. Barnados, UNICEF New Zealand, Save the Children, Auckland...

International speakers at Midwifery forum.(Mavis Kirkham)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Professor of Midwifery at England's Sheffield University, Mavis Kirkham, is one of the speakers at an international midwifery seminar being hosted by Victoria University's Graduate School of Nursing and Midwifery next month. A midwife and...

Encouraging more exercise.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... More than 120 people, including around 40 nurses, attended a conference on increasing physical activity in New Zealand communities in Auckland last month. Keynote speaker was Stanford University School of Medicine professor Abby King (pictured...

New ICN president elected.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(International Council of Nurses appoints Hiroko Minami )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has a new president, Hiroko Minami from Japan (pictured below). She was elected by the Council of National Representatives (CNR) at the quadrennial ICN congress in Taiwan last month and replaces...

Deputy Health and Disability Commissioner appointed.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Tania Thomas)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Long-time Radio New Zealand health reporter and former Harkness Research Fellow Rae Lamb begins her rote as a deputy Health and Disability Commissioner with special responsibility for complaints resolution in August. She joins the other deputy...

Something is rotten in the state of education: an experienced overseas nurse educator talks about the challenges, obstacles and frustrations of working in New Zealand's tertiary education sector.
June 1, 2005... Padraig O'Luanaigh has had a brief but tempestuous career in New Zealand nursing education. It began in February 2002 when he came from the United Kingdom (UK) to take up the position of programme leader for the Bachelor of Nursing at Waikato...

Nursing the private hospital way at MercyAscot: the patients may not be as sick as those found within the public hospital system, but nurses at MercyAscot have high levels of responsibility and need to learn to think on their feet.(profile of the New Zealand's largest private hospital MercyAscot in Auckland)
June 1, 2005... Nurses who have good assessment skills, are confident in their practice, can re late well to surgeons and anaesthetists, and who enjoy working autonomously are ideally suited to working at New Zealand's largest private hospital MercyAscot in...

Making an impact at ICN Congress: nursing on the move: knowledge, innovation and vitality was the theme of the International Council of Nurses' Quadrennial Congress in Taipei, Taiwan, last month. New Zealand nurses' contributions were noteworthy.(International Council of Nurses)(discussion points from the meeting of the Council of National Representatives)
June 1, 2005... Taipei, Taiwan, was the setting for the 23rd Quadrennial Congress of the International Council of Nurses (ICN) last month. The people of this fascinating city were enthusiastic hosts to the around 4000 nurses from more than 130 countries. ...

Understanding intraaortic balloon pumping: intraaortic balloon pumping is a complex procedure aimed at supporting a compromised heart. Carried out in many of the country's intensive care units, it is important that nurses understand the physiology and mechanics of the procedure so they can offer optimal nursing care.(PRACTICE)
June 1, 2005... Intraaortic balloon pumping (IABP) is an established treatment for the support of a failing heart. (1) It is undertaken in most level two and three intensive care units (ICU). Despite IABP appearing complex, the principles are straightforward....

Enhancing nurses' presentation skills: giving presentations is an essential part of nurses' professional development but for many it can be a nightmare. Here one nurse presents a way of increasing the effectiveness of a presentation and decreasing the anxiety surrounding it.(four basic steps to preparing an effective presentation--planning, preparation, practicing and performing)
June 1, 2005... Speaking in public is many people's number one fear, according to The Best Book of Lists. (1) Nurses frequently have to give presentations, whether as part of a job interview, as feed back from a course or conference, or simply as part of a...

Learning how to be culturally safe: one nurse found that her nursing education did nothing to help her practise in a way that was culturally safe. What really helped was education about the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and New Zealand's colonial history. Here she shares her journey to becoming a nurse who is culturally safe.(dead of the nurse Irihapeti Ramsden, otherwise known as Kawa Whakaruruhau)(Obituary)
June 1, 2005... The pioneer of cultural safety (otherwise known as Kawa Whakaruruhau) in this country is Irihapeti Ramsden. Sadly, this wonderful nursing leader died in April, 2003. The concept of cultural safety is broad, rather abstract, and sometimes...

A hitchhiker's guide to the PAUA project.(Positively Acting in Unity and Aroha)(discussion about ceremonial processes inside nursing)
June 1, 2005... He moana pukepuke e ekengia e te waka--A choppy sea can be navigated. In some ways biculturalism is an accepted part of the way NZNO operates. We have powhiri at the start of our annual conferences and to welcome visitors or new staff; we...

Nominations for Te Runanga chair and vice chair sought.(New Zealand Nurses Organisation)
June 1, 2005... Nominations for the office of Te Runanga o Aotearoa NZNO chair and vice chair are being called for. The chairperson needs to have a good understanding of Te Runanga's role and structure and the partnership with NZNO. A clear understanding...

Injecting enthusiasm and fun into clinical education: the passing of the Health Professionals Competency Act, created a need for individuals and organisations to source relevant clinical education.(MEDTRA New Zealand Limited Clinical one-day seminars' programmes)(clinical education)
June 1, 2005... That's where MEDTRA New Zealand Limited comes in. Medtra is a Wellington based company, established in 1999. It provides clinical education for registered nurses and allied health workers. The Directors have strong nursing backgrounds and a...

Four candidates stand for NZNO presidency: NZNO presidential elections look set to provide an interesting contest this year, with a more nurses putting themselves forward than ever before. In these profiles, each candidate responds to seven set questions.(New Zealand Nurses Organisation)
June 1, 2005... PAULINE ALLAN-DOWNS NOMINATED BY TAI TOKERAU REGIONAL COUNCIL Northland District Health Board (DHB) smoking cessation quit coach and NZNO board of director's member, Pauline Allan-Downs, says the leadership given by NZNO chief executive...

No further action on structural changes.(New Zealand Nurses Organisation)
June 1, 2005... Proposed changes to NZNO's structure, agreed at last year's conference, will not come into effect, if a board recommendation to this year's NZNO conference is accepted. The structural review committee presented a paper to the February...

2005/2006 budget approved.(New Zealand Nurses Organisation)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The board has approved NZNO's budget for the 2005/2006 financial year. In presenting an overview of the budget, business services manager Dragan Radic outlined some assumptions about NZNO's income: * membership income this year was...

Future of nursing research explored.(BOARD OF DIRECTORS)
June 1, 2005... NZNO is going to explore options and possibilities for future development of nursing research within NZNO. This decision was in response to a request to the board from the nursing research section to establish a nursing research staff position...

Support for Fijian nurses continues.(New Zealand Nurses Organisation and Fiji Nursing Association )
June 1, 2005... NZNO is to continue its support to the Fiji Nursing Association (FNA). NZNO organising services manager Laila Harre, reporting on her and Lyndy McIntyre's trip to Fiji earlier this year (see Kai Tioki Nursing New Zealand, April 2005, p12-13),...

Policies on ENs to be collated.(planning survey for actively replacing enrolled nurses)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... NZNO is to collate evidence that some district health boards (DHBs) are not actively replacing enrolled nurses (ENs) when they leave. Such policies are sometimes written but more commonly were not. During discussion on ENs, the board agreed to...

Developing professionally: with the advent of competence-based annual practising certificates, nurses need to undertake regular professional development. There are many opportunities for such education and development.(New Zealand Nurses Organisation web site)
June 1, 2005... NZNO regularly receives enquiries from members wanting contact details for education programmes, conferences and seminars. A good way to start such a search is with tertiary education providers. Accessing the Nursing Council's website...

Budget fails aged-care workers and older people: this year's budget was a huge disappointment for those working in aged care. There's no money for training and no money to ensure those who work in the sector are paid the same as in the public sector.
June 1, 2005... Last month's Budget failed to deliver the funding increases for the aged-care sector essential to achieve equity and provide quality care. But the failure of the Budget and the Government to deliver adequate funding to aged care will not stop...

Practice nurses endorse pay parity campaign.(COLLEGE/SECTION NEWS)
June 1, 2005... The New Zealand College of Practice [Nurses.sup.NZNO] conference last month overwhelmingly endorsed NZNO's Pay Parity for Primary Health Campaign. NZNO organising services manager Laita Harre launched the campaign to a standing ovation on the...

Enrolled nurses urged to work collectively for a positive future.(presentations from the New Zealand Nurses Organisation)
June 1, 2005... A strong advocate for enrolled nurses, Otago District Health Board (DHB) chair Richard Thomson, opened NZNO's National Enrolled Nurses' Section Conference in Dunedin last month. Speaking to the 171 enrolled nurses (ENs), including seven...

Nominations called for NZNO advisory committee.(COLLEGE/SECTION NEWS)(New Zealand Nurses Organisation)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Nominations for the Nursing and Midwifery Advisory Committee (NMAC) are being catted for. NMAC members are nurses and midwives elected by the wider membership to advise, inform and make recommendations to the board of directs on specific social...

DHB delegates' committee to drive ongoing MECA work.(SECTOR REPORTS)(district health board)(multi-employer collective agreement)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The new national committee of district health board (DHB) workplace delegates met for the first time in Wellington last month. The group is comprised of delegates and convenors representing NZNO workplace committees from the 21 DHBs. Its...

New working party underway.(SECTOR REPORTS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Finding national consistent criteria for the newly negotiated merit payments for health care assistants (HCAs) and hospital aids was the purpose of a joint district health board/NZNO working party meeting in Wellington recently. Five HCA...

Strike notice withdrawn.(SECTOR REPORTS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... NZNO withdrew its strike notice on behalf of medical radiation technologists at Counties Manukau District Health Board (DHB) last month. Organiser Mark Lennox said that significant progress had been made at urgent mediation before the...

Aged-care workers take strike action in Christchurch to protest low pay offer.(SECTOR REPORTS)
June 1, 2005... More than 80 NZNO and Service and Food Worker's Union members, employed by Qualcare Trust in Christchurch, took strike action last month over their collective agreement negotiations. The action took place for three hours on May 19, from 10 am...

Hospice nurses support multi-site agreement.(SECTOR REPORTS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... A national hospice multi-employer collective agreement (MECA) has come a step closer, following a vote indicating strong support for the initiative. Over the last year, NZNO has been aligning dates for hospice CAs in sites around New Zealand in...

Prescribing Imovane against directions of prescriber is professional misconduct.(NURSING COUNCIL)
June 1, 2005... GAYNOR KRIPPNER, RN A registered nurse (RN) who prescribed Imovane for a patient, in contravention of the directions of the prescriber, has been found guilty of professional misconduct. In its December 2004 decision, the Nursing Council...

Nurse struck off for possession of pornography.(NURSING COUNCIL)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... IAN GEORGE THOMAS, RN A registered nurse who downloaded, stored and disseminated pornographic images involving young boys has had his name removed from the register. In its decision in February this year, the Nursing Council found Ian...

Nurse's name removed from register after unauthorised use of patients Eftpos card.(Electronic Fund Transfer at Point Of Sale (ATM) card)(case of Catrina Hughes from the Nursing Council of New Zealand )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... CATRINA HUGHES, RN A registered nurse who used a patient's Eftpos card without his authority, has been found guilty of professional misconduct and had her name removed form the register for two years. The Nursing Council, in a decision in...

Events 2005.(Calendar)
June 1, 2005... EVENTS 2005 COURSES, CONFERENCES, REUNIONS & VENUES Jun 29-30 Parentline Child Summit, Ann maclure ph 07 839 4536 email: ann@parentline.org.nz Hamilton Jun 29-Jul 2 ...