Nurses Day spotlights NZ Primary Healthcare Nurses

International Nurses Day spotlights the value of our NZ Primary Health Care Nurses

With International Nurses Day approaching on May 12th the New Zealand College of Primary Health Care Nurses, NZNO is keen to showcase the amazing service community nurses provide and the shift in nursing patterns.

We’ve all had dealings with a community nurse at some stage of our lives whether it be a first born immunisation, Aunty Jayne’s bedpan discretely emptied at the rest home, a son’s recounting of the “cool” sex education programme at school led by the community nurse or the administering of pain relief to Uncle Frank making his time at the hospice a little easier.

These community nurses are integral to our lives and deliver a greater service to our locality than ever before. Unassuming skilled professionals providing specialist care and understanding, developing deeper bonds hourly, daily, to our whanau.

One result of the changing needs of society is the nurse’s role in community-based practices and the expansion in the delivery of care. As Tony Ryall recently stated: “Nationally, over 2.3 million practice nurse consultations were provided last year. With practice nurses utilising their full range of skills, GPs have more time to better manage complex patients. It's a win-win situation.”

Rosemary Minto, head of the New Zealand College of Primary Health Care Nurses commented on a recent quote from the Health Minister bestowing praise on the increasing role nurses play in caring for patients saying:

“With non-communicable diseases like diabetes, emphysema and heart disease being far more prevalent and with an aging population, nurses are now playing a big role in helping people manage their health, acting as navigators through complex health systems and supporting families as they struggle with poverty and poor health. Nurses and Nurse Practitioners, who are able to diagnose and prescribe medication, have knowledge and skills to help people manage daily challenges with their health”.

• Primary Health Care Nurses are often privately employed as opposed to working in hospitals
• They undertake a variety of roles including: providing health education in schools, running immunisation programmes, orchestrating health campaigns, visiting people in the home, referring patients to other health professionals, working with specialist groups such as refugees, low income families etc
• You will find them in hospices, prisons, rest homes and practice clinics to name but a few

ENDS

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