Welcome to the College of Nurses Aotearoa News Update.
No. 629 Wednesday 15 February 2023
Weekly news round-up of nursing and health information in New Zealand and internationally
New Zealand news
Mokau travelling nurse 'meeting people on their own terms' | Stuff.co.nz
The new bell at the district health nurse’s clinic in Mokau is so loud nearly everyone in the small town can hear it.
Fond farewells for a leading advocate for health care in the community | Stuff.co.nz
A network of past and present health workers and managers, Māori and Pākehā, have farewelled a champion for MidCentral community-based health and wellbeing services with taonga, waiata and fondness.
International news
Ramsay, TAFE NSW partner to build nursing workforce
Private hospital operator Ramsay Health Care and TAFE NSW have teamed up to build the state’s nursing workforce of the future.
Nurses shine spotlight on Alice Springs hospital crisis I SBS News
A hospital in crisis, soaring vacancy rates and an overwhelming workload. That’s the grim assessment of the Alice Springs Hospital from the NT Nurses federation. It comes as the NT Government looks overseas to recruit more health workers.
Children's hospital design impacts nurse, patient and family experience
Curtin University research has found that the design of Perth's new Children's Hospital in Western Australia had positive outcomes for privacy and natural light, but initially left nurses feeling exhausted, isolated and less visible to patients and their families.
Union demands action as Scotland faces 'exodus of nursing staff' - Kalkine Media
Scottish Government action is needed to halt an “exodus of nursing staff”, union leaders said, after new figures showed a 13% rise in the number of employees leaving the profession.
Nurses' union in UK warns of exodus of young staff - The Guardian
RCN says nearly 43,000 nurses in UK have quit early in their careers over past five years
Covid
Covid-19: Vaccine now available for high-risk tamariki aged under 5
A Covid-19 vaccine is now available for immunocompromised and high-risk tamariki under age 5.
Covid-19: Are antivirals keeping people out of hospital? We don't know yet
Almost 120,000 courses of Covid-19 antivirals have made it into New Zealand homes, but health officials are not tracking whether the drugs are fulfilling their promise to keep people out of hospital.
Covid-19 outbreak: Probe exposes failings in contact tracing within Pacific community - RNZ
An investigation into the country's August 2020 Covid-19 outbreak has found there was delay in contact tracing for Pacific people, contributing to widening health disparities. Read more
Cultural safety
World-first Cultural Safety Training To Be Embedded In Doctors Education
The first Cultural Safety Training Plan world-wide to be implemented into the curriculum of medical specialist training will mark a turning point in New Zealanders experiences with their doctor, says Chair of Te Ohu Rata O Aotearoa (Te ORA) Professor David Tipene-Leach, and Council of Medical Colleges Chair, Dr Samantha Murton.
Leading doctor analyses her own 'woeful' biases as cultural safety plan is launched
‘Woeful’ is how a leading doctor is describing her own unconscious bias in prescribing contraceptives, amid the launch of a world-first cultural safety plan imploring clinicians to turn a mirror on themselves.
Te Whatu Ora Health NZ
Nurse numbers up, waiting times down in Counties Manukau - Waatea News
Almost 100 new locally-trained nurses have started work this week at Te Whatu Ora Counties Manukau. Chief medical officer Andrew Connelly says ...
New health minister at odds with frontline healthcare workers over staff shortages
New Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall says she expects improvements to staffing levels at Middlemore Hospital's under-pressure emergency department before the start of the next winter flu season.
The problems in NZ Health that have life or death consequences for all cultural groups
Opinion: Whether it's the two-month wait to see your GP, lack of drug options, or not enough doctors or nurses, money has a big role to play.
Fepulea’i Margie Apa, the chief executive with her finger on the pulse of the country
Kevin Norquay is meeting CEOs all over the country, getting their stories. This week he talks to Te Whatu Ora boss Fepulea’i Margie Apa.
Rawene Hospital after-hours services still closed due to staff shortages - NZ Herald
Nearly half a year after it “temporarily” closed, a Far North health provider’s after-hours services are still shut due to ongoing staff shortages.
Health communication
Epidemiologist Michael Baker to head new public health communication project
Epidemiologist Michael Baker, who was a leading voice during New Zealand's Covid-19 response, is launching a new project aimed at strengthening communication between researchers and the wider community.
Why Aotearoa New Zealand needs a Public Health Communication Centre
This article explains the rationale for the new Public Health Communication Centre (PHCC) and launches the new-look Public Health Expert Briefing. The PHCC’s main purpose is to identify and promote opportunities to improve public health and health equity and communicate these effectively to the public, media, and decision-makers.
Health research
Māori research gets $10 million cash bump
Māori research is set to get an up to $10 million cash injection following a government announcement of two new contestable funds.
HDC and coroners cases
Coroner calls for hospital review after man sneaks out of ED, dies hours later
A man taken to hospital after attempting to end his life was able to walk out and died shortly after.
Maori health
Te Aka Whai Ora, the Māori Health Authority, must thrive if reforms are to succeed
OPINION: Te Aka Whai Ora is a vital part of the health services sector reforms. Anything which weakens or threatens it harms our ability to deliver the efficient, effective, excellent and equitable health services which are our aim.
Pasifika health
Pasifika woman wins Winston Churchill Fellowship
Amio Matenga Ikihele is preparing to take a giant leap in her mission to bridge gaps in the health system for Pasifika people.
The Māngere mother of three received one of the 2023 Winston Churchill Fellowships earlier this month. Read more
Pacific eye health research to combat blindness, vision impairment
Research into the state of eye health in the Pacific region is underway to improve health systems. Read more
Public health
Cyclone Gabrielle: What the national state of emergency means
A National State of Emergency has been declared as Cyclone Gabrielle whips the North Island causing flooding, damage and evacuations in many places. But what does this mean?
Reports and journals
Maranga Mai! = The dynamics and impacts of white supremacy, racism, and colonisation upon tangata whenua in Aotearoa New Zealand. | Te Kāhui Tika Tangata, the New Zealand Human Rights Commission
Maranga Mai outlines the immense harm caused to Māori by more than 180 years of colonisation – resulting in discrimination, violence and impoverishment.
The report provides a crucial perspective on extremely challenging issues which will define Aotearoa for years to come. It compels us to acknowledge the white supremacy and institutional racism woven into the fabric of the colony as immigrants settled in these islands,” said Te Amokapua Chief Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt.
A three-year Truth, Reconciliation and Justice Commission, as recommended by the report, would aid understanding of the injustices affecting Māori and help with the healing and reconciliation. It would also provide a path to realising constitutional certainty before the bicentenary of Te Tiriti in 2040, he said. Maranga Mai explains that to be free of discrimination and to determine their own future, tangata whenua want tino rangatiratanga under Te Tiriti restored, as well as their indigenous rights under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Undrip). Maranga Mai recommended: Committing to constitutional transformation. Establishing a Truth, Reconciliation and Justice Commission. Establishing an independent body or bodies to uphold Te Tiriti and indigenous rights. Appointing an Indigenous Rights Commissioner and exploring the option for an independent Indigenous Rights Commission.
Infectious Diseases Research Review
Issue 31
This issue includes two papers focusing on Clostridioides difficile infection, one of which reports on the challenges and opportunities for improvement regarding the use of faecal microbiota transplant, while the second reports 24-week outcomes with the use of the microbiome therapeutic SER-109.
Māori Health Review
Arotake Hauora Māori
Issue 101
In this issue, we highlight the poor long-term outcomes of Māori and Pasifika children with lupus nephritis, compared with non-Māori/non-Pasifika children.
- Mental health inequities for Māori youth
- ADHD medication for Māori and non-Māori children
- Contactless HPV self-testing for Māori and Pasifika women
Read more
GP Research Review
Issue 208
In this issue, in an analysis of data from the Oxford-Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre primary care database, we discover that a prescription for hormone replacement therapy within 6 months of a recorded diagnosis of COVID-19 infection is associated with a reduction in all-cause mortality.
Articles of interest
Indigenous social exclusion to inclusion: Case studies on Indigenous nursing leadership in four high income countries.
Brockie, T., Clark, T.C., Best, O., Power, T., Bourque Bearskin, L., Kurtz, D.L.M., Lowe, J. and Wilson, D. (2023), J Clin Nurs, 32: 610-624. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15801
Aims and objectives
This discursive paper provides a call to action from an international collective of Indigenous nurse academics from Australia, Canada, Aotearoa New Zealand and the USA, for nurses to be allies in supporting policies and resources necessary to equitably promote Indigenous health outcomes.
Background
Indigenous Peoples with experiences of colonisation have poorer health compared to other groups, as health systems have failed to address their needs and preferences. Achieving health equity will require leadership from Indigenous nurses to develop and implement new systems of care delivery. However, little is known about how Indigenous nurses influence health systems as levers for change. 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 14 February
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