Nursing reports

Media Release                                                                                                   30 January 2018

Nurses empowered to utilise full scope of skill

 

NZNO welcomes tomorrow’s enactment of the Health Practitioners (Statutory References to medical Practitioners) Amendment Act. Detail of legislation is here.

NZNO chief executive Memo Musa explains that clinical nurse specialists are qualified to carry out many tasks that have been unnecessarily restricted to doctors. Nurses can now sign death certificates, prescribe controlled drugs and sign sick leave certificates for example.

“In a modern health system nurses should not operate as a doctor’s second in charge but be enabled by the removal of longstanding and draconian red tape,” Memo Musa said.

“These amendments mean more nurses can readily improve public access to some medicines, and are enabled to work to the full breath and scope of practice.

“It is often easier and quicker to see a nurse than a doctor so this change means more people in the community can benefit by accessing health care sooner.

“We congratulate all those that worked on these watershed changes and particularly thank the Nursing Council and the Office of the Chief Nurse for their commitment to get this modernisation across the line. 

“In addition, it is encouraging to see the Minister of Health has his sights set on addressing bottle necks and problems in primary healthcare as he clearly realises this will ease up hospital loads and improve community wellbeing,” he said.

 

ENDS.

 

 

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

Media release                                                                     23 January 2018

 

     Nurses welcome moves to close the gaps in mental health care

 

NZNO welcome the terms of reference of the Inquiry into Mental Health and the opportunity to bring the voice of nurses into the inquiry. Chief Executive Memo Musa says NZNO is pleased to see the Inquiry will be completed by October.

 “The initiative to have more nurses in schools and extending free doctor’s visits for youth will help stop the flow of childhood mental health stress moving onward to become major mental health issues,” he said.

“Nurses have a role to play in mental health as they are working with people, whānau and communities every day. The focus on the elderly, children and youth is most welcome in the scope of the Inquiry.

“Currently the mental health workforce is not well coordinated and we hope that the inquiry will widen early on to include this issue as it is important that the workforce is  resourced well to have the diverse skill and capacity to respond

“There is no health without mental health, mental health is too important to be left to health professionals alone and needs to be joined up with community and government services,“ Memo Musa said.

http://www.dia.govt.nz/Government-Inquiry-into-Mental-Health-and-Addiction

ENDS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 Media Release                                                                   20 December 2017
 
 
Better access to medicinal cannabis welcomed
 
 
The government Bill introduced today to enable production of medicinal cannabis and establishing a body to set standards is to be applauded.
 
NZNO chief executive Memo Musa says the government has taken a sensible approach, which is conservative, but positions for well-managed, better access to medicinal cannabis.
 
“The legislation shows a commitment to examining whether New Zealanders will be able to obtain the medicine on prescription straight from their doctor and also a commitment to improving access in a measured way,” Memo Musa said.
 
“When the Act is enacted we encourage nurses and all health professionals to take this policy and apply it within the regulations of their scope of practice.
 
“NZNO advocates for equity of access for all who need any medication demonstrated to be safe and effective.
 
“Introducing a way to regulate access to medicinal cannabis for patients and those terminally ill is a positive step forward as it stops criminalising and stigmatising people seeking relief from pain, and should also reduce unsafe ways of using marijuana for pain relief.
 
“Alleviating pain and aiding ease to wellness is a huge part of a nurse’s daily work. Many heath care professionals will be welcoming availability of a safe medicine for their patients,” he said.
 
The NZNO 2016 Position Statement has more information about research around this medicine.
 
 
Ends.

 

 

 

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/medicinal-cannabis-ease-suffering

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Media Release                                                          19 December 2017

NZNO congratulates Chief Nursing Officer

Chief Executive Memo Musa acknowledges the hard work Chief Nursing Officer Jane O’Malley has done to increase nursing input into Ministry of Health policy and congratulates Jane on her appointment as Chief Nurse at Plunket New Zealand.

Memo Musa says that during Jane’s seven years of service she has overseen an increase of resources at the Ministry to ensure the advice from the nursing profession is effective and timely.

“We want to see more nurses at the top table of policy discussion and development, and there is still more to do to make sure nursing is fully utilised to its full scope in order to care for people, whānau and communities and improve health outcomes,” Memo Musa said.

“We look forward to working with Jane in her role at Plunket as she works to advance and promote the hard work nurses do in their delivery of world class nursing services to mums, whanau and babies.”

 

 

 

 

Media enquiries: Karen Coltman 027 431 2617.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Media Release                                                          14 December 2017

100 days in many ways great for kiwi kids

NZNO welcomes the government’s Families Package increases and also the Winter Energy Payment. Nurses have seen an increase in recent years in illness of children due to poverty and damp poor living conditions.

 

Chief Executive, Memo Musa commends the government on the rapid pace of their 100 day actions:

 

“These measures were and are urgent. The more targeted Families’ Package combined with lower fees to GPs and the promise of better health funding is very welcomed by our members who see the negative effect of poverty on children and teens in particular,” he said.

 

“The government’s progressive approach to joining up health and social initiatives with the whānau at the centre, means nurses working in the community can help sooner as it is more affordable for families to see them. 

 

“Increasing money directly to families may well be the difference to having to access a health professional for some illnesses because affording healthier food or extra medicines and adequate, quality clothing can help to prevent illness.

 

“Kiwi kids suffering from preventable illnesses are often linked directly to living in poverty. Increasing minimum wage, reduced health check fees, increase in parental leave and the Family Package are all key steps to reducing illness that nurses are saddened to see on a daily basis,” Memo Musa said.

 

Ends.

 

 

 

 

Media Enquiries: Karen Coltman 027 431 2617.

 

 

Media Release                                      13 December 2017

 

Nurses vote no to DHB MECA offer

NZNO members have rejected the proposed DHB MECA (multi-employer collective agreement) covering the November 2017 to July 2020 period. An overview of the offer as it was presented to members can be found here.  

The DHB MECA covers over 27,000 nurses, midwives and health care assistants working in all District Health Boards across the country. Over 400 meetings were held with members nationwide to present the offer and vote.

NZNO Industrial Adviser Lesley Harry explains that mediation between the NZNO and the DHBs is likely to be the next formal step in the bargaining process as parties work again to reach an agreement on a proposed MECA.

“The members’ rejection of the DHB offer reflected their view that the remuneration on the table failed to respect nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants and the huge effort and value they bring to patients and our communities.

“The negotiating team is confident it now has a good steer from members but will also be seeking additional feedback on the areas of the offer that need to change.

 “Of course nurses and DHB employers will be doing their best to reach an employment agreement acceptable to both parties.

“Consideration of industrial action will only occur if NZNO and DHBs cannot achieve a resolution of the issues members have raised,” Lesley Harry confirmed.

 

 

 

Media enquiries to Lesley Harry: 027 499 0778.

Media Release                                  5 December 2017

Nurses’ organisation acknowledge outgoing DG of Health

NZNO Chief Executive Memo Musa says Director-General of Health Chai Chuah has made great contributions to the New Zealand Health system in a number of senior health management roles and as the director general of health when he oversaw the review of the New Zealand Health Strategy.

“Chai’s stewardship of the health system has been at times managed under extreme pressure but throughout these time we have had a good working relationship with him,” Memo Musa said.

“The health system has been under strain because of the previous government’s decisions to underfund it year after year. DHB chief executives are under huge pressure too and some resigned. They were constantly asked by the last government to cut costs, at the risk of patient and staff safety. This is clearly an unacceptable proposition and this stress has also strained professional relationships at the top level of management and across the health system.

“It is now important to quickly ensure stability of leadership at the Ministry of Health so the ambitious health programme the new Government intends to implemented,” he said.

“We applaud the direction of taking a really good look at the health service by setting up the advisory group however nurses must be included at this level of decision making. We will raise this issue with the Minister next week.”

“The issues facing nurses and the nursing profession like safe staffing, new graduate employment, nurse workforce shortages and pay equity will require strategic foresight, courage and determination to resolve. NZNO looks forward to working with the new director general when they are appointed in February,” he said.

 

ENDS.

Media Release                                                      25 November 2017

 

A devastating human rights violation hurts nurses

From today, 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day, the ‘16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign’ begins.

 

The effects of suffering domestic violence is of great concern to the New Zealand Nurses Organisation. NZNO is a large professional organisation with 48,000 members. The majority of its members are women many of who will be victims of domestic violence given the extent of this problem in our society and many suffer violence at work too.

In 2012, almost half of all women who were victims of intentional homicide worldwide were killed by an intimate partner or family member, compared to 6 per cent of male victims.

Auckland Lead Organiser, Carol Beaumont says that in the last decade the nurses’ organisation has advocated strongly for legislation, policy and industrial responses including provisions in collective agreements that provide employment protection and support for victims of domestic violence who face the risk of domestic violence.

“Nurses deal with domestic violence in a number of ways – screening, support, treatment and prevention is part of their work. Nurses are often the first health professional victims of domestic violence engage with,” Ms Beaumont explains.

“We are strongly in favour of workplace support provisions and have raised them with employers in our collective bargaining.”

“NZNO is part of the movement to vote that the International Labour Organisation Conference adopt an instrument or instruments concerning violence and harassment in the world of work,” Carol Beaumont said.

 

 

 

ENDs

Karen Coltman  | Media and Communications Adviser

 

 

Media release                                                        24 November 2017

 

The collegial mood suffers in cash starved system

 

The NZNO Employment Survey and our Kai Tiaki journal reporters have repeatedly found that when bullying occurs in nursing it has a huge effect on the nurse and colleagues to the point nurses leave for other jobs, go overseas or leave the profession altogether. Chief Executive Memo Musa says the reporting of bullying by senior medical specialists is not surprising and he backs the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists’ call to bring this serious matter to the attention of DHB leaders and governance.

 

“NZNO leadership will talk with Ian Powell shortly as nurses have this issue too and we know that nurses are leaving the workforce for a different career because of it. This is the opposite of what this country needs, let alone our patients,” Memo Musa said.

 

“Our report into short staffing at Counties Manukau DHB clearly showed that when there is under staffing, the climate of discomfort in the workplace goes up with one nurse reporting being yelled at if they request help.

 

“We know that in an underfunded health system the internal stress and pressure takes its toll. When nurses and doctors and other professionals are thin on the ground and working double shifts, the working environment  is not good, healthy or staff do not feel safe to speak up against bullying.

 

“The June edition of Kai Tiaki focused on a story of a nurse bullied so much by a charge nurse for two years she simply walked away even though she had asked for it to stop and be addressed. She felt that management did not manage the bully but rather, just advised her to get counselling.

 

“This article gained a huge amount of comment on Facebook as others poured out there stories of feeling that nothing was ever done about it and it was part of the suffering in the job. This is outrageous considering nurses are highly regarded by society yet too often treated badly in their employment situation.

 

“The December issue of Kai Tiaki will feature a story of two nurses who have opted out of the profession because of the bullying culture and other dysfunctional behaviour in the health sector.

 

“We know that Lakes DHB, Auckland DHB and Capital and Coast DHB for example are proactively tackling this problem and it is commendable. But there is a long way to go for the entire staff management system to operate in a way that protects all staff and has the right management and skill mix to avoid bullying and to indeed address it,” Memo Musa said.

 

Ends

 

 

 

 

Media release                                                                     23 November 2017

Kiwis need DHBs to reduce carbon footprint

NZNO president Grant Brookes, in support of the Sustainable Healthcare in Aotearoa NZ forum starting tomorrow, says that nurses are strongly behind the call to the newly elected government to assess and monitor DHBs’ steps to reduce their carbon footprint and address climate change.

We would like to see the necessary first steps happening, including a requirement for all District Health Boards to measure, report and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.

“There are many compelling reasons for DHBs’ to reduce greenhouse gas emissions including cost savings, population health and health equity gains, healthcare quality improvement and reducing the health impacts of climate change globally.

“The connection between climate change and health is all-encompassing. It has been one of the top three priorities of the World Health Organisation for several years.

“Action on climate change almost invariably benefits health with lower carbon emissions improving air quality and reducing respiratory disease, energy efficient heating lowering energy bills which helps reduce poverty. Walking and cycling is pollution free and improves fitness, reduces risk of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes,” Grant Brookes said.

NZNO is a signatory to the NZ Climate and Health Council call for:

1. The Ministry of Health to set greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for DHBs in line with commitments under the Paris Agreement.
2. The Ministry of Health to mandate all DHBs to measure, manage, and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the ISO 14064 standard.
3. DHBs to report progress towards greenhouse gas emissions reduction to the Ministry of Health annually.

http://www.orataiao.org.nz/dhb_open_letter

NZNO Senior Policy Analyst Marilyn Head is attending the forum tomorrow at the School of Medicine Small Lecture Theatre, 23 Mein St, Newtown, Wellington.

Ends

Media Enquiries: Media adviser Karen Coltman 027 431 2617.