Professional services manager an internal appointment.

Long-time professional nursing adviser Susanne Trim (right) has been appointed as NZNO's new professional services manager (PSM), replacing Joy Bickley Asher who left last September.

Trim is looking forward to the shift in focus and the challenges of her new role. Her first priority will be consolidation of the professional services team, which has a number of vacancies and new people on board. "I want to ensure all new people are soundly inducted into NZNO and want to build the strengths of the team. I will then look to the future development of the professional work of the organisation."

Trim said she and organising services manager Cee Payne-Harker were committed to working together to maximise the resources of NZNO for the benefit of members. "There is an intent and a commitment to lead the integration of NZNO's professional and industrial work from the top." Trim believes NZNO needs a longer-term vision than the three to five year strategic plan cycle.

"We need to project out further and to consider what the health system might look like in 2020 and how and where nurses would be working to meet the needs of the public. We need greater strength in planning because policy, legislative, regulatory, professional and employment change takes longer than three to five years."

As the PSM, Trim will remain in Christchurch. She believes coming from within NZNO is an advantage. "I have a sound knowledge of the complexity of NZNO and its work and the ability to come up to speed relatively quickly in my new role will be an advantage for members and the organisation. As PSM, I will look at NZNO with fresh eyes and a different viewpoint."

Trim trained at Christchurch Hospital School of Nursing in early '70s and worked there in a range of senior nursing positions, including quality assurance and education "until the health reforms of the early '90s derailed my career". She joined NZNO in 1994. She hopes to continue working on a casual basis for the Nurse Maude Hospice. "It's very rewarding and keeps me grounded in the realities of nursing."

Two new organisers have been appointed in Christchurch. Former NZNO public health nurse activist Julia Anderson began work early this month. A former field officer legal with the New Zealand Education Institute, Blair O'Brien, begins next month, dividing his time between the individual case organiser and organiser roles.