Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand articles from October 2008

Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand archives from October 2008

Making your vote work for you: by organising services manager Cee Payne.(Editorial)
October 1, 2008... In less than four weeks we have a general election. As a nation, we still have significant economic and health disparities between Maori and Pakeha, high levels of child poverty, an international recession, and major issues to confront in terms...

My badge shines brightly.(LETTERS: TELL US WHAT YOU THINK)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2008... Lynden Goldstraw's Letter "Nursing badge has lost its lustre", published in the August issue of Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand (p4), expressed disapproval that overseas nurses can now purchase the New Zealand registered nurses' medal. My initial...

Wearing the nursing medal with pride.(LETTERS: TELL US WHAT YOU THINK)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2008... I was sorry to read Lynden Goldstraw's letter "Nursing badge loses its lustre" in the August issue of Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand. I have nursed in this country for 30 years, caring for New Zealanders. I am only registered with the...

Badge for overseas nurses needed.(LETTERS: TELL US WHAT YOU THINK)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2008... I am responding to comments made about the New Zealand nursing badge and who is entitled to wear it, published over the last two issues of Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand. I am a registered nurse (RN) who qualified in the United Kingdom and have...

Fearing, not revering aging.(LETTERS: TELL US WHAT YOU THINK)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2008... The presentation by the co-editors of Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand at the annual International Nursing Editors' conference, held in Italy this year, was simply stunning. It was, by far, the best presentation of the conference (and I'm...

Looking beyond the lamplight.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2008... I would like to congratulate the co-editors for their presentation on the aged-care photo essay in Italy. I am very excited at the international recognition they received for their far-sightedness and courage in publishing this photo essay....

Improving migrants' situation.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2008... I am responding to the article "Exploitation of migrant workers must be addressed", published in the August issue of Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand, p9. As it states in the article: "NZNO believes that with good planning, appropriate...

Helping children on the edge.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2008... A group of second-year nursing students from Massey University in Wellington--Sarah Mayer, Victoria Bednarek and I--is travelling to the Thailand/Burma border in December/January this year to volunteer with the charity, Children on the Edge....

Taranaki trustee vacancy.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2008... The Taranaki Nurses' Scholarship Trust has a vacancy for a trustee for the north Taranaki region. The trust was established in 1970 by the then NZNA branches of Patea, Hawera, Stratford and New Plymouth. Scholarships are available to enrolled...

Correction.(LETTERS)(Correction notice)
October 1, 2008... The letter headed "Keeping two praising Certificates", published in last month's issue (p3), was printed without the writer's name, It was written by Cecile de Bock; RN, BN, BM; New Plymouth.

Prudence RN.(LETTERS)(Cartoon)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Prudence found it hard to resist giving a verbal order of her own. This month, we begin a series of cartoons based around the life and observations of registered nurse Prudence. Over the next few months, Prudence...

Evil plans thwarted: thank goodness for the investigative powers of the Te Henga Section of the Nurses' Marxist Union. It has uncovered an ancient but evil plot that aimed to undermine nursing from within.((A) MUSING ON NURSING)
October 1, 2008... Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you. The Te Henga Section of the Nurses' Marxist Union recently discovered a disturbing document. This was written by a shadowy organisation, hostile to nursing, jealous of...

Pay parity to cost $11 million.(NEWS AND EVENTS)
October 1, 2008... NZNO and Maori and iwi providers will be asking for $11 million to fund pay parity, at a meeting with district health board (DHB) and Ministry of Health representatives, which may be held this month. The money is to fund pay parity for Maori...

Wilson farewelled as Plunket advocate.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Chris Wilson)
October 1, 2008... Ratification of the Plunker collective agreement Last month marks the end of an era for NZNO advocate Chris Wilson. The negotiations were her last as advocate, after more than 20 years in the role. Plunket management recognised Wilson's...

NZNO in good financial heart.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(New Zealand Nurses Organisation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... NZNO is in a healthy financial position and membership, which reached 41,300 in July, is still climbing. Membership hit close to 41,500 this month. In his report to NZNO's annual conference in Wellington last month, business services manager...

New staff members.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... An analyst from the Ministry of Health's Maori Innovations Team, Leanne Manson, is NZNO's new policy analyst--Maori. Manson, a registered nurse, has a BA (Hons) in Maori Studies and a post-graduate diploma in public health. She will join NZNO...

Review of undergraduate nursing education underway.(NEWS AND EVENTS)
October 1, 2008... Are the standards set by Nursing Council for registered nurse (RN) and nurse assistant undergraduate programmes suitable for the stakeholders involved? This is the question Nursing Council acting chief executive and registrar Carolyn Reed posed...

New council members.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Julia Hennessy, Deborah Rowe, Beverley Rayna, Margaret Southwick and Margaret Millward )(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The Minister of Health has appointed two new members to the Nursing Council. They are head of the Centre for Health and Wellbeing at the Wellington Institute of Technology, Julia Hennessy (above), and hospice nurse Deborah Rowe, who works in...

Celebrating Maori health providers' achievements.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Te Hauora o Te Hiku o Te Ika Trust, based in Kaitaia, won first prize among whanau whanui (Large organisations) for its programme "Hauora Tane--One Health Many Lives" at last month's Whanau Ora awards in Wellington. The innovation and...

Major nursing survey to be launched soon.(NEWS AND EVENTS)
October 1, 2008... Next month NZNO will launch its most comprehensive-ever survey, which aims to find out much more about members' professional aspirations and employment conditions. The project seeks information on employment conditions and pay, nursing rotes...

Africa to host ICN congress.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(International Council of Nurses)
October 1, 2008... Africa will host the International Council of Nurses' (ICN) quadrennial congress for the first time, when the 24th congress takes place in Durban, South Africa, in June next year. The theme of the seven-day congress is Leading Change: Building...

Forum debates workforce concerns.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Unregulated caregivers, "hallway nursing" [nursing people in corridors as they await admission], increased external scrutiny of professional regulation, nursing shortages, recruitment and retention, flexible working, work/life balance, the...

Women send their bras to the pacific.(NEWS AND EVENTS)
October 1, 2008... Pacific Uplift is bringing 1000s of bras to women in the Pacific, unable to afford what most women would consider an essential item of clothing. The project began in Australia in 2005 and, to July this year, has sent 50,000 bras to Fiji,...

Westrate passes language test.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Marian Westrate )
October 1, 2008... Dutch-trained registered nurse Marian Westrate has passed the Occupational English Test (OET) at her first attempt, after twice failing the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Marian and her husband Jan Westrate featured in...

Wrap-arounds for dignity.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Wrap-around garments, modeled on the Pacific Island lavalava, are now available to all inpatients at Wellington and Keneperu Hospitals. For senior enrolled nurse Jenny Kendall, who promoted the idea along with the hospital's whanau care...

Profiling nurse practitioners.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The Nurse Practitioner Facilitation Programme has received a further $300,000 to fund it for another year. The programme works within district health boards (DHBs) to help the sector recognise the potential of NPs, and to assist with employment...

Research grants for nurses.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... To mark the 25th anniversary of the Tegaderm brand and to acknowledge nurses who make a difference, 3M New Zealand is offering two registered nurses (RN) the opportunity to win one of two research grants, together worth $2000 (first prize $1200...

Paediatric nurse wins Flora Cameron Award.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Sharon Cassidy )(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Winner of the Flora Cameron Award for the Canterbury Region is paediatric clinical nurse specialist Sharon Cassidy (pictured right). The $1000 award was presented to her following the dosing centennial service for...

Health checks for pre-school children.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... A nationwide programme of hearth and development checks for four-year-olds began rolling out around the country last month. The B4 School Check aims to identify children who will benefit from referral to services and additional assistance...

Pacific nurses and midwives hold biennial forum in Fiji.(NEWS AND EVENTS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... NZNO sent an eight-person delegation to the South Pacific Nurses' Forum in Fiji earlier this month. They were NZNO chief executive Geoff Annals, president Marion Guy, Te Runanga o Aotearoa NZNO chair Brenda Close and vice-chair Des Canterbury...

Minister's action backs enrolled nurses: enrolled nursing continues to be a vexed issue between NZNO and the Nursing Council but politicians fully support enrolled nurses.(NEWS FOCUS)(New Zealand Nurses Organisation)(David Cunliffe)
October 1, 2008... NZNO and the Nursing Council are again at odds over enrolled nurses (ENs). A notice of motion, tabled in Parliament last month by the Minister of Health David Cunliffe, has prompted the latest division. The notice of motion reinstates the...

A tribute to members: last month's NZNO conference returned to Wellington this year after a six-year absence. Preparing for this year's election and next year's centennial conference were very much on delegates' minds.(NZNO CONFERENCE)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NZNO's AGM and two-day conference returned to Wellington this year, after six years' being held in Auckland and Rotorua. With 300 delegates in attendance, it was also one of the largest conference turnouts and a good...

Students seek a greater say.(NZNO CONFERENCE)
October 1, 2008... The National Student Unit (NSU) and its partner organisation Tauira Aronui (TRT)--recently renamed Te Runanga Tauira--had one of the largest student contingents at the conference in years. Reflecting this partnership, nearly half the 40...

Getting their political messages across: seven party health spokespeople had their chance to tell conference delegates how their party would tend the health portfolio.(NZNO CONFERENCE)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A lively, amusing and informative political panel, well chaired by veteran political journalist Richard Harmon, was a highlight of the second day of conference. An impressive line-up--Health Minister David...

NZHO honours its own.(NZNO CONFERENCE)(New Zealand Nurses Organisation)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In an emotionally charged, whanau-orientated and historically significant presentation, Noeline Warmington was awarded Te Runanga o Aotearoa NZNO's Akenehi Hei Award for her contribution to Maori health. ...

MIA'S back in action.(NZNO CONFERENCE)(missing in action)
October 1, 2008... MIA (missing in action) is back--with a vengeance. First launched at NZNO's 2005 conference, she has been relaunched as part of NZNO's safe staffing campaign, which is about to get underway. She reappeared at conference this year as part of a...

Improving participation in NZNO.(NZNO CONFERENCE)(New Zealand Nurses Organisation)
October 1, 2008... NZNO's board of directors, in conjunction with an external body, is to draw up a list of recommendations arising from The Review of Structures, Processes and Systems paper presented to the conference. In a presentation to delegates, authors...

No change to the voting system.(NZNO CONFERENCE)
October 1, 2008... Conference delegates voted against moving to a "one member one vote" system for now. Last year's conference had called for a comprehensive remit to be submitted to the 2008 conference implementing the "one member, one vote" entitlement. The...

Working in remote, rural Australia.(NURSES SHARE CLINICAL EXPERIENCES)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Southland Hospital emergency department nurse Tania Rewi gave the first of six 20-minute presentations by nurses to the conference. Entitled Remote/rural nursing in Australia--bouquets and brickbats, Rewi shared her experiences over the Last...

Practice nurses gain experience abroad.(NURSES SHARE CLINICAL EXPERIENCES)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Innovations in primary health care nursing in the United Kingdom (UK) and New Zealand was the subject of a presentation by Ministry of Health senior policy analyst, nursing, Gabrielle Roberts, chair of the College of Practice Nurses NZNO,...

Termination of pregnancy counselling.(NURSES SHARE CLINICAL EXPERIENCES)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Restoring "balance" to her clients before, during and after a pregnancy termination is the aim of West Coast District Health Board social worker Mere Wallace. Many Maori were reluctant to work in the area of whakatahe or abortions, because...

Altering perceptions of nursing.(NURSES SHARE CLINICAL EXPERIENCES)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Using the Nursing Council's self assessment to address trends and perceptions in nursing was the subject of Capital and Coast District Health Board nurse Amanda McLaren's presentation. Incorrect perceptions of nursing still existed, eg...

Other ways to help people find healing.(NURSES SHARE CLINICAL EXPERIENCES)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... In an address called Patients are people, charge nurse at Auckland's Mercy Parklands Hospital, Thomas Robinson, said a consequence of evidence-based nursing practice was the temptation to treat patients as machines, prescribing what they needed...

Giving and receiving personal care--what does it mean for clients and carers? How do those with high support needs experience intimate and personal care provided in their homes? And what does it mean for those providing that care? A research study provides some answers.(RESEARCH)(Report)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There has been a good deal of publicity recently about the quality of rest-home care. Home-based care is also an important aspect of care provision, particularly for people with disability or chronic illness. This...

Developing diversity in the workforce: as the health needs of our ageing and increasingly diverse population increase and become more complex, the need to develop and encourage an ethnically diverse workforce continues to grow.(NEWS FOCUS)
October 1, 2008... Identifying barriers, opportunities and strategies to integrate and develop a diverse health workforce was the aim of a workshop at the recent Diversity Forum in Auckland. "Capitalising on a diverse health workforce" was hosted by the...

Placing ethics at the heart of safe staffing: debates on safe staffing are bound to fail if they do not include ethics at their centre.(VIEWPOINT)
October 1, 2008... The paucity of adequate ethical debate within health care in general, and in the area of safe staffing in particular, has tong been of concern. This apparent paucity of moral debate is not, however, merely a problem within the health care...

A message to members: 'vote well' on election day. What the parties promise for health and health workers.(ELECTION FOCUS)
October 1, 2008... A LETTER FROM NZNO'S PRESIDENT I am writing to discuss the upcoming general election on November 8. Our members expect NZNO to advocate for our professional and industrial aspirations in all forums across the community. Government policies...

What's on offer from national? What is National offering New Zealand's workers? NZNO legal adviser Jock Lawrie examines the party's brief policy document and puts some questions to employment relations spokesperson Kate Wilkinson.(ELECTION FOCUS)(New Zealand Nurses Organisation)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The National Party released its employment relations policy in August. It is a one-page document which sets out objectives for any employment legislation National may enact if elected. The policy also outlines a...

Where to from here for aged care? The Minister of Health has announced significant changes in aged-care. What will happen to those changes post-election?(INDUSTRIAL FOCUS)
October 1, 2008... What do Health Minister David Cunliffe's announcements on minimum staffing levels and other changes (see Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand, September 2008, p7) in aged care really mean? At the presentation of the NZNO/Service and Food Workers'...

Defeating complacency: debate about what kinds of education programmes and student support are really needed in New Zealand is lacking. It's time to wrestle with the issues.(PROFESSIONAL FOCUS)
October 1, 2008... One of the opening shots of a nurse educators' conference I was Lucky enough to attend recently in Cambridge, the United Kingdom, was a reference to nursing's complacency. This complacency weakens us in unexpected ways: it stifles us as...

Sustaining colleges and sections.(SECTION/COLLEGE NEWS)(Conference notes)
October 1, 2008... The future development of colleges and sections was one of the topics discussed at the college and section delegates' meeting held the day before NZNO conference last month. All sections and colleges were represented, except for the cardiology...

Updating the research database.(SECTION/COLLEGE NEWS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The Index of New Zealand Nursing Research, a free database accessible through NZNO's nursing research section (NRS) website (www.nursingresearch.co.nz), is being updated. Since 1977, NRS members have been collecting and collating...

Emergency nursing stress.(SECTION/COLLEGE NEWS)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The theme of the College of Emergency Nurses' 17th annual national conference in Auckland at the end of August was Diverse challenges, driving change. This theme allowed for a broad spectrum of papers encompassing...

Building an inclusive membership base.(SECTION/COLLEGE NEWS)
October 1, 2008... Updating the website, renaming the practice nurse journal and changing the name of the college were on the agenda at last month's meeting of the newly elected committee of the New Zealand College of Practice Nurses NZNO (NZCPN). The college was...

Greater emphasis on respiratory preventative work needed.(INTEREST GROUPS)
October 1, 2008... Holistic respiratory care was the theme of the two-day respiratory educators' conference in Wellington in late August. Hosted by the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation, this meeting used to be called the community respiratory educators' workshop...

Aesthetic nurses form interest group.(INTEREST GROUPS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The inaugural meeting of a special interest group for nurses involved in appearance medicine and laser treatments was held in Christchurch in June. The meeting was well attended by nurses working in this field and by NZNO professional nursing...

Moral principles of nursing.(INTEREST GROUPS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The late 19th century colonial period in the British Commonwealth, when the promotion of welt-trained nurses of good moral character gained impetus, was the starting point for a presentation by Christchurch Hospital nurse educator, Sarah...

Significant settlement at guardian health care.(SECTOR REPORTS)
October 1, 2008... In a highly significant proposed settlement in aged care, Guardian Health Care (GHC) has agreed to a professional development recognition programme (PDRP)--a first in aged care - a new starting rate for all employees of $13 an hour, a three...

Metlifecare offer too low.(SECTOR REPORTS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Aged-care provider Metlifecare made a final offer of a 2.8 percent pay increase at negotiations with NZNO and the Service and Food Workers' Union in Auckland last month. This represents the basic government aged-care funding increase. NZNO...

The role of the individual case organiser.(SECTOR REPORTS)
October 1, 2008... Individual case organisers (ICOs) were set up by NZNO three years ago. The role means workplace organisers can focus on members who are affected collectively, while ICOs deal with individual issues. But in some cases these are still done by...

Celebrating NZNO delegates.(SECTOR REPORTS)(New Zealand Nurses Organisation)
October 1, 2008... NZNO honoured the work of its delegates in a series of celebrations around the country last month. Each NZNO office hosted a celebration, with more than 100 delegates attending the celebrations nationally. Each celebration consisted of a power...

West coast delegates get together.(SECTOR REPORTS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] West Coast delegtates gathered in Greymouth last month to mark the work of NZNO delegates. Pictured (from left) are: Tina Ching, Greymouth district nurses; Christine Blair, regional secretary; Donna Thomas, Greymouth...

Events 2008.(Calendar)
October 1, 2008... EVENTS 2008 28 Oct NZNO Nurses for Children and Young People Section Paihia Satellite Day, Paediatric Society Conference www.confer.co.nz 29-31 Oct 18th Hospice New Zealand...