Comparisons are odious.How can nurses in New Zealand New Zealand (zē`lənd), island country (2005 est. pop. 4,035,000), 104,454 sq mi (270,534 sq km), in the S Pacific Ocean, over 1,000 mi (1,600 km) SE of Australia. The capital is Wellington; the largest city and leading port is Auckland. feel proud of their work when we have a chief nursing adviser Mark Jones, who spends his time comparing us to nurses in the United Kingdom (UK)? (Kai kai Noun NZ informal food [Maori] kai noun N.Z. (informal) food, grub (slang) provisions, fare, board, commons, eats (slang Tiaki Nursing New Zealand, June 2007, p6). He is now in New Zealand and that is his priority--make improvements but not constant comparisons. I have friends in the UK system who don't talk highly of their system, so what is he comparing us to, as every county there has their own contracting system? Is it something we want to aspire to aspire to verb aim for, desire, pursue, hope for, long for, crave, seek out, wish for, dream about, yearn for, hunger for, hanker after, be eager for, set your heart on, set your sights on, be ambitious for ? What he does not seem to be able to do is take advice from those who know. Mark needs to look at what nurses in the community do, and do well. I have worked in the community for 25 years, both as a Plunket nurse and latterly as a public health nurse (PHN Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) The term used to describe the pain after the rash associated with herpes zoster is gone. Mentioned in: Shingles PHN Postherpetic neuralgia, see there ). My greatest criticism is the way contracts are funded. In the same issue, Cathrine Fowler lauds Lauds is one of the two "major hours" in the Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Hours. It is to be recited in the early morning hours, preferably near dawn. Structure of the hour the Plunket approach to child health (p8). In the '80s the same comments were made at a conference by international speakers. Plunket was acknowledged as world leading but since then contracts, and so contacts, have been reduced! As a public health nurse, I was interested to see Mark Jones' comment about school-aged children needing access to a school nursing service (Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand, June 2007, p15). PHNs have been offering this service for many years. He made the same comment at the Nurses for Children and Young People Aotearoa section conference in Nelson last year and was informed, following it, what was offered in schools. Did he forget or has he not yet got the message? Director-General of Health Stephen McKernan probably has the answer in having a national contracting system, the way it used to be. We do need a coordinated approach to child health services health services Managed care The benefits covered under a health contract with lines of communication "Lines of Communication" is an episode from the fourth season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5. Synopsis Franklin and Marcus attempt to persuade the Mars resistance to assist Sheridan in opposing President Clark. between services for the sake of our very precious children. The frustration of this work is the constant change of contracts and competition for the dollar, rather than the welfare of children. To have a chief nursing adviser who doesn't bother to find out what New Zealand nurses do is shameful and disgraceful. Where do we find any leadership or example? I am proud of my input into children's and families' lives. Can Mark Jones say the same? Penny Newcombe, RN, Christchurch |
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