Stomal therapy nurses gather in Wellington.

The NZNO stomal therapy section conference, entitled "Winds of Change", was herd at Te Papa Museum in Wellington last month, attended by around 80 delegates.

Our keynote speaker was executive director of the Cortege of Nurses Aotearoa Jenny Carryer whose opening address provided a strong start and affirmation for nursing, prompting positive comment and discussion.

The programme was diverse, covering the depth and breadth of stomal therapy nursing practice. Practitioners from multi-disciplinary teams, as well as a number of stomal therapy nurses, shared their knowledge on a wide range of topics. The inaugural conference presentation award was won by Wellington clinical nurse specialist Sharon Elson, who presented a case study of a patient with an unusual and challenging stomal situation.

At the biennial general meeting, a new committee was elected. I would like to wish the new committee art the best and took forward to future developments for the section.

Report by Maree O'Connor, outgoing section chair