Who can join


People who are employed or seeking to become employed in the following roles:

  • Nurses, midwives and students*
  • Caregivers
  • Health care assistants
  • Hospital aides
  • Nurse aides
  • Practice assistants
  • Assistants to the nursing or midwifery team performing nursing tasks relating to patient care
  • Private sector occupational or physical therapy aides
  • Karitane nurses

Those employed or seeking to become employed in voluntary, private or public health sectors**  in the following roles:

  • Counsellors
  • Educators
  • Social workers
  • Researchers
  • Community health workers
  • Smoking cessation advisers
  • Therapy aides - diversional, occupational or recreational
  • Kaiawhina
  • Anaesthetic technicians
  • Operating theatre assistants
  • Sterile services employees
  • Health promoters or medical laboratory employees

Any workers employed in the private or voluntary health sector involved in:

  • Clerical work
  • Administration
  • Reception
  • Research
  • Computer work
  • Finance
  • Accounts or accounting
  • Dealing with cash
  • Office work
  • New Zealand Blood Service health workers

NZNO Board has discretion to allow the membership of other people who do not fall within the criteria listed above.

NZNO may allow honorary or affiliate membership in accordance with the NZNO constitution. For further details see Schedule one: Membership and bargaining in the NZNO Constitution.

*Regulated nurses or midwives and students undertaking nursing or midwifery programmes of training prescribed by the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act, 2003, or subsequent legislation.

**People employed in the public sector in these roles must fall under the coverage of an existing NZNO Collective Agreement Provided by NZNO as at 1 October 2011.

Student membership

A student membership package is available to:

  • Undergraduate students of nursing and midwifery
  • International nursing students visiting New Zealand Unwaged new graduates
  • Those retired from nursing but wishing to retain full membership
  • Return to nursing students
  • Bachelor of Nursing students employed part time as Health care Assistants, caregivers etc

Student fees:

  • You can pay by credit card (Master and Visa only)
  • The fee is payable in advance and you will need to indicate on the application form the start and finish date of your course

For more information visit the National Student Unit page.