No images? Click here Message from the Chief ExecutiveThe first quarter of 2022 continues to provide us all with significant challenges, as we now face the full impact of the Omicron surge. Nurses remain the backbone of the health system in the face of unprecedented pressures from both COVID and workforce shortages. Despite these challenges you continue to do extraordinary work for the public of Aotearoa New Zealand. During these challenging times we encourage you to make your own health a priority alongside the care you provide to others. In this environment, it was heartening to see nursing recognised in the recent New Year Honours list. The extraordinary work of nurses is especially celebrated through the work of Cheryl Anne Greer (Cheryl MacDonald) MNZM and Helen Bernice Purcell MNZM. Congratulations to you both for this recognition of your contribution to health and wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand. The recent significant increase in COVID cases has led to some changes in how we are working, but the Council remains open and we continue to provide all our normal services. We also continue adapting our processes in light of the pandemic. We have recently published guidance for nurses that may be asked to work in unfamiliar clinical situations during the Omicron surge, and established an emergency education standard that accounts for major disruptions to placements. We have also decided to suspend our next round of recertification audits, in recognition of the pressure that the current surge is placing on all nurses. Amongst this, our usual work continues. In January we welcomed 187 registered nurse and 14 enrolled nurse graduates, who passed their state final and joined the register. Since the beginning of the year we have also registered a further 368 internationally qualified nurses, all keen to commence their career in Aotearoa New Zealand. The Council’s work to digitise the state final examination is progressing well, with the first delivery of the fully digital exam planned for July 2022. For some delivery sites this may be delayed, depending on the pandemic environment. I am also pleased to announce that at its first meeting this year the Council elected Ngaira Harker (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa) as Chairperson, and re-elected Maria Armstrong as Deputy Chairperson. This election was the second to be held under the Council’s policy acknowledging our obligations to te Tiriti o Waitangi, and the principle of pātuitanga. Ngaira and Maria will lead the Council as te Tiriti partners. Catherine Byrne Welcome to Hariata Vercoe, Council memberThe Council welcomes the appointment of Hariata Vercoe to the Council. Hariata has a strong family connection to Rotorua and Te Arawa, and is affiliated to Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Kea/Ngāti Tuarā, and to Te Rarawa in the Taitokerau region. Hariata lives and works in Rotorua and has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Korowai Aroha Trust since 2012. Biographies of Hariata and our other Council members are available on our website. Mandated booster vaccinationsThe government has recently updated the mandatory vaccination Order for the health and disability sector to include boosters. This requires most nurses that have not already received a booster vaccination to have one no later than 183 days after they received their second main vaccine dose. Further information about this can be found on the Council’s mandatory vaccination information page. Keeping safe in unfamiliar practice settingsAs a result of the COVID-19 pandemic response nurses may be asked to work in an area that is unfamiliar to them. The nursing scopes of practice are sufficiently broad to enable nurses to practice in a wide variety of clinical settings across the age span. Nurses and their managers must still ensure that nurses have the requisite skills and knowledge to practise in that different context, and/or that they will be provided with appropriate supervision and support to allow them to practise safely. If practice issues do arise as a result of nurses working in an unfamiliar environment, or staff shortages, this will be recognised by the Nursing Council. Our assessment of nurses’ practice always takes into account the circumstances in which they have been working. Read more. Extended vaccine administration conditionsOver the past year we have issued annual practising certificates to a number of nurses who are returning to practice specifically to assist with COVID vaccinations. The Council has reviewed this, and now extended the condition on these nurses’ APCs to cover all vaccinations. This means that these nurses may administer vaccinations such as MMR and flu, as well as all vaccines associated with the COVID response. New Emergency RN Education Programme StandardIn January 2022, the Council considered feedback received on our proposed emergency supplementary education standards. The Council has now approved the inclusion of an emergency standard (Standard Seven: Emergency Events) in the existing education standards. Thank you to all of you that participated in meetings and spent time providing feedback on our consultation document. Standard Seven will be initiated by the Nursing Council during an emergency of national significance, and in the event that an education provider’s accredited schedule of clinical placements have been significantly disrupted by restrictions imposed by the emergency. All other standards must continue to be met. This Standard currently applies to Registered Nurse education programmes; the Council intends to develop a similar standard for Enrolled Nurse programmes. APC fee consultationThank you to those of you that provided submissions to the proposed APC fee increase. The feedback was varied, and largely supported both the APC fee increase and the progression to a CPI adjustment for ongoing APC fee increases. The Council has considered the feedback from consultation, and decided that from 1 July 2022 the overall APC fee will increase to $130, consisting of a $97 Certificate Fee and a $33 Disciplinary Levy. This reflects increasing costs involved in our work and the need for the Council to remain financially sustainable. Further detail, including analysis of submissions, will soon be available on our website. Voluntary Bonding Scheme 2022 Intake – Enrolled Nurses and Registered NursesThe Ministry of Health’s Voluntary Bonding Scheme (VBS) is currently accepting registrations for its 2022 intake. This scheme is designed to encourage newly qualified health professionals to work in the communities and specialties that need them most, and to help with retention. Nurses on the scheme can receive payments to help repay their student loan (or as top-up income if you don’t have a loan). You may be eligible to register for the 2022 intake of the scheme if you are a newly graduated enrolled nurse or registered nurse whose final year of study was 2021, and you intend to work in an eligible community or specialty area. A full list of eligible areas is available on the 2022 VBS intake page. For more information and to register, please visit the VBS website or contact vbs@health.govt.nz. Registrations of interest close on Sunday 27 March 2022 at midnight. |