WELLINGTON – In a landmark development for healthcare education, three prominent nursing education organisations have formally established a powerful collective voice to advocate for the future of the profession.
At a formal acknowledgement held today at Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University of Wellington, a joint commitment to unity and advocacy was affirmed by:
Kawa Whakaruruhau Wharangi Ruamano (KWWR, Māori Nurse academics and clinicians)
Nurse Educators in the Tertiary Sector (NETS)
Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery (CDNM, NZ)
The chairs of the three organisations were joined by more than 40 nursing education leaders from across Aotearoa. Guided by the principles of He Whakaputanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the inaugural hui addressed critical challenges in nursing education, including student hardship and placement poverty.
The sector is currently navigating a period of significant reform with new standards of competence, updates to education standards, and threats to the Nursing Council of New Zealand’s status as an independent regulatory body following proposed changes to the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 that will give the Minister of Health the power to overturn their decisions, undermining their clinical and professional autonomy.
In response, the hui also focused on strengthening clinical education and practice with strategies that support the implementation of Kawa Whakaruruhau and cultural safety. Central to this vision is ensuring that Māori nurses are engaged in all levels of decision-making, and nurses are included in governance, on health boards and strategic committees where their expertise can influence patient safety, care quality, equity and health outcomes.
Special thanks to chairs Donna Foxall, Associate Professor Jan Dewar, Josephine Davis (KWWR), Tracey Cook, Dr Judith Honeyfield (NETS) and Professor Nicolette Sheridan (CDNM, NZ).
