Nursing reports

New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release, 29 May 2019

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) says it’s heartened by the Government’s promise to accept or consider 38 out of the 40 recommendations from the mental health report. However, it urged the Government to make sure nursing issues and kaupapa Māori approaches are central to the work it does in mental health and addiction.

“We appreciate that Government’s willingness to listen to the experts in the main and to consider new and evidence-based ways of looking at this complex, persistent and tragic problem,” NZNO President Grant Brookes said.

However, he said Government must ensure nursing issues such as adequate staffing levels and safe working environments – which were almost entirely omitted by the report – feature prominently in the actions it takes in implementing the recommendations it comes to accept.

“Nurses, whether in the community or in hospitals, are at the forefront in treating mental health and addiction, and are probably the professionals people experiencing mental health and addiction problems interact with most.

“They’re essential to any health care we provide, but the mental health and addiction nursing workforce is becoming more tired, fearful and burnt out. That makes it a difficult branch of nursing to recruit to. Failing to work towards a nursing workforce that is robustly resourced, safe in the workplace and fully staffed will put the success of any of the Government’s planned initiatives in jeopardy.”

NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku said she welcomes the Government’s agreement to broaden the types of services available, and said NGO and kaupapa Māori services will play a vital role in providing culturally appropriate responses and supporting whānau in the community.

“Removing barriers and short-term contracting costs, and streamlining funding would make these services more sustainable and ensure that the workforce in this sector is well supported. Māori bear the mental health and addiction burden disproportionately so developing services that are ‘by Māori for Māori’ is just common sense.”

Ms Nuku said NGOs and kaupapa Māori services form a key part of the ‘whole of government’ approach to wellbeing and says Government must support their development.  She also said the focus on Māori health must continue to be strengthened within the Ministry of Health and other Government agencies.

NZNO looks forward to continuing to work with the Government and other stakeholders to help bring about the changes resulting from the recommendations that come to be accepted.

-Ends-

Media inquiries: Rob Zorn, NZNO Media and Communications Advisor: 027 431 2617.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release, 3 December 2018

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) says Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) needs to get serious about enforcing a zero-tolerance approach to violence in the workplace if the now regular assaults against nurses are to stop.

NZNO Organiser John Miller said it is absolutely unacceptable for anyone to feel scared to go to work because they could be stabbed, burned, beaten, punched or strangled.

“Surely this is going to negatively affect the quality of the care they can give.

“We have been speaking out about the safety of nurses and other staff in the workplace for years. NZNO has also been working for some time to support security, safety and good practice environments for it members.

“This has included participating on working groups that have made recommendations to CDHB around issues such as employing security guards and urgently funding and pursuing improved practice environments to make inpatient settings safer.”

He said NZNO is also calling on WorkSafe to step up and take a proactive approach to violence in the workplace for all health workers. 

“Where is WorkSafe’s involvement in all this? We are aware that WorkSafe has had very few serious assault reports from CDHB’s Specialist Mental Health Services, but there have been more than enough publically reported incidents that should be triggering ‘WorkSafe’s involvement.”

“A much more serious approach is needed to make workplaces safer for staff – and it would be a major omission if this were not a main focus of the Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction.”

8 March 2013: The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) is joining the residents of Blenheim as they fight for health services to remain in the area. The Nelson Marlborough District Health Board review of services at Wairau Hospital could result in only elective (planned) surgery being performed in Blenheim.

NZNO organiser, Carla Palmer says, “We absolutely oppose the DHB’s proposal. Every New Zealander needs to have the right health care available to them at the time and place it’s needed. Moving health services to Nelson could mean people not receiving the acute care they need in a timely manner and let’s not beat about the bush, it could mean avoidable deaths.”

“We are disappointed that the DHB is not listening to the people it serves. And we are concerned that as the largest voice for nursing in New Zealand, NZNO, has not been properly consulted either.”

“A change of this magnitude will not only cause job losses in Blenheim, it will cause extra stress on services and staff at Nelson hospital,” Palmer says.

“We urge the Nelson Marlborough DHB and the Minister of Health to make the right decision and take these options off the table. The new CEO assures us the DHB will ‘have an open mind to what the solutions will be’ – we know that will be difficult when the Government is forcing DHBs to cut millions of dollars from their budgets at the expense of core services.”

15 October 2012: The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) is dismayed to learn of the closure of an important youth health Service. WAVES is a one stop youth health service that provides a range of health and social services to more than 3000 young people in New Plymouth.

NZNO associate professional services manager, Hilary Graham-Smith says, “Continuous funding for innovative, wrap-around services, such as WAVES, is an ongoing problem with such services often attaining set-up funding but with no long-term funding commitment despite meeting hard to reach populations.  NZNO has seen time and again new services meeting particular population needs abandoned despite quality outcomes. Cutting funding to WAVES flies in the face of the government initiatives for youth health and wellbeing announced this year.” 

“The Government clearly signalled that youth mental health and an increased responsiveness to youth health issues was a priority. And yet, less than six months since the announcement, youth heath services are being cut.”

“WAVES is an excellent example of innovative and responsive primary health care provided by health care professionals with significant expertise and experience of working with young people.  Health services need to be available and accessible for everyone and evidence shows that ‘mainstream’ health care does not work for young people.”

“That’s why one stop health services like WAVES are so important. It is vital that we have youth-friendly services for young people that address their physical needs but also support them through a time in their lives when they are most vulnerable – the transition from childhood to adulthood,”  Hilary Graham-Smith says.

“Where is the commitment to the health and wellbeing of children and young people in Aotearoa New Zealand?”

23 August 2012:

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation congratulates Health Ministers Tony Ryall and Tariana Turia on their firm stand on tobacco control in the face of British American Tobacco's (BAT) campaign to advertise and lobby against plain packaging of cigarettes which it claims is "an assault on intellectual property".

NZNO kaiwhakahaere and spokesperson for the Smokefree Coalition, Kerri Nuku says, “It was great to hear the Minister of Health Tony Ryall tell the giant tobacco company PR machine that they are wasting the hundreds of thousands of dollars they are intending to spend trying to change plans for reducing the appeal of tobacco through plain packaging.”

“NZNO fully agrees with the wise decision to put the health of New Zealanders before commercial interests.”

“For too long we have accepted the death and harm caused by tobacco. Tobacco companies have known their product causes cancer for over 60 years and yet they are still trying to hook new smokers with their advertising. Plain packaging will take some of that power away,” Nuku says.

Tobacco smoking kills 5000 New Zealanders every year, including deaths due to second-hand smoke.

7 June 2012:

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) is pleased that the Health Research Council (HRC) is funding an important research project, “Māori nurses and smoking – exploring the context and opportunity for change”. The project is a joint venture between Te Runanga o Aotearoa NZNO, Whakauae Research for Māori Health and Development and Auckland University of Technology and will develop tools to help Māori nurses quit smoking.

Researchers working with the project include two Māori nurses who have extensive experience working in the field of Māori health research; Dr Heather Gifford and Associate Professor Denise Wilson. They will be working with NZNO researcher Dr Léonie Walker to carry out the research. 

Dr Walker says, “I’m delighted with the HRC funding! In the current climate of tight funding, this grant recognises the importance of the work.”

“The project will use kaupapa Māori research methods to design interventions with Māori nurses to help them quit smoking. It is the first of a two-phase project to design new interventions that are specific to and informed by the experiences of smokers themselves. We will work closely with Māori nurses who smoke and will recruit participants from across the country and within a range of sectors,”

NZNO kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says the research funding is fantastic news, “We have known for some time that Māori nurses’ smoking rates are much higher than they should be. Finding out why that is and developing ways to help nurses quit will have wider health benefits than just for the individuals who stop smoking.”

“Nurses are role models. Research shows advice and support from nursing staff can increase people’s success in quitting smoking, especially in a hospital setting. It is hoped Māori nurses, in particular, can play a role in dramatically improving quit rates amongst Māori, who bear the greatest burden of ill health and death caused by smoking.

“By using the information we gather in constructive and positive ways we can go some way towards undoing the terrible damage caused by the tobacco industry over past decades. Rather than punishing Māori nurses who smoke, we can work together towards a healthier future for Aotearoa,” Nuku says.