Nursing reports

NZNO Nursing Strategy 2018-2023

Media Release                                                                   22 March 2018

 

Nurses advancing the health of the nation

Me haeretahi tātou mō te hauora me te orange o ngā iwi katoa o Aotearoa: Let us journey together for the health and well-being of the people of Aotearoa.

NZNO tonight launches its Strategy for Nursing 2018-2023 at Travelodge Wellington. NZNO chief executive Memo Musa, president Grant Brookes and kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku are launching it to nurse leaders from around New Zealand.

The conceptual model and the interdependent strategy sections and themes provide a strong platform for implementing strategic actions through NZNO membership and in partnership with aligned professional, legislative, regulatory and community agencies. The strategy can be read in full at: www.nurses.org.nz

Chief Executive Memo Musa says that the NZNO Strategy for Nursing is congruent with the major health strategies in Aotearoa New Zealand.

“It provides a unique nursing perspective on how nursing is the solution to meet community health needs and promote health gain in Aotearoa New Zealand. Investment in nursing will deliver universal health coverage and progress the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to ensure better health for everyone,” he said.

NZNO Kaiwhakahaere says the strategy is a key tool to help resolve structural and systemic barriers that impede nursing effectiveness in Aotearoa New Zealand, such as restrictive models of care and employment, contractual methods, funding mechanisms and institutional racism.

“The NZNO Strategy for Nursing is a whole-of-profession document, irrespective of the role a nurse has. The strategy pays particular attention to a Māori world view of health, care and support,” she said.

NZNO president:

“Nurses bring a powerful and united voice to serious public health issues that they can’t fix with medicine alone because public health is increasingly connected to global politics about the environment and health care funding by governments. This strategy recognises that,” Grant Brookes said.

 

Ends.

Media Enquires to NZNO Media adviser Karen Coltman: 027 431 2617.

 


NZNO MECA meetings coming to a close

 

Media Release                                                                   22 March 2018

 

NZNO MECA meetings coming to a close

 

NZNO Industrial Services Manager Cee Payne explains that voting on the proposed mediated offer on the DHB Multi-Employer Collective Agreement for members employed by DHBs will close on Friday 23 March (tomorrow).

Our members’ decision will be communicated to the DHB employer representatives on Monday 26 March. Members will be informed of their decision shortly thereafter.

The collective employment agreement covers 27,000 nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants.

“The turn out to meetings has been high in this round of DHB MECA negotiations and we acknowledge our members’ commitment to engaging in the ballot when work environments are busy,” Cee Payne said

“A decade of severe health budget underfunding combined with growing community need for health services, and the demands of an ageing population have impacted negatively on our members working lives.

“The ‘#hearourvoice’ social media, NZNO Facebook posts and the NZNO ‘I heart nurses’ campaign reflect the emotion of our members and their real sense of being undervalued.

 “There are a number of complexities involved in this big decision for members this time,” Cee Payne said.

 

 

ENDS.

 

Media Enquires to NZNO Media adviser Karen Coltman: 027 431 2617.


NZNO welcomes Robertson’s pay increase signal  

Media Release 

12 March 2018

 

Minister of Finance hints at pay boost

The Minister of Finance comment to media that nurses were in line for their pay to be addressed with a future “pay bump” will be great news to the nurse workforce.

Chief Executive Memo Musa says this comment said on the TVNZ Q and A programme is in line with the government commitment to put back the $2billion missing in the health spend over the last nine years.

“The finance minister signalling that increases in salaries for teachers and nurses is overdue is a welcome step towards addressing the ongoing issue of the undervaluation of nurses undervalued,” Memo Musa said. 

“NZNO members have campaigned for many years now for adequate health funding to ensure better care of New Zealanders in the health system, safe staffing levels and pay that better reflects the value they bring to the community. 

“The health spend freeze had a negative impact on the nursing workforce morale because of the strain of staff shortages and the subsequent inability for nurses to take time for professional development. In addition many remain unsatisfied with the care they can provide because of underfunding of the health service widely.

“We will be looking carefully at the government’s 2018 Budget for the road map towards redress of the decade of underinvestment in health and nurses’ salaries.

“We want to see more māori nurses attracted into nursing and every new graduate with a place on an NETP entry programme. We want our more senior experienced nurses to stay in nursing and for employers to accommodate their needs to keep them in the profession.

This suggestion of a future pay bump will likely be a morale boost for nurses as the government intends to better reflect the value of nurses,” he said.

 

 

 

ENDS
media enquiries to Media adviser: Karen Coltman 027 431 2617.


Transpacific agreement not right

 

 

Media Release                                                                   7 March 2018

President to speak at Wellington TPPA Rally

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation objects to the New Zealand government’s intention to sign the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement tomorrow. NZNO asserts that although some improvements have been made, the CPTPP is not ready to be signed.

As part of the week of action, NZNO President Grant Brookes will address the Wellington rally against the signing on parliament grounds tomorrow and will urge the rally to sign the petition ‘don’t do it’. 

https://itsourfuture.org.nz/nationwide-day-action-tppa-11/

“Trade Minister David Parker rates the deal as seven out of ten for New Zealand. Nurses would not agree that tinkering around the edges meant that was a good job done, no more than the government should think they have finished making a deal that is good for all New Zealanders,” he said.

“Nurses promote optimal health status for all peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand. Despite improvements, the intellectual property provisions which are likely to delay access to affordable new medicines are still present in the text.

“In reality there is no way of knowing how well the CPTPP scores.

“Until there is an independent health impact assessment of the deal, which Labour campaigned for while in opposition, then nurses say, ‘Don’t sign!’.”

Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says:

“We are not satisfied that the Treaty of Waitangi aspect of this agreement is robust enough to protect indigenous rights as was found by the Waitangi Tribunal.”

“The Investor State Dispute Settlement provisions which privilege multinational corporate interests above our sovereign and indigenous interests have been suspended but not removed and this is too risky for us,” she said.

 

https://www.nzno.org.nz/get_involved/campaigns

 

Media enquiries to: Karen Coltman 027 431 2617


Pay Equity recommendations to cabinet

 

Media Release                                                          5 March 2018

 

Cabinet to get working group pay equity recommendations

NZNO commends the government on following through on their election promise to relook at the principles for pay equity claims.

 

Cee Payne NZNO Industrial Services Manager, and member of the joint working group, on Pay Equity principles says, the pay equity comparator issue needed urgent attention.

"It was necessary for progress on pay equity that the government develop legislation that enables women to choose the best male occupations to compare their skills with,” Cee Payne said.

“The previous government’s pay equity legislation was convoluted and unfairly required women to go through several unfair barriers before being allowed to select the right male occupation.

“Having a more straight forward and simple process to determine if women can proceed with a pay equity case was also a significant improvement in the revised pay equity principles, and is welcomed,” she said.

Cee Payne comments that it was fantastic to reach tripartite agreement between employer, government and union representatives – on all matters related to the new pay equity principles.

 

 

ENDS.

 

Media enquiries: NZNO media adviser Karen Coltman 027 431 2617.


NURSING NOW GLOBAL CAMPAIGN

 

Media Release Strict Embargo   midnight                                   27 February 2018

 

                    NZNO joins world Nursing Now! campaign

NZNO is embellishing its national ‘Visibility of Nursing’ campaign by joining the global movement Nursing Now. It seeks to further enable and empower nurses at the heart of worldwide efforts to tackle 21st century health challenges. The greater visibility of and access to nurses will increase access to healthcare globally.  

The launch will be live streamed at (www.nursingnow.org/launch).  #nursingnow.

Speaking at the launch event at St Thomas’ Hospital in London 27 February, the Duchess of Cambridge (a Nursing Now champion) will join the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Chief Nursing Officer, the president of the International Council of Nurses (ICN), health leaders and nurses from around the world calling on governments, health professionals and service users to truly value nurses and champion their leadership in providing the best quality of care.

NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says she particularly wants to work towards joining the seams between nursing and midwifery so both can be raised up together where the professions overlap:

 “We are working to develop the best nursing workforce ever seen in New Zealand and that means working across the specialist areas. Midwives working with nurses, nurses with doctors at all levels of healthcare both in the private and public sector.

“We recognise that midwives face the same pressures as nurses and that their extraordinarily valuable role needs to be strengthened and supported,” she said.

NZNO president Grant Brookes is also a champion of the global campaign:

“Nurses are the lynchpin of health teams, playing a crucial role in health promotion, disease prevention, treatment and care. The WHO estimates that nurses and midwives represent nearly half of all health workers around the world.

“It is estimated that to reach the UN global goal of health and wellbieng for all ages, around 9 million more nurses are needed worldwide by 2030 so nursing now and visibility of nursing projects are vital,” he said.

ICN will today release a report and set of resources for nurses: "Nurses: A Voice to Lead - Health is a Human Right."  NZNO is releasing its Nursing Strategy 2018-2023 in Wellington on 22 March. To see the new ‘Everywhere in Health video clip visit the nzno website: www.nzno.org.nz

 

ENDs.     Media contact: Karen Coltman 027 431 2617. 

 

 

Information for reporters:

Nursing Now aims for 2020

Nursing Now will run to the end of 2020 – the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth and a year when nurses will be celebrated worldwide. We aim to improve perceptions of nurses, enhance their influence and maximise their contributions to ensuring that everyone everywhere has access to health and healthcare.

There are many organisations worldwide playing powerful roles in developing nursing and midwifery. Our aim is to complement and support them – bringing nursing to the forefront of thinking on global health and enabling nurses to do even more in improving health globally.

By the end of 2020, we want to see the following goals achieved:

1. Greater investment in improving education, professional development, standards, regulation and employment conditions for nurses.

  • All countries have plans for developing nursing and midwifery;
  • Increased investment in all aspects of nursing and midwifery; and
  • More nurses in training and employment, with clear progress in eliminating the global shortfall of 9 million nurses and midwives by 2030.

2. Increased and improved dissemination of effective and innovative practice in nursing.

  • Nursing organisations collectively support a coordinated global portal of effective practice and innovation used by nurses and policy makers around the world.

3. Greater influence for nurses and midwives on global and national health policy, as part of broader efforts to ensure health workforces are more involved in decision-making.

  • All global and national policies on health and healthcare acknowledge the role of nursing in achieving their goals and include plans for the development of nursing; and
  • All national plans for delivering UHC make specific proposals to enhance and develop the role of nurses as the health professionals closest to the community.

4. More nurses in leadership positions and more opportunities for development at all levels.

  • At least 75% of countries have a Chief Nursing Officer or Chief Government Nurse as part of their most senior management team in health;
  • More senior leadership programmes for nurses; and
  • The establishment of a global nursing leadership network.

5. More evidence for policy and decision makers about: where nursing can have the greatest impact, what is stopping nurses from reaching their full potential and how to address these obstacles.

  • A landmark study on the economic impact of nursing is published;
  • More articles on nursing’s impact in peer-reviewed A* journals; and
  • A coordinated global network on research on nursing is established.

 


Nursing Now launches

Media Release                                                    27 February 2018

 

                    NZNO joins world Nursing Now! campaign

NZNO is embellishing its national ‘Visibility of Nursing’ campaign by joining the global movement Nursing Now. It seeks to further enable and empower nurses at the heart of worldwide efforts to tackle 21st century health challenges. The greater visibility of and access to nurses will increase access to healthcare globally.  

 

The launch will be live streamed at (www.nursingnow.org/launch).  #nursingnow.
Speaking at the launch event at St Thomas’ Hospital in London 27 February, the Duchess of Cambridge (a Nursing Now champion) will join the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Chief Nursing Officer, the president of the International Council of Nurses (ICN), health leaders and nurses from around the world calling on governments, health professionals and service users to truly value nurses and champion their leadership in providing the best quality of care.

NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says she particularly wants to work towards joining the seams between nursing and midwifery so both can be raised up together where the professions overlap:

 “We are working to develop the best nursing workforce ever seen in New Zealand and that means working across the specialist areas. Midwives working with nurses, nurses with doctors at all levels of healthcare both in the private and public sector.

“We recognise that midwives face the same pressures as nurses and that their extraordinarily valuable role needs to be strengthened and supported,” she said.

NZNO president Grant Brookes is also a champion of the global campaign:

“Nurses are the lynchpin of health teams, playing a crucial role in health promotion, disease prevention, treatment and care. The WHO estimates that nurses and midwives represent nearly half of all health workers around the world.

“It is estimated that to reach the UN global goal of health and wellbieng for all ages, around 9 million more nurses are needed worldwide by 2030 so nursing now and visibility of nursing projects are vital,” he said.

ICN will today release a report and set of resources for nurses: "Nurses: A Voice to Lead - Health is a Human Right."  NZNO is releasing its Nursing Strategy 2018-2023 in Wellington on 22 March. To see the new ‘Everywhere in Health video clip visit the nzno website: www.nzno.org.nz

 

ENDs.     Media contact: Karen Coltman 027 431 2617. 

 

 

Information for reporters:

Nursing Now aims for 2020

Nursing Now will run to the end of 2020 – the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth and a year when nurses will be celebrated worldwide. We aim to improve perceptions of nurses, enhance their influence and maximise their contributions to ensuring that everyone everywhere has access to health and healthcare.

There are many organisations worldwide playing powerful roles in developing nursing and midwifery. Our aim is to complement and support them – bringing nursing to the forefront of thinking on global health and enabling nurses to do even more in improving health globally.

By the end of 2020, we want to see the following goals achieved:

1. Greater investment in improving education, professional development, standards, regulation and employment conditions for nurses.

  • All countries have plans for developing nursing and midwifery;
  • Increased investment in all aspects of nursing and midwifery; and
  • More nurses in training and employment, with clear progress in eliminating the global shortfall of 9 million nurses and midwives by 2030.

2. Increased and improved dissemination of effective and innovative practice in nursing.

  • Nursing organisations collectively support a coordinated global portal of effective practice and innovation used by nurses and policy makers around the world.

3. Greater influence for nurses and midwives on global and national health policy, as part of broader efforts to ensure health workforces are more involved in decision-making.

  • All global and national policies on health and healthcare acknowledge the role of nursing in achieving their goals and include plans for the development of nursing; and
  • All national plans for delivering UHC make specific proposals to enhance and develop the role of nurses as the health professionals closest to the community.

4. More nurses in leadership positions and more opportunities for development at all levels.

  • At least 75% of countries have a Chief Nursing Officer or Chief Government Nurse as part of their most senior management team in health;
  • More senior leadership programmes for nurses; and
  • The establishment of a global nursing leadership network.

5. More evidence for policy and decision makers about: where nursing can have the greatest impact, what is stopping nurses from reaching their full potential and how to address these obstacles.

  • A landmark study on the economic impact of nursing is published;
  • More articles on nursing’s impact in peer-reviewed A* journals; and
  • A coordinated global network on research on nursing is established.

 


15000 signatures to DHB letter

 

 

Media Release                                               21 February 2018

 

15,000 signatures supporting a better deal for nurses

NZNO delegates today handed over to district health board multi-employer collective agreement (MECA) lead advocate, Kevin McFadgen 15000 signatures to an open letter supporting a better deal for nurses.

In December, when the NZNO members rejected the first negotiated offer from the DHBs, NZNO launched an online petition in support of its members at www.together.org.nz/iheartnurses

Dear District Health Board Chief Executives

‘Nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants are the heart of our public healthcare services. Their skills, hard work and compassion keep all New Zealanders happy, safe, and healthy. I support better pay and healthy workplaces in our public healthcare services for our precious nursing and midwifery teams. Please keep our local health services safe and sustainable by delivering our nurses a better deal.’

 

NZNO Industrial Adviser Lesley Harry says nurses want to achieve pay rates and conditions that provide for a sustainable workforce and healthy workplaces.

 

“DHBs will soon confirm a reconstructed offer for members meetings in March. Any new offer needs to deliver improvements on our key issues if it is to be accepted by members,” she said.

Presenting the letter NZNO delegates Sarah Gilbertson and Karen Durham said: 

“The pay and conditions for health care workers must improve in order to sustain a quality healthcare service for all New Zealanders.”

“This issue is also about how we recognise and reward our predominately female workforce.”

“The outcome of these negotiations is a reflection on our society and the value we place on health. Well supported health teams improve the health of all New Zealanders.”

 

     ENDS.  

 


ADHB Women's Health under pressure

Media Release                                                                   20 February 2018

Women’s healthcare at Auckland DHB far from ‘excellent’

 

In the face of staffing shortages and a poor culture in Women’s Health at ADHB, NZNO shares the concerns expressed by the College of Midwives about patient and staff safety.

Auckland Lead Organiser Carol Beaumont says it is utterly inappropriate for the DHB to state in the media that they are providing an excellent standard of care for mothers, babies and their families when they know they are short staffed and dealing with acute health issues for mothers and babies in a stressed environment.

“We want the DHB to acknowledge the seriousness of the problem and to meet with us to put in place immediate solutions to relieve pressure and improve safety and service. This includes dealing with unsafe staffing levels and the culture in Women’s Health,” Carol Beaumont said.

“Our members are telling us regularly that every shift they are worried that the standard of care they can provide is compromised by short staffing and inadequate resources. 

“Daily, our members are placed in situations where they feel their professional standards are jeopardised and as a result there is a high level of stress amongst the staff.  

They report that this in turn is putting the proper care for mothers and babies at risk.

“While we have been working with the DHB to address these concerns and acknowledge that they are trying to put in place measures to deal with a shortage of midwives, these issues require an urgent response in addition to longer term solutions,” Carol Beaumont said.

 

ENDS.

 

 

 


Next round of negotiations begin

DHB MECA negotiations commence

Nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants have received significant public support prior to attending mediation with employers tomorrow in the unresolved negotiations for their DHB MECA (multi-employer collective agreement).

Negotiations have been ongoing since July 2017 but have not been able to reach agreement that value the nursing & midwifery workforce as well as providing sufficient assurance that urgent action be taken to address unsafe staffing.

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation launched a petition in support of its members at www.together.org.nz/iheartnurses and is asking the public to sign it. So far over 13,500 people have signed.

 “Nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants are the heart of our public healthcare services.” Said NZNO Industrial Adviser Lesley Harry “We know that the public will want to support them as we go into mediation to try and achieve a resolution.” 

Ends


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