Welcome to the College of Nurses Aotearoa News Update.
No. 623 Wednesday 14 December 2022
Weekly news round-up of nursing and health information in New Zealand and internationally
New Zealand news
Healthcare system 'collapsing', says quitting Southland ED nurse | Stuff.co.nz
Invercargill ED nurse Kerri Templeton was one of six nurses who resigned, or left their role last week. At 23, and not yet two years into what she'd ...
Southland nurse frustrated by Health Minister's visit - NZ Herald
A Southland nurse in her second year was disheartened by Health Minister Andrew Little’s visit to Southland Hospital last month.
Hundreds of mental health nurses, doctors and psychiatrists leave profession this year
Doctors, nurses and psychologists working in mental health have left the profession in droves over the past year, Ministry of Health data shows, a phenomenon National’s Matt Doocey says suggests a widespread burnout issue across hospitals.
Dr Frances Hughes Selected As National's Candidate In Mana | Scoop News
Dr Frances Hughes CNZM has been selected as National’s candidate for Mana in the 2023 General Election.
Health NZ wants to give nurses a pay rise while ERA figures out pay equity - Newstalk ZB
New moves to get extra cash into the pockets of our nurses.
Te Whatu Ora's asking the Employment Relations Authority for interim orders to fix pay equity rates for nurses.
International news
"Nurses are paid terribly here. You're better off in New Zealand": S'poreans say to foreign ...
The Independent Singapore News
A nurse from New Zealand turned to Singaporeans in an online forum to get some insight when considering a possible move to Singapore for work.
American Hospital CEO defends recruiting nurses from Fiji and Philippines
PAGO PAGO (Samoa News/Pacnews) — Hiring nurses from Fiji and the Philippines, instead of neighboring Samoa has raised a lot of eyebrows in the U.S. territory of American Samoa. Read more
$3.1 Million Grant Partnership Launched to Fight Nurse Burnout and Attrition
In partnership with the American Nurses Foundation, the United Health Foundation -- the philanthropic foundation of UnitedHealth Group -- recently announced a three-year, $3.1 million grant to fight nurse burnout with the Stress & Burnout Prevention Pilot program.
Nurses bitten and screens smashed - life in A&E - BBC News
Busy, noisy, highly stressful - and sometimes violent. This is the reality of A&E as the NHS gears up for what will be an incredibly ...
Nurses rally against changes in operating room staffing at Hamilton hospitals - Global News
Nurses from the Ontario Nurses' Association rallied outside Hamilton General Hospital to raise concerns about a change in who's working with ...
Nurses haunted by 'moral distress' as they scramble to treat kids at Alberta Children's Hospital - CBC
Nurses have come to call it "Black Sunday."
It was a day recently when the Alberta Children's Hospital was so overwhelmed, staff worried a child could die in the waiting room.
P.E.I. triage nurses understaffed and regularly facing physical, verbal abuse: union - CBC
'We are one critical patient away from complete system failure,' nurse writes. CBC News · Posted: Dec 08, 2022 7:06 PM AT | Last Updated: December ...
Stop the cuts: Why Enrolled Nurses are an essential part of the aged care sector
Compassion, Integrity and Respect. These are the core values Southern Cross Care state that they uphold for their residents and employees, and which they also expect their employees to follow.
Nurses don't want to be COVID-19 'heroes' — they want better conditions, study finds - ABC
Critical care nurses who were at the frontline of the COVID pandemic say they do not want to be referred as "heroes" and "angels" as it makes them feel like "political pawns" who do not need better working conditions.
Ministers refuse to negotiate with nurses on pay to prevent NHS strikes - The Guardian
Government rebuffs union offer to suspend action in return for talks, saying it can't depart from review body's recommendation.
UK nurses’ pay falling behind comparable European countries, data suggests
Nurses’ pay in the UK is falling behind comparable European countries, a report has found, with the RCN demanding action from the Government ahead of strikes this month.
Nurses' union leader Pat Cullen: 'I follow through on what I believe in' - The Guardian
The RCN boss poised to lead the first NHS-wide strike reflects on her long-established readiness to tackle perceived injustices
Student nurse numbers fall by 10% across UK
There has been a 10% drop in student nurses accepted onto nursing programmes in the UK, the first fall in acceptances since 2019, Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) data has shown.
Advanced practice registered nurses key to improving nursing home care, University of ...
When Alisha Johnson worked in a Texas hospital, she noticed the same elderly patients being repeatedly transferred from nearby nursing homes after their health had once again severely declined.
Cancer issues
How racism still shadows cancer diagnosis, treatment and outcomes
A cancer diagnosis should be an open kōrero between doctor and patient. But for Terauoriwa Pere, it was a two-minute, one way phone call.
In part four of RNZ's In Depth investigation of Māori health, Ella Stewart examines cancer care.
At-home testing option trialled as part of new cervical cancer screening study
About 3000 New Zealanders will take part in a new study where they can choose to have their cervical screening test at their doctor’s surgery or in the comfort of their own home.
Covid
Covid-19 antivirals still 'difficult' to access, despite rising hospital cases
Experts are concerned there are still significant barriers for people to get Covid-19 antivirals, at a time when cases and hospitalisations are rising again.
PMA Deploying A Medical Assistance Team To Niue In Response To Covid-19 Outbreak In ...
The Pasifika Medical Association (PMA), supported by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), will be deploying a Medical Assistance team (PACMAT) to Niue in response to a call for support by the Niue Government, this following the island's first cases of Covid-19 community transmission.
End of life care
Understaffed healthforce pushes hospice to only take urgent referrals | Stuff.co.nz
Pressure on an overburdened hospice sector means for part of December only extremely ill patients will receive hospice care in their homes.
Ethics
High Court takes guardianship of sick baby at the centre of dispute over donor blood
A baby who urgently needs heart surgery has been placed under guardianship of the High Court until completion of his surgery and post-operative recovery.
Vaccinated donor blood: Parents' meeting with doctors 'hijacked' by anti-vax support person
Starship specialists have described an appointment with the parents of a baby at the centre of a court dispute that was hijacked by one of their support people spouting conspiracy theories.
Donor blood case might deter some from taking kids to doctor - ethics professor
Anti-vax parents could be put off taking their children to doctors after a court ruled against a couple who didn’t want “vaccinated” blood being given to their baby, a medical ethicist says.
HDC cases and disciplinary actions
'A wolf in sheep's clothing': Nurse quits amid vulnerable patient's sex claims
A senior nurse who recently resigned after he allegedly had a sexual relationship with a vulnerable mental health patient was investigated by police and health authorities more than a decade ago, but was allowed to continue working.
Health NZ Te Whatu Ora
Cost of Manukau Health Park project rises by 38%
Te Whatu Ora is defending a blow-out in the budget of the Manukau Health Park project, which is now expected to cost $316m, and says the 38% increase has been driven by rising costs in the construction industry.
Health workforce and recruitment
Nurses, midwives finally added to straight-to-residence pathway after months of criticism
Nurses and midwives will finally be added to the straight-to-residence pathway after months of criticism from the sector towards the Government's "sexist" Green List decision.
U-turn as immigration fast track expanded to include nurses, midwives - The Spinoff
... Ardern said the existing immigration pathway had already seen 4,500 nurses apply to the Nursing Council to work in New Zealand.
Explainer: Will the Govt's immigration changes attract more nurses to NZ? - 1News
New Zealand needs nurses and critical workers now. So will the Government’s latest immigration changes work?
Recruiter downplays fears nurses will use residency to move to Australia
The founder of a prominent healthcare recruitment company says fears nurses will use new immigration rules as a back door to Australia are overblown.
Primary health care
'Relentless' pressure: General practices association launches campaign for more funding
General practices could collapse under “relentless” pressure, Bay of Plenty GPs say.
The comments come as an association representing about 400 general practices launches a nationwide campaign to “save your family doctor service”.
'GP nurses left behind': Government's pay parity plan criticised | Stuff.co.nz
The National Hauora Coalition says despite huge pay parity gaps faced by Māori health providers, their general practice nurses will not be getting funding from the Government.
A kick in the guts for rural nurses! - Rural News
They were fundamental to the rollout of Covid vaccination programmes throughout NZ, and a significant factor in getting vaccinations to target rates ...
Another kick in the guts for rural nurses.
That’s how Dr Fiona Bolden – chair of Hauora Taiwhenua, which represents rural GPs – is describing Health Minister Andrew Little’s decision not to offer pay parity to nurses who work in general practice.
Tobacco, drugs and alcohol
Survey shows milestone drop in smoking among Pasifika youth
A newly-released survey shows daily tobacco smoking rates for New Zealand Pasifika youth are at a record low of less than 2 percent.
Smokefree amendment bill passes third reading in Parliament
Legislation to ban the sale of tobacco to anyone born after the 1 January 2009 has passed its third reading.
Legislation
Public submissions are now being invited on this Consideration of Standing Orders and Procedures
Published 07 Dec 2022, Updated 07 Dec 2022 - Review of Standing Orders 2023
Articles of interest
The evolution of advanced nursing practice: Gender, identity, power and patriarchy.
Lewis, R. (2022).
Nursing Inquiry, 29, e12489. https://doi.org/10.1111/nin.12489
To address longstanding workforce shortages, increase efficiency and control the costs associated with the modern health-care provision, there has been a worldwide policy to promote increased flexibility within the health-care workforce. This is being done primarily by extending the ‘scope of practice’ of existing occupational roles into what is referred to as ‘advanced’ practice. The development of the advanced practice nurse (APN) has occurred within the context of a shortage of medical staff, and the need to control cost. However, the means by which substantially repurposed occupational groups such as these, are incorporated into complex, hierarchical organisations such as the UK national health service (NHS) remains poorly understood. Using modern sociological theory, the development of the APN role has been examined in terms of power, control, professional identity and gender relations. Each of the theoretical approaches used adds to the quality of the discussion, although none provide a comprehensive picture. However, when synthesised, they do provide an enhanced insight into the evolution of the role. It is argued here that by critically examining the development of the APN role, this will enable both a better understanding of, and the means to influence, its future direction of travel.
Navigating asthma—the immigrant child in a tug-of-war: A constructivist grounded theory.
Sudarsan, I., Hoare, K., Sheridan, N., & Roberts, J. (2022).
Journal of Clinical Nursing, 00, 1– 15. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16521
Avoidable hospitalisation rates for Indian immigrant children with asthma is high in New Zealand and other Western countries. Understanding how children and their carers manage asthma may lead to a reduction in hospitalisation rates. The topic of asthma and Indian immigrant children's perspectives has not been investigated. Most studies on the topic focus on the experiences of family carers and health professionals. Practice cannot be advanced in the child's best interests unless the child's asthma experiences are explored. The following research addressed this gap by upholding Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, thereby giving Indian immigrant children a voice in describing their asthma experiences. Read more
The above information has been collated for the College of Nurses Aotearoa (NZ) Inc by Linda Stopforth, SNIPS and is provided on a weekly basis. It is current as of 13 December
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