Challenges and Actions for Nursing and Nurses - Pacific Health ...

14 th South Pacific 

Nurses Forum 

15 th South Pacific Nurses 

Forum 

“NURSES AT THE HELM: 

Steering health across the Pacific" 

FORUM PROGRAMME 

Monday 8th - Thursday 11th November 2010 

Aotea Centre, Queen Street, Auckland, New 

Zealand

Special Acknowledgements 

We would like to acknowledge the following organisations for their support 

and input into the 15 th South Pacific Nurses Forum: 

The 15th SPNF is a smokefree event and supports smokefree Pacific Island 

nurses and communities. 

15 th South Pacific Nurses Forum –November 2010 Page 2 of 53

Contents 

Welcome .......................................................................................................... 4 

Objectives ........................................................................................................ 5 

General Information ......................................................................................... 6 

Programme ...................................................................................................... 8 

Speakers abstracts and biographies .............................................................. 12 

Other Sessions Available ............................................................................... 39 

Minutes and recommendations from the 14th SPNF ..................................... 40 

Constitution of the South Pacific Nurses Forum............................................. 44 

Participating Nurses Associations .................................................................. 47 

Trade Information ........................................................................................... 49 

Useful Maps ................................................................................................... 52 


Welcome 

„E kore au e ngaro; te kākano I ruia mai I Rangiātea‟ 

‘I shall never be lost; the seed which was sown from Rangiātea’ 

(This is a saying of tribes from the Aotea canoe. Ra‟iatea is an island in the society group). 

Kia ora, malo e lelei, talofa lava, kia orana, fakalofa atu and many Pacific 

greetings, wishfully in at least the 20 Pacific languages spoken in New Zealand 

and more than a 1000 languages spoken throughout the Pacific countries. 

As a Tongan, I am distinctly honoured to invite you to study this conference 

booklet and feel the depth and purpose of this gathering. As you make your way 

through this conference booklet, you will feel the enthusiasm and the intellect of 

the Organising committee and their commitment to the themes, program, 

abstracts and subsequently the conference itself. 

It is our wish that you wonder through this book as you would through a tropical 

floral garden and pick the flowers of your desires and weave a garland for the 

waka journey. The journey begins here and through to the presentations and 

discussions of the multitude of themes nominated for this gathering of the many 

people that the waves of the Pacific Ocean connects. 

We are most respectfully indebted to the Tangata Whenua in welcoming us to 

their ancestral place. They have generously contributed the medium and 

space,(va and ta) for an Oceanic Talanoa of the peoples of Moana Nui, on the 

many essential professional issues of our past, present and future. It is our most 

sincere and humble hope that this journey would be purposeful, productive and 

relevant to the development of closer relationships and unified direction for better 

health in Oceania. 

Let there be questions and frank dialogue to bind, unite, and steer our waka to 

the calm of a new dawn and the Peace that is the Pacific. 

Faka‟apa‟apa atu 

Eseta Finau 

The Organising Committee 

15th South Pacific Nurses Forum 


Objectives 

The objectives of the 15th SPNF are: 

1. To bring together nurses from the region to support and assist each 

other in promoting and improving nursing care in the health services 

provided for the people of the Pacific. 

2. To share information on the need to maintain optimum standards of 

professional nursing practice in the region. 

3. To provide research findings to help nurses in developing countries 

know of new procedures and systems that would be beneficial in 

providing safe practice and safe care in the public health system. 

4. To collaborate on the benefits of having nursing associations that 

supports professional development of nurses and the need to establish 

these and maintain. 

5. To strategically work on the development of nurses and nursing locally 

and internationally. 

Ref: SPNF 2008, Fiji, Paraphrased from the Constitution objectives 


General Information 

Forum Venue: 

Registration Desk: 

Name Badges: 

Cell-phones/ Pagers: 

Refreshments: 

Dinners: 

Emergency Exits: 

Emergency Forum 

Organises Contacts: 

Transport around 

Auckland 

Aotea Centre 

Queen Street 

Auckland 

(see map on last page and in forum satchels) 

Registrations will be open daily from 8am. The 

registration desk will be located in the Lower NZI 

Foyer. 

Please wear your name badges at all meeting 

sessions and social functions as this will confirm 

you as a registered participant. 

Please ensure cellphones and pagers are turned 

off, or set to silent mode at every session to limit 

disturbance. 

Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea is provided 

daily as per the times in the programme. All 

catering will be in the Lower NZI Foyer. 

There are two hosted dinners throughout the 

forum: 

 

Monday 8th Nov: 6.30pm in the Air NZ Foyer 

hosted by Te Runanga o Aotearoa 

Wednesday 10th Nov: 6.30pm in the Air NZ 

Foyer hosted by the Pacific Nursing Section 

(NZNO) themed "Island Night" 

You must register and pay to attend the dinners. If 

you are not registered and wish to attend please 

ask at the registration desk. 

Emergency exits are clearly marked, please make 

yourself aware of emergency exits. 

NZNO Auckland Office phone 09 360 0956 

Donna Simpson phone 027 600 6831 

 

 

Or alternatively leave a message at the 

Rendezvous Hotel for Haylee McLennan phone 

09 366 3000 

Public Transport: Included in your forum 

satchel is information on Auckland central 

public transport. 

Shuttles: Auckland Co-op Shuttles phone 09 

300 3300 

Taxi's: Auckland Co-op Taxi's phone 09 300 

3000 


Currency and tipping 

Local Hospital 

Local Medical Centre 

Pacific Nurses 

Associations in New 

Zealand 

Smokefree event and 

venue 

The currency in New Zealand is NZD. Tipping is 

not required in New Zealand. 

Auckland City Hospital (city pamphlet in satchels) 

Park Road 

Central City 

Phone 09 367 000 

White Cross Accident and Medical 

202 Ponsonby Road 

Ponsonby 

Phone 09 376 5555 

(city pamphlet in satchels) 

Fijian Nurses Association: 

Lina Galu - lina@westfono.co.nz 

Niuean Nurses Association: 

Carissa McCay - carissamccay@yahoo.co.nz 

Tokelau Nurses Association: 

Kupa Kupa - Kupa@compasshealth.org.nz 

Cook Island Health Network: 

Metua Faasisila - m.faasisila@alac.org.nz 

Samoan Nurses Association: 

Siniva Cruickshank - 

siniva@healthstarpacific.co.nz 

Tongan Nurses Association: ' 

Eseta Finau - tna@xtra.co.nz or 

eseta.finau@xtra.co.nz 

The 15th SPNF is a smoke free event and the 

Aotea Centre a smokefree venue. 


Programme 

Monday 8th November 

07.30 Registrations 

09.00 Whakatau 

09.40 Morning tea 

10.10 Official SPNF photo 

10.40 Opening Ceremony 

11.10 Launch of SPNF Logo 

11.30 Opening Address: TBC 

11.40 Address: Rosemary Bryant, President, International Council 

of Nurses 

11.50 Address: Jane O'Malley, Chief Nurse, Ministry of Health 

12.10 Lunch 

Speaker presentations, sub theme: Leadership 

1.10 Key Note Speaker Carol Frankson presenting 'A successful 

approach to developing nurses into sound leaders' 

1.50 Jill Iliffe & Ramziah bt Ahmad presenting 'Development of a 

model leadership training program' 

2.30 Salanieta Matiavi & Kuini L Lutua presenting 'The sweet and 

sour taste of Nursing leadership with Health Reforms' 

3.10 Afternoon Tea 

3.40 Coral Levitt presenting 'Leadership in Collaboration' 

4.10 Te Runanga o Aotearoa & Te Kaunihera o Nga Neehi Māori 

o Aotearoa presentation 

4.50 Concluding remarks 

5.00 Close of day one 

6.30 Opening day dinner hosted by Te Runanga o Aotearoa 

Leadership Session Chair: Marion Guy, New Zealand Nurses Organisation 


Tuesday 9th November 


08.45 Morning Prayer 

Speaker presentations, sub theme: Workforce Development 

09.00 Key Note Speakers Sherry Lilley & Sue Walton presenting 

'Workforce Preparation: Transition to Work Place Reality' 

09.40 Esther Faitala, Elizabeth Powell & Anne Fitisemanu 

presenting 'Pacific Return to Nursing Pilot' 

10.10 Morning Tea 

10.40 Debbie Sorensen presenting 'Pacific Workforce - Myth or 

Reality' 

11.20 Mamatuki Sosoefo presenting 'Emergency Nursing - a 

learning experience for Interns' 

12.00 Lunch 

Speaker presentations , sub theme: Education 

1.00 Key Note Speaker Hemaima Hughes presenting 'Waerea Te 

Ara Whakamua: Clearing The Way Forward' 

1.40 John Tamihere presenting 'A practical approach for the West 

Auckland community to deliver services that are - here real 

and now - Whanau Tahi / Whanau Ora' 

2.10 Cassandra Stone presenting 'Fatuga' O Manuia: An 

education resource for the prevention of "sick kidneys" in the 

Samoan community' 


3.40 Thomas Robinson presenting 'Evidence Based Nursing' 

4.10 Loma-Linda Tasi-Mutitalo & Grace Wong presenting 

'Smoking Cessation, Pacific Nurses and Pacific peoples in 

Aotearoa: developing a national strategy' 

4.50 Concluding remarks 

Workforce Development Session Chair: Samoan Nurses Association 

Education Session Chair: Tongan Nurses Association 


Wednesday 10th November 



Speaker presentations, sub theme: Collaboration 

09.00 Key Note Speaker Dr Denise Wilson presenting 'Steering the 

waka for health: The necessity of collaboration' 

09.40 Kim Ryan presenting 'Mental Health Nurses at the helm of 

Primary Mental Health Care' 


10.40 Yvonne Chaperon & Faye Clarke presenting 'Reconciliation 

Action Plan' 

11.20 Michael Larui, Verziln Isom & Mary MacManus presenting 

'An Education Partnership for Nursing Workforce 

Development in Solomon Island' 

12.00 Lunch 

Speaker presentations, sub theme: Disaster Preparedness 

1.00 Key Note Speaker Professor Pelenatete Stowers presenting 

'The Nursing Response in the 2009 Tsunami in Samoa' 

1.40 Vai Naseri-Moegagai presenting 'Response of Samoan 

Nurses from outside Samoa' 


2.50 Gill Scrymgeour presenting 'What would you do if "the 

machine stopped?" Will your hospital cope if disaster 

strikes?' 

3.30 Amelia Afuhaamango Tuipulotu presenting 'KO E PEAUHOU 

'O E VAHAFOLAU - Being Swamped by a Tidal Wave: 

Tongan Women's Experiences of Breast Cancer and Related 

Treatment' 

4.10 Kerri Nuku & Nano Tunnicliff presentation 

4.50 Closing remarks 

6.30 Official SPNF Dinner hosted by Pacific Nursing Section 

Collaboration Session Chair: Fijian Nurses Association 

Disaster Preparedness Session Chair: Australian Nurses Federation 


Thursday 11th November 



09.00 Joint meeting with the SPCNOA and WP/SEAR 


11.00 Joint meeting with the SPCNOA and WP/SEAR continued 

12.30 Lunch 

1.30 Official Meeting Opened 

Country Reports 

Confirm 2008 SPNF Minutes 

Matters Arising and Review motions made at the 2008 

SPNF 

General Business 


Confirmation of the SPNF 2012 Host 

3.30 Official Meeting Continued 

4.30 Closing remarks / Poroaki / Karakia 


Speakers abstracts and biographies 

LEADERSHIP 

A successful approach to developing nurses into sound leaders 

Carol Frankson 

(Monday 8th November 2010, 1.10pm) 

The three key issues for nursing leadership include professional leadership, 

clinical leadership and team leadership. Leadership is a team game in which 

communication and partnership working is essential for interprofessional 

collaboration. Preparing nursing leaders in advance is essential if nurses are to 

take on leadership roles and responsibilities. Leadership skills cannot be taken 

for granted. It cannot be assumed that a clinical expert will make a successful 

professional or clinical leader. Leading a professional group of nurses, or leading 

nurses in the clinical area is quite different to leading a team, particularly if the 

team is made up of health professionals from different disciplines. Leadership 

development is essential and more likely to be successful when leaders are 

coached, mentored and given development opportunities into the role. Nurses are 

better supported into leadership positions when succession planning is offered. 

Succession planning is central to leadership development and incorporates the 

individual, organisational and professional responsibility. Clarity of nurse 

leadership roles and responsibilities is a requirement for the management of 

complex health care challenges faced today. Nursing leadership development 

requires a commitment on the part of the profession today to successfully 

develop the nurse leaders of tomorrow. 

Carol Frankson 

Middlemore Hospital, Counties Manukau District Health 

Board, Auckland, New Zealand. 

RGON, BHSc (Nursing), PG Cert (Advanced Nursing), PG 

Dip Business (Health Management), MHSc Hon (Nursing) 

I have wide clinical experience as a Charge Nurse 

Manager in New Zealand. I have done key work in 

identifying and making recommendations regarding 

succession planning and the role of the Charge Nurse 

Manager. My published work includes: 

1) Leadership Succession Planning: a key issue for the 

nursing profession, by Antoinette McCallin, Anita 

Bamford-Wade and Carol Frankson, Nurse Leader, 

December 2009, Vol 7, Issue 6, 40-44. 

2) The Role of the Charge Nurse Manager: a descriptive 

exploratory study, by Antoinette McCallin and Carol 

Frankson, Journal of Nursing Management, 

2010,18,319-325. 


Development of a model leadership training program 

Jill Iliffe and Ramziah bt Ahmad 


Leadership at all levels is critical to the survival of nursing and midwifery. There is 

a world-wide shortage of health workers, particularly nurses and midwives. 

Substitution is a common response by governments however nurses and 

midwives know that substitution will not improve the recruitment and retention of 

nurses and midwives and will inevitably lead to a lesser quality of care. Nurses 

and midwives need to be actively involved in health policy development, in 

research, in advocacy and in lobbying. In the second half of 2009, the 

Commonwealth Nurses Federation in partnership with the Malaysian Nurses 

Association and funded by the Commonwealth Foundation piloted a model 

leadership training program. The successful model program is to be conducted in 

partnership with national nursing and midwifery associations in countries across 

the Commonwealth. This presentation discusses the need for nursing and 

midwifery leaders to be identified and provided with leadership training and 

support and outlines the key elements of the model leadership program, the 

lessons learned during the pilot phase and the plans for its future roll out. 

Jill Iliffe 

Executive Secretary, Commonwealth Nurses Federation 

Jill Iliffe commenced as Executive Secretary of the 

Commonwealth Nurses Federation on 1 April 2008. Prior to 

taking up that appointment, Jill was National Secretary of 

the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) for nine years and 

before that spent seven years as Manager of Professional 

Nursing Services for the NSW Branch of the ANF. Jill is a 

registered nurse and midwife, with qualifications in family 

planning and women‟s health. She has a Bachelor of 

Applied Science (with Distinction) and a Master of 

International Studies from Sydney University and is 

currently completing a Master of Public Policy. Jill‟s nursing 

career has been clinically focussed, with experience in 

remote areas, intensive care, aged care, community health 

and women‟s health all of which included aspects of 

teaching and research. She has extensive experience and 

well developed skills in advocacy, lobbying and policy 

development at a national and international level and has 

represented nursing on numerous nursing and health 

related committees. Jill has published widely on nursing 

related issues and spoken at numerous national and 

international nursing and health conferences. She is a 

strong advocate of the involvement of nurses in the 

development of health and social policies to assist nurses 

in the provision of nursing care and to improve the health of 

the community. 


Matron Hjh. Ramziah bte. Hj. Ahmad AMN, PJK 

She is now a trainer, research and ward management 

consultant at the Institute for Health Management, Ministry 

of Health Malaysia since 2003. She is a Nursing Unit Head 

& I/C of IHM Hotels. Currently she is the President of MNA. 

She was involved with the past President in Graduate 

Scheme negotiation at the Ministry's level. She is an 

Advisory Board Member for WHAT Medicine. She started 

her career as a Temporary Secondary School Teacher but 

her passion for Nursing had taken her much more fulfilling 

being a nurse for the last 32 years. 

The sweet and sour taste of Nursing leadership with Health Reforms 

Salanieta Matiavi & Kuini L Lutua 


The changing policies of Health Reforms as part of the global expectations of 

governments come with many challenges and frustrations to the common 

workers in particular in essential services. Never have Fijis health services been 

threatened with cost cutting and lay offs until the recently. Fiji‟s health system 

had been ailing for some decade but it was a non issue to many health 

professionals and especially to nurses. The love of the profession and the 

compassion to serve others was an unwritten understanding that every nurse 

who graduated from School of Nursing in Tamavua knew and respected. In the 

new millennium however, Fiji nurses became obsessed with getting qualified to 

move out to foreign countries where many colleagues had found better 

employment conditions. Nursing Leaders began to look at strategies to attract 

nurses to remain home (Fiji) and contribute to the national health system and 

bridge the skill gaps that was quickly widening due to nurse migration. Some 

strategies that were advocated by the Fiji Nursing Association, (which had about 

86 per cent of membership of all nurses and medical orderlies) to the 

Government included improving working conditions such as housing, upgrading 

of nursing education, review of workloads, increasing established posts in civil 

service and reviewing nurse‟s salaries. Submissions to support the demands of 

the nursing workforce had to be provided with figures and data expected from 

nursing leaders so that the decisions of the government would be justified. To 

influence government policy is never easy however when partnership of the 

Nursing division at the Ministry of Health and the national nursing association 

(FNA) are enhanced to serve the nurses, it is in a better position to negotiate and 

influence decision makers. The „sweet‟ decisions of implementing some 

recommendations are also coupled with the „sour‟ taste of handing down 

challenging decisions of reducing the workforce by the hundreds. How do nursing 

leaders go against their own colleagues when the axe falls? It is a painful and 

demoralizing feeling, however this is what leadership is challenged with every 

day. With hard decisions that have to be taken and the push for changes 

demanded by the reforms is thrust upon nursing leaders, the situation can seem 

chaotic. This paper intends to present the strength of utilizing existing partnership 

and close working relationship of the Nursing division and the Fiji Nursing 

Association, and never to give in, even is these extra ordinary circumstances. 


Salanieta Matiavi 

President, Fiji Nursing Association 

Salanieta Matiavi, is a Fiji registered Nurse, and a Senior 

Midwife. She has held various nurse management positions 

in the Ministry of Health and was the Manager Nursing 

Public Health for the Central and Eastern Division until the 

compulsory retirement age of 55 years was introduced by 

the Fiji interim Government in April 2009. She is currently 

re‐engaged by the Ministry of Health as the In Service 

Training Coordinator for Nurses, a post that is supporting the 

Director of Nursing Services with the development and 

review of Nursing Standards, Nursing Competencies and 

Nursing College in the ambit of Health Reforms requirements 

and this is roll out by the Fiji Government. Sala Matiavi was 

elected to the position of President of the Fiji Nursing 

Association in April 2008. She holds this position until April 

2011 when her first term will be over. She has attended the 

ICN Regulators Forum in Japan in 2008 and the ICN 

Quadrennial in Durban in 2009. She is one of the few vocal 

senior Nursing leaders that remains in the nursing workforce. 

Kuini L Lutua 

General Secretary, Fiji Nursing Association 

Kuini Lutua was appointed to the position of General 

Secretary for the Fiji Nursing Association (FNA) in 

September 2001. She graduated from the University of the 

South Pacific in 2001 after working for the Reserve Bank of 

Fiji for 25 years. This is her third term in office with the Fiji 

Nursing Association and she enjoys the challenges that the 

job brings her. She is a strong advocate for Nurses in Fiji 

and had been active in the study of migrations of working 

women in particular of nurses in Fiji. She is currently the 

Titular (Chairperson) for the Public Services International 

(PSI) World Women‟s Committee and also the 2nd 

Substitute of the PSI Oceania Executive Committee. Kuini 

believes that nurses are worth fighting for and that 

governments must invest in nurse training if they wish to help 

achieve the set MDG targets by 2015. 

Leadership in Collaboration 

Coral Levitt 


Collaborative effort can achieve great things. Leadership is generally required by 

one party to inspire and resource forward movement. With the lead role being 

taken by a major nursing organisation, a cohort of nursing groups prepared a 

consensus statement on primary health care in Australia, in 2008. Subsequently, 


and with Australian Government funding, a more significant number of nursing 

and midwifery groups was led in the development of a primary health care 

consensus view. The collaboration identified and articulated the role that nurses 

and midwives can play in primary health care, and in some cases are partially 

undertaking, and the barriers they presently face in the delivery of comprehensive 

primary health care in their communities. The production of the consensus view 

document came at a critical time in the development of a national strategy for 

primary health care in Australia. It was vital that nurses and midwives presented a 

united stance on this issue. This presentation will illustrate the essential 

leadership role for nurses and midwives in advocating for a more equitable and 

accessible primary health care system. Organisations with differing vested 

specialty nursing and midwifery interests collaborated to espouse a unified vision 

for radical changes to the focus of primary health care funding and delivery: 

positioning primary health care as the centrepiece of health policy. Nursing and 

midwifery colleagues in the south pacific region have well developed primary 

health care models. This paper will generate sharing of ideas and practices to 

strengthen and support primary health care initiatives in Australia. 

Coral Levett 

Australian Nursing Federation, Federal President 

Coral has held the positions of ANF Federal President and NSW 

Nurses‟ Association President since 2003. She is currently 

employed full time in the public health sector as the Nursing 

Learning & Development Initiatives Manager for Area Health 

Service in Sydney, Australia. Coral‟s nursing background was 

originally in cardiac nursing, with experience in roles including 

registered nurse, clinical nurse specialist, nurse educator and 

nursing unit manager. She is focussed on issues relating to 

clinical nursing, education and leadership, and believes that 

nurses and midwives should continue to become actively 

involved in areas that influence clinical practice, health policy 

and the future direction of the nursing and midwifery 

professions. More recently, Coral has become actively involved 

in the ongoing education of nurses and midwives and is involved 

in leadership programs with a multidisciplinary focus. Coral 

believes that through effective leadership, nurses and midwives 

will be better placed to influence positive health outcomes for the 

community through active participation in the political and 

industrial health agendas. Coral is a strong advocate for nurses 

and midwives in the workplace, and uses her roles as ANF and 

NSW Nurses‟ Association President to improve the working lives 

of nurses and midwives whenever possible. 


WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT 

Transition to Work Place Reality 

Sherry Lilley & Sue Walton 

(Tuesday 9th November 2010, 9.00am) 

Nursing students‟ exposure to different clinical practice environments can lead to 

feelings of isolation, inadequacy and anxiety. These feelings can be related to 

preceptors not valuing education in the same way as students, thereby impacting 

on students‟ ability to adapt and cope with work place reality. Work place 

socialisation is a key component by which students acquire, through participation, 

essential nursing values, attitudes and knowledge. Informing this presentation 

are findings from the Masters research completed by Sue Walton and Sherry 

Lilley, which explored student experiences of mentoring and preparation for 

practice. Sue used content analysis to explore student preparation for practice 

and transition while Sherry‟s in-depth case studies provided insight into mentoring 

experiences of both undergraduate nursing students and Registered Nurses. As 

not everything can be taught, students need the skills and interest to pursue and 

explore knowledge for themselves, as well as the ability to critically reflect on, and 

transform practice. A vital aspect of a mentoring partnership is the requirement of 

the RN to facilitate learning and transition from student to beginning practitioner. 

RNs need to employ a variety of strategies in order to confidently and effectively 

mentor nursing students. Workforce preparation is indeed a challenge as new 

information abounds, fiscal constraints continue, and societal and industry 

expectations increase. Issues associated with workforce preparation for nursing 

include the development of emotional intelligence, the provision of mentorship, 

and appropriate socialisation to the health industry. This research also has 

implications for the wider health workforce in relation to staff development and 

workforce planning. 

Sue Walton 

RN, MN.PG Cert Tertiary Teaching 

I have been at Otago Polytechnic as a Nursing Lecturer 

for nine years and enjoy the complementary mix of also 

being the Quality Coordinator at Otago Community 

Hospice. I am now a „southern New Zealander‟ – 

Dunedin is home, however one of my favourite holiday 

destinations would be the Pacific Islands! Being there 

and experiencing community care has reinforced my 

commitment to promoting the importance of 

family/whanau/aiga within my teaching. My nursing 

practice has predominantly been in the community and 

my interest in palliative care started years ago as a 

District Nurse, evolving to include teaching nursing 

students. My Masters research explored death and 

dying education for nursing students and is the basis 

for this key note address: “Looking at Workforce 

Preparation: the Transition to Work Place Reality”. I 

find working at the Hospice reminds me continually to 

refocus on what is really important and valuable in life. 


Sherry Lilley 

RN, MHeaSci., PG Dip Tertiary Teaching 

I am a Senior Lecturer in the School of Nursing at 

Otago Polytechnic where I work as the Year Two 

Coordinator of the Bachelor of Nursing Degree and 

coordinate a year two primary health care course. My 

career began as a Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse and 

progressed to the community where I enjoyed life a as 

a Practice Nurse for 16 years. I thrived on the 

challenges of working to promote health and wellbeing 

for individuals, families, whanau and aiga. Being part of 

multidisciplinary team meant facilitating student 

learning and gave me insight into some of the issues 

for both Registered Nurses and students during clinical 

placements within the workforce. My Masters research 

is the basis for this key note address: “Looking at 

Workforce Preparation: the Transition to Work Place 

Reality”. 

Pacific Return to Nursing Pilot 

Esther Faitala, Elizabeth Powell & Anne Fitisemanu 


A 2006 NZIER report confirmed that Pacific needed to grow four fold by 2021 in 

order to be truly represented in the workforce. The CMDHB pipeline approach to 

workforce development has lead to an innovative pilot aimed at achieving New 

Zealand Nursing Council registration for Pacific trained and registered nurses. 

The initiative is called the Pacific Return to Nursing Pilot. The pilot is funded by 

the Ministry of Health and delivered by CMDHB. Currently, there is no 

transferable nursing registration between NZ and the Pacific nations. Many of 

these nurses are highly qualified and have many years of experience. They often 

come to NZ and commence work as Health Care Assistants and remain there for 

the rest of their career. Registration rules require overseas professionals to 

successfully pass the International English Testing System (IELTS) at level 7 or 

above across 4 bands within one year in order to enrol in a nursing Competency 

Assessment Programme (CAP). The pilot provides the following support to the 

Pacific trained nurses: 

• Tailor made IELTS tutorial programme 

• Funding to sit the IELTS test 

• Assistance with NZNC registration 

• Liaising with Pacific providers for employment opportunities 

• Assistance with recruitment 

To date, the pilot has supported two cohorts of over 60 students through the 

IELTS programme. 13 nurses have passed IELTS, completed the CAP and have 

obtained their NZNC registration certificates. Many of these nurses have secured 

nursing jobs in New Zealand. The majority of nurses have demonstrated high 

levels of commitment and passion to overcome this first barrier and have always 

demonstrated a deep level of appreciation. This is what drives us to further 

support and actively work on this project. 


Esther Faitala 

Pacific Workforce Development, Counties 

Manukau District Health Board 

A New Zealand born Samoan with a heart to serve 

pacific communities. Esther is currently working as 

a Pacific Workforce Development Programme Coordinator 

for Counties Manukau District Health 

Board. Part of her role is to support and assist 

pacific trained and registered nurses obtain New 

Zealand Nursing Council registration. She is a 

graduate from the University of Auckland with a 

degree in Health Sciences specialising in Public 

health. Upon graduation, she undertook an 

internship with Solutions Ltd where she gained 

experience in the Workforce Development field in 

her two placements – Taranaki DHB and CMDHB. 

She is the second eldest of a family of 5. She is 

involved in various community groups such as 

sporting clubs, Pacifica Women‟s and leading her 

church youth group. 

Elizabeth Powell 

Director of Pacific Development, Counties 

Manukau District Health Board 

Elizabeth has had a diverse career over the last 25 

years within the health and other government 

agencies including Prison Health, Primary Health, 

Pacific Health, International Aid programmes and 

Victim Support. She is currently the Director for 

Pacific Development with Counties Manukau 

District Heath Board in South Auckland, whom she 

joined in 2005 to lead a partnering programme with 

a number of Pacific Islands sponsored by the New 

Zealand Government through NZAID. Leading the 

Pacific Health Workforce at CMDHB, she was 

instrumental in the development, funding and 

implementation of the Pacific Return to Nursing 

programme that supports Pacific trained nurses to 

become registered in New Zealand. Elizabeth is 

also involved in Pacific research with Auckland 

School of Population Health as the lead Fijian 

researcher exploring the ethnic specific view on the 

Pacific Pathways to the Prevention of Sexual 

Violence. Elizabeth has a strong cultural and 

diversity focus and brings with her a wide network 

within the Health sector and Pacific sector with 

established relationships within key Government 

Agencies, Pacific Island Leaders and the wider 

Pacific community. 


Anne Fitisemanu 

Pacific Workforce Development & Special Projects 

Manager, Auckland District Health Board 

Anne is the current Pacific Workforce Development 

and Special Projects Manager at Auckland District 

Health Board. She also works with the Waikato 

DHB as a Pacific programme Manager. Anne has 

worked within these type of roles since 2006, and 

is passionate about growing the Pacific Health 

workforce. Anne holds a Masters of Professional 

Business Studies (Hons), Certificate in Tertiary 

Teaching, and a, Bachelor of Business 

(Marketing). Prior to entering into health Anne 

worked at a local university where she taught and 

was the Equity Coordinator within the Faculty of 

Business, measuring improvements in academic 

outcomes for Maori and Pacifica students. 

Pacific Workforce - Myth or Reality 

Debbie Sorensen 


For many years improving the capacity and capability of the Pacific workforce has 

been a priority for many health professions. Nursing, as a profession has for 

many years appreciated the importance of nurses having a real understanding 

and experience of the clients they serve and the impact of treatments. Sadly the 

journey to increase nursing capacity and capability in New Zealand and in the 

region continues to struggle to make an impact. The discussion today will focus 

on the challenges in continuing to develop a competent and capable workforce in 

Pacific countries, and what we as nurses do in New Zealand to develop the rich 

pool of potential Pacific nurses in New Zealand to serve our diverse and growing 

Pacific communities. 

Debbie Sorenson 

NZRPN, MNZIOD 

Is a health strategist and management expert specialising 

in projects that address the health challenges facing 

Pacific populations in New Zealand and the Pacific region. 

She has an impressive track record in change 

management and played a leading role in the health 

reforms of the 1980s and‟90s in New Zealand and the 

establishment of the Pacific health sector. In 1997 she 

won the Pacific Island Business Trust Highly Commended 

Award as Pacific Business Person of the Year. She has 

held many high profile roles in Pacific health including 

General Manager of Pacific Health at Counties Manukau 

DHB from 1999 to 2003 and Chief Advisor Pacific Health 

(1998–99) at the Ministry of Health. She is currently 


Director of international consultancy Health Specialists 

and Chief Executive of the Pasifika Medical Association. 

Her work with the Pasifika Medical Association was 

recognised in 2007 with a Service Award. Debbie works 

as an advisor to Prime Ministers, Deputy Prime Ministers 

and Health Ministers around the Pacific region and has 

worked in the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, New 

Caledonia, Samoa, the Solomons, Tonga, Tuvalu and 

Vanuatu. 

Emergency Nursing – a learning experience for Interns 

Mamatuki Sosoefo 


Emergency Nursing in Fiji is challenged with the regular incidents that is 

encountered and require emergency nursing be it in obstetric care or in accident 

and emergency care, the demand of nursing care is critical. The current nursing 

shortage is one that is chronic and one cannot complain about this any longer as 

when lives are at risk, nurses will continue to take on duties to provide care 

despite our own physical and mental incapability. These are the risks that we take 

and in many cases nurses pay dearly. Emergency Nursing in Fiji can be 

identified in two categories. One is the rural public health approach and the other 

the hospital base approach. Both are however, guided by the Scope of Nursing 

Practice in Fiji often handed down by word of mouth in the different institutions of 

care. The skilled workforce who has these nursing skills on the tip of their hands 

has gone. Now young nurses are faced with many dilemma in particular those 

that will make us rethink what was learnt in nursing school and what we now find 

to be practiced. The role of the In Service training unit for nurses is critically 

important in this change brought about by the health reforms and cost cutting 

policies of the current government. Nurses at the operational level need to find 

ways and means to improvise or provide substitutions where there are shortage 

of equipment, nursing skills, staffing and other obstacles that may hinder the 

provision of effective nursing care in any emergency. This training will bring about 

better nursing care and upgrade skills for young nurses that will save lives in any 

emergency. In the remote parts of the western division nurses are expected to 

accompany patients to the main divisional hospital. Nurses will have to be very 

well versed with the required and expected nursing care for emergency cases 

and it is thus critical that proper in service training is conducted for these nurses 

or better still to have trained ambulance nurses who must have the required 

experience in providing emergency care. The Fiji roads are also very narrow and 

rough, and often stray animals are a hindrance to the driver so the safety of the 

driver, the nurse and the patient/s are all at stake here. To improve the current 

problem that we face, it would be ideal to have a trained emergency nurse who is 

also a driver to play the dual role in terms of providing improved care in 

emergency cases. This is also a cost cutting measure provided the vehicle for 

transfer of patients is fully equipped to provide such emergency runs and save 

patients and staff while fulfilling the role of an emergency nurse. This abstract is 

about nursing experience faced by new graduates and how nurses develop 

professionally through practical experiences. 


Mamatuki Sosefo, 

RN, Lautoka Hospital, FIJI 

Male Nurse Mamatuki Sosefo graduated with a 

Diploma in Nursing from the Fiji School of Nursing in 

September 2007. He was a member for the FNA 

student body in his student days and was elected to 

the position of President of SNA in his final year of 

studies. His leadership during this time met many 

challenges and one of which was the ability to stand 

up and speak out for the students in regards to their 

welfare at the Tamavua campus. In the famous 2007 

FNA sixteen days strike, Mamatuki was able to hold 

the student body together after consultation with the 

FNA executives not to involve students in the strike 

but to concentrate on the students graduation which 

was just a few weeks away from the beginning of the 

industrial action. Mamatuki Sosefo served his 12 

months internship in Lautoka Hospital, the largest 

divisional hospital in the western part of Viti Levu 

and has worked there in the Accident & Emergency 

(A&E) Department since September 2008. 


EDUCATION 

Waerea Te Ara Whakamua: Clearing The Way Forward 

Hemaima Hughes 

(Tuesday 9th November 2010, 1.00pm) 

Waerea te ara whakamua : clearing the way forward is a snapshot through the 

lens of a Māori nurse leader/educator/clinician/researcher about the progress that 

has been made by the visionaries of Te Kaunihera o ngā Neehi Māori/National 

Council of Māori Nurses, Kawa Whakaruruhau/Wharangi Ruamano/Māori nurse 

educator collective to address Whānau ora, Māori health, workforce 

development, recruitment and retention concerns through Māori nursing 

education in this country. The 1898 scheme by James Pope Inspector of Native 

schools and the 1908 selection process of suitable candidates from Māori 

boarding schools for nursing education by Dr Rangihiroa assistant Native Health 

Officer were early examples of initiatives aimed at educating Māori to become 

nurses to address Māori health concerns, and in 1909 two Māori nurses gained 

registration. Although it is now 170 years since the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi/ 

The Treaty of Waitangi, the health inequalities/disparities gap has grown wider 

and the need to increase the Māori health nursing workforce has become greater. 

In response to the evidence of growing health inequalities and disparities 

between Māori and non Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand in the latter part of the 

twentieth century and the plea for better services by and for Māori, concerted 

efforts have been made by Māori in collaboration with the Māori community and 

non Māori in nursing education over the past decade and a half to address and 

narrow the disparities gap. These efforts have resulted in the establishment of 

three Māori specific nursing educational programmes and are examples of 

significant initiatives and progress that has been made in the development of 

nursing education addressing the educational needs of nursing students who are 

Māori. 

Tihei Mauri Ora known also as Kawa Whakaruruhau/Cultural Safety was 

introduced into the Diploma of Nursing at Waikato Polytechnic in 1992 for 

students who identified as Māori. This programme later became the Bachelor of 

Nursing Programme. The programme aims at integrating all pertinent areas of 

knowledge from the western and Māori worlds and extending the boundaries of 

Māori norms and practices into Tau iwi /non Māori practice. Tihei Mauri Ora 

continues to be offered and delivered out of Waikato Institute of Technology. 

Te Ōhanga Mataora – The cradle that nurtures the well face is the first 

undergraduate Bachelor of Health Sciences Māori (Nursing) degree programme 

to be offered and delivered through a Māori educational facility, Te Whare 

Wānanga o Awanuiārangi. This initiative was born through the moemoea 

(dream/vision) and combined efforts of Te Kaunihera o Ngā Neehi Māori and Ngā 

Ngaru Hauora o Aotearoa (the Māori Health Providers) in collaboration with Te 

Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi. 

Te Pae Mahutonga - the Southern Cross constellation of stars has been used as 

a navigational guide for centuries. Professor Mason Durie in 1999 proposed Te 

Pae Mahutonga with its essential elements of Mauriora (Access to Te Ao Māori), 

Waiora (Environmental Protection), Toiora (Healthy Lifestyles), Te Oranga 

(Participation in Society), Ngā Manukura (Leadership), and Te Mana 

Whakahaere (Autonomy) be used as a Model for Māori Health Promotion. From 

2008 to 2009 Whitireia Community Polytechnic adopted, adapted, developed, 

offered and commenced delivery of Te Pae Mahutonga (the pedagogical 

foundation) of the Bachelor of Nursing Māori. 


The major focus of all three programmes is recruitment, retention, education and 

provision of pathways for nursing students who are Māori that support and 

nurture students in their learning and being as Māori. Te reo me ona tikanga and 

teaching and learning strategies integral to the success of Māori students on 

their learning journeys will be discussed during the presentation. The intention is 

to produce competent, confident registered nurses well prepared and able to 

work with Māori and others to improve the health status and health outcomes of 

whānau, hapū, iwi and others. There is still much work to done. 

Hemaima Hughes 

Independent Māori Nurse Consultant 

MA (Applied) Nursing with Merit, BN, C.A.T, NZRN. 

Hemaima Hughes is an independent Māori Nurse 

Consultant and manager of Maima Oranga Services Ltd, 

Nelson. Happily married, she is a mother of five and a 

nanny of five mokopuna. Her nursing career commenced 

in 1969 at Whakatane Hospital. From 1973 as a new 

graduate volunteer nurse she served at Atoifi Hospital, 

Malaita, Solomon Islands for 2 years and it was there that 

her journey in nursing education was birthed. Upon her 

return to New Zealand in 1975 Hemaima worked as a 

staff nurse then charge nurse of Children‟s ward at 

Whakatane Hospital till 1977 prior to the birth of her first 

child. From 1979 to 1986 she worked as a casual district 

nurse, practice nurse then night supervisor at Whakatane 

Hospital. Relocating to Nelson in 1986 took Hemaima to 

Nelson hospital where she worked in general, maternity, 

and med-surgical until 1991 when she entered nursing 

education at Nelson Polytechnic. To maintain her practice 

currency, integrity and credibility as a registered nurse 

and nurse educator Hemaima has always managed to 

straddle both worlds of education and clinical practice 

simultaneously. With a background of 41 years in clinical 

nursing, Māori health leadership, research and 

management, nursing and cultural safety education, 

provision of clinical and cultural supervision, policy, 

curriculum, programme development, and active 

membership of organisations (ie Te Ropu Awhina Central 

Regional Health Authority (CRHA), Whakatuoranga Māori 

advisory group for Crown Health Enterprise (CHE) Nelson 

Marlborough Health, Nelson Marlborough Regional Ethics 

Committee, Ngati Koata Health and Social Services, 

teaching associate Post Grad. Palliative Care, Victoria 

University of Wellington, Nelson Bays Primary Health 

PHO, Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) 

Council, Māori Women‟s Welfare League (MWWL), 

National Programme Development and Recognition of 

Learning Programmes (PDRP) working group, Māori 

Advisor and Competence Review panelist to Nursing 

Council of New Zealand (NCNZ), Wharangi Ruamano 

(National Māori Nurse Educators), Te Kaunihera o Nga 

Neehi Māori/National Council of Māori Nurses (NCMN), 


Te Runanga/NZNO -Top of South, ACC, Massey 

University and University of South Australia Forearm Pain 

Guideline Development Team, Programme Leader, 

Bachelor of Nursing Māori Whitireia Community 

Polytechnic, Māori and Pacific Health Reference Group 

NMDHB, Te Amo Health, Motueka), Hemaima has always 

been passionate about nursing. This passion has fueled 

her desire to focus on building and strengthening the 

Māori health nursing workforce, education, recruitment 

and the retention of Māori nursing students and Māori 

registered nurses. She believes that service delivery to 

improve the health and wellbeing outcomes of Māori and 

all others can only be maintained through the provision of 

a highly skilled professional Māori nursing workforce. 

A practical approach for the West Auckland community to deliver services 

that are - here real and now- “Whanau Tahi / Whanau Ora 

John Tamihere 


On behalf of Te Whanau O Waipareira we are pleased to present the following 

discussion document which outlines the new direction Waipareira wishes to take 

in ensuring a Whanau centered focus on service delivery. The new direction 

brings together the extensive experience Waipareira has in provision of services 

to Whanau and its strong linkages with West Auckland Whanau. This provides 

the platform for developing a detailed proposal for the development of a new 

service to Whanau, Whanau First ‐ the provision of integrated services to 

Whanau. Whanau First is the Waipareira Flagship Model for future Whanau 

delivery. It provides a new way of working so to achieve better outcomes for 

Whanau. It is Whanau centered, focusing on what the Whanau need, how, when 

and where. Whanau First underpins the 3 year strategic direction for Waipareira. 

It signals a new way forward that ensures Whanau are at the centre of all 

services provided by the Trust. Together with our staff, we look forward to 

discussing this further and identifying clear agreed upon pathways for taking the 

next steps to making this happen. 

John Tamihere 

Māori Representation – Auckland Supercity and CEO Te 

Whanau o Waipareira 

John Tamihere and Willie Jackson have presented a 

submission to the Auckland Governance Legislation 

Committee on behalf of the National Urban Māori Authority. 

The submission says the people they represent have the 

right to Māori representation in the Super City. Treaty rights 

to representation should not just be at a central government 

level but must follow into local government. The 

recommended outcomes from consultation on the Super 

City were for three seats; one committed by appointment 

process by Mana Whenua and two members to be elected 


y recourse to the Māori electoral roll covering the seven 

cities. John Tamihere is of Ngāti Porou, Whakatohea and 

Tainui descent. He gained an arts and law degree from 

Auckland University and served as a Cabinet minister in the 

Labour Government from 2002‐2004. John is currently the 

Chief Executive of the Waipareira Trust and hosts a 

talkback show on Radio Live. 

Fatuga‟ O Manuia: An education resource for the prevention of “sick 

kidneys” in the Samoan community 

Cassandra Stone 


Our Health District, in southeast Queensland, Australia, has a large Pacific 

Islander population of around 21,000 people, a significant component of whom 

are first- to third-generation Samoans. In our clinical experience, the Samoan 

community exhibit a disproportionate rate of renal and related conditions (such as 

obesity and diabetes) compared to the general population. A joint project, to 

promote renal health in the emigrant Samoan community, using the principles 

underpinning Fa’afaletui, began between the Hospital and the University. The 

objectives of the project were to first, develop an understanding of the factors 

contributing to this situation; and second, to work with the Samoan community to 

produce sustainable, culturally-appropriate resources that enable them to make 

informed choices with regard to their renal health. After ethical approval was 

obtained, contact was then made with the matai, who expressed concern about 

the rate of renal failure in the Samoan community. Importantly, the matai was 

invested with the authority to speak for the community and refer us to the 

appropriate cultural informants. Sixteen key stakeholders subsequently 

participated in the project, all of whom were first- or second-generation Samoan 

emigrants. In keeping with Samoan cultural norms, no individual interviews were 

undertaken. This project demonstrates how a culturally-sensitive framework, 

Fa’afaletui, guided our understanding of the factors contributing to the Samoan 

issues, and to the subsequent development of strategies to help prevent renal 

disease in the Samoan community. The most important lesson learned was the 

potential benefit of taking the message to the community in a form that is relevant 

for them. 

Cassandra Stone 

Nurse Practitioner – Nephrology, Logan-Beaudesert 

Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland 4131 

Nursing History: 

Registered as RN in 1980 (RPA). 

12 years: Nurse Unit Manager, Haemodialysis 

unit, Logan Hospital 

Present: NP-Nephrology, Logan Hospital, 

Queensland 

University Education: 

Post graduate certificate in Management - Health 


Master of Clinical Nursing – completed Post 

graduate certificate level 

Master of Nursing Science – Nurse Practitioner 

Work Interests: 

Early prevention 

ACNP – Secretary, Qld chapter 

Personal Interest: 

Married for >30 years, to husband Geoff 

2 children, Aaron 28; Kylie 23 

Live on 5 acres – have chooks and a dog, and 

peace and quiet 

Dr A. McCarthy 

Queensland University of Queensland 

Brisbane, Queensland 4059 

R. Shaban 

Griffith University 

Brisbane, Queensland 

Evidence Based Nursing 

Thomas Robinson 


Now is the time to build upon the concept of evidenced based nursing. Evidenced 

based nursing is based upon a reductionism mechanistic concept of man or 

womankind! This concept needs to be a point of growth rather than a wall we may 

never venture past. We give lip service to a person having mind, body spirit , 

especially in our acknowledgement of the “treaty of Waitangi “ In our reductionism 

understanding imposed upon us , we view these three divisions as separate. In 

actual fact they are one! Each affecting the other. Therefore ,in perception of 

illness or health we need to perceive us from a total perspective. We see the 

outworking of this concept in our limitations to clinical practice. Our mandate is 

one of passive clinical practice. We are denied the opportunity to access the 

“innate bodily intelligence. Something all of us have , but is never accessed or 

encouraged. The Maori people are a “spiritual people and so are we with our 

Celtic forefathers. This spirituality is formalized and is just another section in care 

plans. The walls that inhibit the expression of spirituality in all its‟ depth, they 

need to be removed so that spirituality becomes another clinical tool we can 

resource. Evidenced based nursing needs to be a doorway not a wall. 


Thomas Robinson 

RN FCN (Aust). 

Charge Nurse Mercy Parklands Rest Home and 

hospital. I am a free lance writer. Am married to 

Wendy. We have three adult sons and a Jack 

Russell named Bella. I am passionate about 

people and what makes them tick and have a 

fetish for books. 

Smoking cessation, Pacific Nurses and Pacific peoples in Aotearoa: 

Developing a national strategy 

Loma-Linda Tasi-Mutitalo & Grace Wong 


Background: Smoking is a major public health problem among Pacific peoples in 

New Zealand. Despite evidence that smoking cessation interventions by nurses 

are effective and that nurses feel that helping smokers to quit is part of their role, 

few nurses actively intervene. Free education to deliver brief effective treatment 

including nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to smokers is readily available. 

Nurses can independently give smokers access to subsidized NRT. However, 

changes in practice are difficult. Smokefree Nurses Aotearoa/New Zealand 

(SNANZ) was contracted to increase Pacific nurse uptake of smoking cessation 

education in order to address inequities in smoking rates among Pacific people. 

Objective: To describe strategies used by SNANZ to increase Pacific nurse 

uptake of evidence based smoking cessation interventions, and to embed 

smoking cessation in their everyday practice 

Methods: Progress in developing and implementing a Pacific nurses strategy for 

smoking cessation among nurses and Pacific peoples is reported. 

Results: SNANZ has been guided by Loma-Linda Tasi-Mulitalo, a Pacific nurse 

with extensive experience in tobacco control since its inception. She was 

engaged to develop a strategy with Pacific nurses. Consultation with Pacific 

tobacco control leaders identified a strong support for nurse work in this area. 

Consultation with Pacific nurse leaders identified barriers and enablers. Among 

these was concern about smoking rates among Pacific nurses themselves. Action 

to increase Pacific nurse quit rates, education about smoking cessation and 

delivery of smoking cessation interventions must reflect tagata Pasifika. 

Conclusions: There is support for action with Pacific nurses in New Zealand with 

regard to smoking cessation. Strong systems support will be necessary to 

implement the strategy. 

Loma-Linda Tasi-Mulitalo 

1 Bachelor of Nursing Pacific, Faculty of Health, Whitireia 

Community Polytechnic 

Linda is Samoan by ethnicity and is a Registered Nurse. 

Born and bred in Wellington, New Zealand, Linda has 

worked in the New Zealand Health and Disability sector 

for almost 20 years. 


Currently working at Whitireia Community Polytechnic as 

a Nurse Lecturer for the Bachelor of Nursing Pacific 

Programme, Linda enjoys the role of developing the 

health sector workforce and contributing knowledge 

gained from experience in the sector. This includes 

extensive involvement in the tobacco control sector, 

such as the development of the Pacific Services for The 

Quit Group, which delivers programmes including the 

National Quitline service in New Zealand. Linda 

continues her work and advocacy for Pacific peoples in 

the tobacco control sector as a board member of 

Smokefree Pasifika Action Network (SPAN) and the 

steering group for Smokefree Nurses for Aotearoa New 

Zealand (SNANZ). 

Linda has two children, who are both second generation 

New Zealand born Samoan. Linda enjoys spending time 

with her family, church activities and being involved in 

community engagement work. 

Grace Wong 

Nursing, School of Health Care Practice, Faculty of 

Health and Environmental Sciences, AUT University 


COLLABORATION 

Steering the waka for health: The necessity of collaboration 

Dr Denise Wilson 

(Wednesday 10th November 2010, 9.00am) 

Nurses are ideally positioned to provide direction for health service planning and 

delivery, and to making a difference in the health outcomes for people, their 

family and the community they live in, especially those who experience 

differential access to quality health services. Collaboration with people, families, 

and communities is just as important an endeavour for „nurses at the helm‟ as is 

collaborating with other health care providers, health service planners, policy 

makers, and researchers. The analogy of steering a waka in the forward direction 

will be used to illustrate the importance of nurses engaging in collaboration in 

order to „steer health across the Pacific. 

Dr Denise Wilson 

(Ngati Tahinga) is the Associate Professor – Māori Health 

and the Director of Taupua Waiora Centre for Māori Health 

Research at AUT University. As a registered nurse she has 

extensive experience in nursing education and is a Fellow of 

the College of Nurses Aotearoa (NZ) and Te Mata o te Tau. 

Her research interests are indigenous health, family violence 

and workforce development. 

Mental Health Nurse‟s at the helm of Primary Mental Health Care 

Kim Ryan 


The economic burden of mental illness in Australia, including the direct costs 

associated with service delivery and the indirect costs associated with loss of 

productivity, was estimated at around $20 billion in 2006 alone. In 2007 the 

Commonwealth government established the Medicare funded Mental Health 

Nurse Incentive program (MHNIP), designed to provide coordinated clinical care 

for people with severe mental health disorders in primary care settings. MHNIP is 

the only program in Australia designed solely for mental health nurses (MHNs); it 

enables them to work in collaboration with general practitioners or private 

psychiatrist across a range of primary care settings, and utilising a range of 

practice models, to provide services to clients at no or little cost to them. By 

November 2009, 579 organizations were registered in the program with 34,937 

patients being seen. MHNs practicing under MHNIP are Credentialed through the 

ACMHN‟s Credentialing for Practice Program (CPP). (This program of 

professional self-regulation predates the MHNIP and was implemented nationally 

in 2004) This paper will discuss the MHNIP, the range of services provided, how 

MHNs are working under the program - from direct employment to private 

practice - and will overview the Credential for Practice Program. The MHNIP has 

transformed the role of MHNs in primary care in Australia; it has given a new 

direction and vitality to the MHN clinical career pathway and has placed MHNs at 

the helm of primary mental health care. 


Kim Ryan 

Chief Executive Officer – Australian College of Mental 

Health Nurses 

Adjunct Associate Professor – University of Sydney 

Kim Ryan trained as a general nurse and psychiatric 

nurse and has been working in mental health for over 

20 years. Appointed as the first CEO of the ACMHN in 

2004, Inaugural Chair of the Mental Health 

Professionals Association (MHPA), and is currently the 

Chair of the Coalition of National Nursing 

Organizations. Kim is a passionate advocate for 

mental health nursing and works tirelessly to promote 

the profession, and the need for good mental health 

care. 

Reconciliation Action Plan 

Yvonne Chaperon & Faye Clarke 


The nursing profession plays a significant role in improving the health of Indigenous 

Australians and Torres Strait Islander people. Nurses have a universal concern for 

human rights and social justice for all citizens. In line with this nurses recognise that 

addressing health inequality is a priority. In Australia today there is atrocious 

inequality between the health status of non-Indigenous and Indigenous Australians. 

As nurses we must do all in our power to reverse this situation. There are many ways 

in which nurses can engage in activities to do this ranging from practical clinical work 

in health care settings through to political activism. 

This paper will describe how the largest nursing organisation in Australia is using its 

strength to work collaboratively with Indigenous Australians, including Reconciliation 

Australia and particularly our colleagues in the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres 

Strait Islander Nurses, to develop and enact a Reconciliation Action Plan. The vision 

of nurses expressed in the plan is for reconciliation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait 

Islander peoples through self determination and health equality. 

This Reconciliation Action Plan is not just rhetoric. It can be achieved. But, it will 

require us to work together and be committed to closing the gap in terms of health 

outcomes for all Australians. 


Faye Clarke 

Faye Clarke is a Registered Nurse currently working as a 

Practice Nurse at the Baarlinjan Medical Clinic, Ballarat and 

District Aboriginal Co-operative in Ballarat (Victoria). The 

clinic is part of an Aboriginal community controlled health 

organisation servicing a community of approx 1,000 people. 

Her role is a clinic co-ordinator ensuring the health needs of 

the community are met by a range of general practitioners, 

nurses and Aboriginal health workers. The clinic offers 

programs in diabetes prevention, and smoking cessation as 

well as offering annual health assessments for all Aboriginal 

clients, and management of chronic illness. Faye, this year, 

qualified as a nurse immuniser. Faye has a Graduate 

Certificate in Tertiary Education and is involved with the local 

university in delivering education to undergraduate nurses 

on the health, history and culture of Aboriginal and Torres 

Strait Islander people. She has previously been employed 

as a nurse by the local hospital (Ballarat Health Services) 

and by the Department of Human Services as an Indigenous 

Nurse Advisor for the Nurse Recruitment and Policy Branch. 

She is a member of the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres 

Strait Islander Nurses (CATSIN), first joining as a student 

and being sponsored to attend her first CATSIN conference 

in 2002. She currently represents Victoria on the Board of 

Directors for CATSIN. Faye is also a member of the 

Australian Nursing Federation, and the Australian Practice 

Nurse Association. 

Yvonne Chaperon 

Yvonne Chaperon is the Assistant Federal Secretary of the 

Australian Nursing Federation (ANF), the second largest and 

fastest growing union in Australia. Yvonne is a registered 

nurse and a qualified lawyer. Yvonne undertook her nursing 

training at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Group 1989. She 

commenced her legal studies at the University of Tasmania 

and continued to nurse part time while undertaking her legal 

studies and once qualified as a lawyer. Yvonne commenced 

with the ANF (Victorian Branch) in 2003 and held the 

positions of Professional Officer, Industrial Officer and 

Assistant Secretary. In July 2010 Yvonne was appointed 

ANF Assistant Federal Secretary. 

An education partnership for nursing workforce development in Solomon 

Island 

Michael Larui, Verziln Ison & Mary MacManus 


Nursing in the Solomon Islands is practiced in 2 main contexts; the National 

Referral Hospital in Honiara and in provincial and rural health clinics. There are 


significant differences in the requirements for nursing practice in each of these 

contexts. In the hospital settings nurses are responsible to medical staff and 

practice under their direction. While in the provinces especially in remote areas 

nurses are usually the only health professional often managing all primary and 

secondary health in the area. While there have been a number of 

educations/training programmes run in SI. These have been ad hoc and 

unaligned to workforce needs. They have tended to focus on the major health 

programmes run within the country that emphasizes management of specific 

health problems rather than the development of diagnostic reasoning and nursing 

practice. The result is that nurses have furthered their education through multiple 

short courses or diplomas studied within or outside of the SI that have not 

followed a recognized pathway leading to an academic qualification or prepared 

nurses for leadership roles within the Ministry. This presentation will present a 

project that is a partnership between the School of Nursing and the MOHMS. It 

proposes a continued education framework that supports both the national 

nursing service priorities and provides a recognized higher academic 

qualification. This project proposes to offer a degree in nursing through SICHE 

that supports national nursing workforce development. It also sets the pathway 

for experienced nurses to develop appropriate qualifications in preparation for 

future senior nursing roles 

Michael Larui 

Chief Nurse. Ministry of Health and Medical Services 

(MOHMS) Solomon Island 

Current Position – National Director of Nursing in the 

Ministry of Health and Medical Services in Solomon 

Islands. Michael has 20 years experience as a 

registered nurse working in both primary and tertiary 

health care in the Solomon Islands He has held senior 

nursing roles in Honiara and Provincial centres since 

2003 He was appointed to the National Director 

position in 2007. Michael is married with 3 children; 

two sons and a daughter. 

Verzilyn Isom. 

Head of School of Nursing Solomon Island College of 

Higher Education (SICHE) 

Current Position – Head of School of Nursing and 

Health Studies at the Solomon Island College of 

Higher Education (SICHE). Verilyn has 20 years 

experience working clinical nursing practice and 

nursing education in the Solomon Islands. Her nursing 

experience has spread across both Primary and 

tertiary care settings. Verzilyn is responsible for a 

school with 5 programmes in nursing and allied health 

studies. Verzilyn is married with three children 


Mary MacManus. 

Principal Lecturer. Auckland University of Technology 

(AUT) New Zealand 

Current Position – Principal Lecturer Auckland 

University of Technology (AUT). Mary has 30 year s 

experience in Nursing Education in NZ. Current roles 

include teaching in the Postgraduate area at AUT 

interdisciplinary and consultancy work. Mary has been 

working in nursing curriculum development with a 

number of Pacific countries over the last 12 year. She 

has been working in the Solomon Islands with the 

Ministry of Health Division of Nursing and the Solomon 

Island College of Higher Education for the last 3 years 


DISASTER PREPAREDNESS 

The Nursing Response in the 2009 Tsunami in Samoa 

Pelenatete Stowers 

(Wednesday 10th November 2010, 1.00pm) 

The Tsunami of September 2009 subjected Samoa to the most horrific natural 

disaster in living memory, and beginning with a snapshot of the actual tsunami 

and its aftermath, and, reflecting back a year after, this presentation attempts to 

describe the nursing/nurses‟ response within the context of the total health 

system. It attempts to examine the national multi-level emergency and disaster 

preparedness and response plans, and goes on to focus on the actual nursing 

response given that the nurses were the only health care professionals in the 

area, and therefore the first on site on the day of the tsunami. The presentation 

further explores the implications of this large scale, sad and difficult situation on 

the nursing response, especially when those nurses themselves were from the 

area and have lost children, relatives and homes. The presentation highlights 

gaps, strengths and opportunities from our tsunami experience and share some 

of the strategies we have put in place to strengthen our preparedness and 

response to any and/or national emergency and disaster. 

Professor Pelenatete Ieremia Stowers 

RN, RM, Assistant CEO Nursing Services, Ministry of Health 

Samoa 

Professor Stowers has been a strong leader and role model 

for nurses in Samoa and the Pacific region. In her current 

role with the Ministry of Health, she continues to promote 

and advocate for the development of quality nursing services 

and nursing workforce capacity and capability. She was the 

former Registrar for the Samoa Board of Nursing and also 

the Adjunct Professor for Nursing; Faculty of Nursing & 

Midwifery, University of Technology, Sydney. 

The Response of a Samoan Nurse from Outside of Samoa to the Tsunami 

call for Help! 

Vaifagaloa Naseri-Moepogai 


„ Fa‟alologo, Tu ma Savali,se‟I momoli mai se Lavea‟i ‟ 

„You heard, listened, yearned, you stood up and left….Samoa to give a helping 

hand „ 

Introduction: On September 29 th 2009, at early morning before 7am, an 8.7 

minute earthquake shook the whole of Samoa. Afterwards, a tsunami hit and 

caused great devastation to most part of the southern side of the country. Samoa 

.This has great effect on Samoa , both to its land and its people. To the 

Samoan people living overseas, this was a shock. People reacted by going to 

Samoa, especially those from the affected areas. The response of the Samoan 

nurse living overseas was rightly described in the Tsunami song composed by 

Matamua I okapeta Enoka, a senior Nurse Lecturer at the National University of 


Samoa, dedicated to the dedicated Nursing Staff of Samoa, who worked 

diligently non stop to tend to the injured, to the Samoa Health Mission volunteer 

nurses who came to help and relieved them for much needed breaks, and all 

those who came to help after the Tsunami. This will form the basis of this 

presentation, from the time the Tsunami news hit the Airwaves, NZ headline 

news, the Samoan people heard & listen intensely to figure out how far the 

devastation has caused, This also came with the uncertainty of what to do from 

here. As from a Samoan nurse , she heard, listened with intense, the heart 

yearned to be there. So she got up and left for Samoa. to offer the acquired 

skills and knowledge that has accumulated over all the years of work & 

experience in NZ to help her local colleagues. Being there as part of the relief 

team at Lalomanu Hospital , was a satisfying experience .The presentation will 

highlight the multirole of the PHC nurse within such a situation, the type of work 

done , the experiences gained as well as the lessons learnt from this episode to 

prepare us for future Disaster. 

Tsunami Song: (2 nd verse ) 

„ Tala e, ua ave ile ea, ua salalau atu ile vateatea, 

Fa‟alologo, tu ma savali se‟i momoli mai se lavea‟I, 

E! ua ou mapuea ina ua tatala mai sou finagalo, 

Le Misiona Samoa ua fa‟afetai lau fa‟aaloalo „ 

Translation 

News / stories of the tsunami quickly spread via airwaves, internets, to overseas 

countries, You heard, listened, yearned, you stood up and left …Samoa....to give 

a helping hand to your nursing sisters, Oh I sighed ! What a relief when you 

arrived, Samoa Health Mission, thank you so much for your help.‟ 

Vaifagaloa Naseri-Moepogai 

Vai, was born, raised and educated in Samoa. She won an 

award to undertake her nursing training at Masterton 

School of Nursing 1975 -1978. She had 30 years of 

nursing experiences both in Samoa and NZ behind her. 

Vai‟s involvement in consultancy works on Women's 

Health, Child Health Promotion & Pacific Nurses in NZ has 

helped her in her Leadership, Management and 

Governance roles during her career as a Nurse /Midwife. 

She is the Chairperson for the Pacific Women Data 

Advisory group for the National Cervical Screening 

Programme, a position she has held for the last 14 years 

up to now., She is currently the CEO for Health Star Pacific, 

a Pacific Health Provider based in Panmure, Auckland. and 

is managing a number of health services for Health Star 

Pacific. Vai is part of HSP governance and a Board 

member. She was also in the NZ Breastfeeding Authority 

Board as the Pacific Rep. for year 2009. She has been a 

board member for AuckPac PHO in the last 2years and 

now in the newly established Alliance Health Plus ( AH+) 

PHO Board of governance. She is the chairperson of the 

newly established Samoa Health Mission – a group mostly 

of Samoa Volunteer Nurses, health professionals, families 

and friends. SHM is working in partnership with Samoa 

Ministry of Health to address its post-tsunami Nursing 


workforce gap project. Vai‟s passion is on Women's 

Health. She is a Midwife and was a key person in the 

development of a Pacific Antenatal Educational programme 

for Pacific women in Auckland, as part of Health Star 

Pacific Pregnancy Support service. Vai is a member of the 

SNANZ (Samoan Nurses Association NZ), member of the 

first national executive (1988) and continued to be up to 

now. She has represented the SNANZ in the newly 

established Pacific Nursing Section– NZNO in its first year. 

What would you do if “the machine stopped”? Will your hospital cope if 

disaster strikes? 

Gill Scrymgeour 


As in the tale by the same name by E.M. Forster (1909), technology now runs our 

lives. Hospitals are built with a plethora of technological gadgets that enable 

healthcare practitioners to do their every day jobs when providing care to their 

patients. You could even go as far to say that many healthcare professionals 

themselves would not cope without the assistance of technology. As we build or 

renovate our hospitals we need to consider if disaster planning has been taken 

into consideration. How many floors up is your operating suite? Where do you 

house your sterilisation plant? How will your hospital and staff continue to 

function if “the machine stopped”? History has already provided good examples 

of what can happen in the events of disaster and the effect it had on a 

community‟s local healthcare facility. The question is what have we learnt from 

these disasters and has this made a difference to our disaster preparedness? 

This presentation will highlight a variety of events that could happen and what we 

can or should be doing to minimise the effect it will have on an organisation to 

enable it to gear up immediately to render appropriate assistance to the 

community it serves. 

G. Scrymgeour 

Faculty of Health & Sport Science, Eastern Institute of 

Technology (EIT), Napier, New Zealand. 

Gill Scrymgeour: RN, MHSc (First Class Honours) 

I am the Master of Nursing and Post Graduate 

Programmes Co-ordinator at Eastern Institute of 

Technology Hawke‟s Bay and Senior Lecturer for 

Advancing Specialty Practice, a course delivered 

completely online. Previously, I had the opportunity to 

work on a variety of projects during the building of 

Auckland City Hospital. As a result of these work 

experiences I have developed a strong interest in 

information technology and hospital development and 

design. 


Being Swamped by a Tidal Wave: Tongan Women's Experiences of Breast 

Cancer and Related Treatment 

Amelia Afuhaamango Tuipulotu 


Breast cancer remains a major health problem worldwide. In countries such as 

Australia or the USA, women have access to a range of educational, screening 

and diagnostic services and treatment programs that are increasingly evidence 

based. These programs have increased survival and reduced mortality rates for 

breast cancer. Women in less well resourced countries such as Tonga, however, 

do not have access to such programs, they are more likely to present later in the 

course of their disease or seek help from traditional healers, and their prognosis 

is therefore poorer. This presentation presents the findings from the first study 

conducted in Tonga – that explored Tongan women‟s experiences of their 

diagnosis and subsequent treatment of breast cancer. The study is qualitative, 

exploratory and descriptive in design and was conducted from late November 

2000 to early March 2001. The metaphor of a journey was used to group the 

themes which describe Tongan women‟s experiences of breast cancer. This 

journey has three phases, namely, beginning the journey, the journey through 

diagnosis and surgery, and going away and staying at home – which for some 

was not an end but a new (albeit cautious) beginning. There are significant 

implications arising from this study in relation to the need for educational 

strategies for nurses and for Tongan women with respect to the early detection of 

breast cancer. Other implications relate to the needs and care of women once 

they have been diagnosed with the disease, particularly in relation to their travel 

to New Zealand, and palliative care in villages and communities for women who 

present with already advanced cancer or for whom treatment is not successful. 

Mrs. Amelia Afuhaamango Tuipulotu 

PhD Candidate 

Newcastle University, Australia 

I am currently a PhD student at the University of 

Sydney. I graduated with a Bachelor of Health 

Science in 1995 from the University of Newcastle. I 

returned to Tonga and was in-charge of the 

Surgical Ward then the Psychiatric Ward before 

joining the school of Nursing- where I am posted 

as Senior Lecturer. In 2002, I completed a Master‟s 

research project at University of Newcastle. 


Other Sessions Available 

Congratulations to the South Pacific Nurses Forum for hosting a 100% smokefree 

event. South Pacific nurses are key agents for tobacco control and smoking 

cessation. They are critical to health promotion and treatment of patients. They 

are highly respected members of their societies and as such they are conduits to 

their communities and families where ever they live. 

South Pacific nations are proud to be early signatories to the WHO Framework 

Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Article 14 calls for the treatment of 

tobacco dependence. South Pacific nurses are the major players here by 

supporting colleagues, patients, clients, family and community members who 

smoke to quit. 

Smokefree Nurses Aotearoa/New Zealand (SNANZ) will have support for quitting 

for anyone who smokes at the conference. All nurses can enhance their 

professional development by doing the online New Zealand Ministry of Health 

smoking cessation intervention training at www.smokingcessationabc.org.nz 

We invite everyone at the conference to a networking meeting to discuss how 

Pacific Island nurses can work together on these important issues. 

Loma-Linda Tasi-Mulitatalo (SNANZ Pacific Island nurses strategy), Pauline 

Allan-Downs, Josephine Samuelu, Grace Wong (SNANZ Director) 

Session title: 

South Pacific Nurses Tobacco Control and Smoking 

Cessation Leadership Meeting 

Date: Wednesday 10th November 2010 

Time: 

Venue: 

Session Description: 

12.00pm 

Conference Main meeting room 

The aims of the meeting are to provide a forum for 

issues to be discussed in relation to the smokefree 

needs of the nurses in the Pacific and to link delegates 

with nurses and others working in Pacific Island smoke 

free and tobacco control. New Zealand Ministry of 

Health online training is available at 

www.smokingcessationabc.org.nz 


Minutes and recommendations from the 14th 

SPNF 

Matters Arising 

Discussion on the 4 recommendations by the 13th SPNF in Samoa: 

Recommendation 1: The secretariat remains the host country 

o The SPNF needs to register first then funding will be provided. 

This is because funding is only available to registered forums. 

Recommendation 7: Fiji is to propose a logo for the SPNF 

Recommendation 8: Certificates of attendance to be issued to all 

participating delegates 

o The host country is to organise the distribution of the certificates. 

o Fiji as host is willing to produce certificates of participation and 

these will be forwarded to member countries for distribution to 

SPNF delegates. 

 

Recommendation 9: PNG is to host the 15th South Pacific Nurses 

Forum in 2010 

o The previous executive has not informed PNGNA of this 

recommendation and PNG is unable to host the forum. 

o In regards to the PNG response, New Zealand is ready to host 

the 2010 SPNF. This is to be passed as a resolution first. 

Summary of Issues in Country Reports 

 

Cook Islands 

o There is a need to up-skill nurses in Cook Islands and there is now 

a one year program sponsored by NZAID that is looking to do this 

and the nurses choose which island they would like to be posted to. 

o Thanks to Fiji for providing Post graduate training and allowing us to 

send two nurses over each year. 

o We are trying to train nurses and we are creating a scheme to try 

and attract students from their various colleges. 

 

 

 

Kiribati 

o Kiribati has many islands and it is one country that is very poor. 

o The main focus now is education. 

Tokelau 

o Thanks to WHO for providing a regulatory structure and being the 

main funding body in Tokelau. 

o We would be very grateful of e-mail addresses could be provided so 

that other Pacific Island countries could provide technical 

assistance to Tokelau. 

Niue 

o Niue is a small island country which has 2 New Zealand training 

nurses, 4 Niue nurses and 4 Nurse Aids. 

o Nurses work on a shift basis. 


o Senior nurses are taking up other responsibilities to help other 

departments. These added responsibilities can sometimes take its 

toll on the nurses. 

o The Nurses continue to work closely with other medical officers and 

Niue nurses are in support of the forum. 

o Shortage of staff and there are staff due for retirement and school 

leaves do not show interest towards the profession. 

o We do not have an anaesthetist and also surgeon 

o Some form of award to be set up so as to encourage nurses to 

perform. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fiji 

o New private partnership with Suva Bayview Private Hospital. 

o The privatisation of the Lautoka Divisional Hospital has been a 

concern and topic of discussion among nurses. 

o Nurses are being redeployed for non nursing duties thus worsening 

the shortage of staffing problem. 

o Stress levels at the workplace increases nurse shortages and 

shortage of supplies. 

o Appreciation to the aid and support that the FNA received during 

their 17 day nurses strike from International Nursing Communities 

and Trade Unions. 

Australia 

o Finally there is a Chief Nurse Officer for Australia - she is Rosemary 

Bryant as the first appointee. 

o Nursing shortage and how to overcome these nursing shortage. 

o We are moving to a national regulation and accreditation system. 

New Zealand 

o NZNO is working with the nursing council with regards to IELTS. 

The migrant nurses make up a large portion of the nursing 

workforce in New Zealand. 

o NZNO has a multi contract agreement that is going through a 

process. NZNO is lucky to have a great support base because of a 

large membership. 

Samoa 

o Participation in Government reforms and decision making level to 

protect our interests. Along with this is our participation in policy 

development and law reforms. 

o Importance to understand the various laws and legislations in 

Samoa. 

Tonga 

o For nursing standards we used the WEPSEAR nursing standards 

with the WHO guidelines as our guide. 

Papua New Guinea 

o 6.2 million population and this grows by 124,000 people every year 


o We are trying to achieve a unified health system where all the 

health bodies are going to come under one banner. 

o We have a very low workforce when compared to the population 

and the registration problem with our nursing council does not help 

this problem. 

o Salary schedule is from 2004. 

o Nurse to patient ratio is 1:64 patients per shift. 

o We have a high rate of HIV and 2% of population are infected. 

 

Vanuatu 

o Population of 230,000 people. 

o We have 950 working positions in the workforce and 60% is based 

in the hospital while 30% work in the community and the rest are in 

the administration department. 

14th South Pacific Nurses Forum Motions 

Motion 1: Fiji / Australia 

That the 14th South Pacific Nurses Forum recommends that each 

member country lobby those Australian and New Zealand universities 

providing off-shore undergraduate nursing programs to ensure that the 

level and content of the program facilitates registration as a nurse in 

Australian or New Zealand. For those already hold a Bachelor of 

Australia and New Zealand if an alternate system can be in place for 

them to be automatically registered. 

Carried unanimously 

 

 

 

Motion 2: Fiji / Cook Islands 

That the 14th South Pacific Nurses Forum recommends that a bridging 

program is re-introduced to assist Pacific Island nurses successfully 

pass the International English Language Test (IELTS). 


Motion 3: Fiji / New Zealand 

That the 15th South Pacific Nurses Forum in 2010 invite a 

representative from the South Pacific Chief Nursing and midwifery 

Officer Alliance to give a report on their activities and respond to 

questions at the forum program. 


Motion 4: Samoa / Tonga 

That the 14th South Pacific Nurses Forum recommends that the 

National Nursing Associations promote regional joint ventures for 

presentation at future South Pacific Nurses Forums. 

Niue: This provides the opportunity for other nurses to share their 

experiences in the SPNF. 



Motion 5: New Zealand / Papua New Guinea 

That the 14th South Pacific Nurses Forum consider the proposal of 

offer from New Zealand to host the 15th South Pacific Nurses Forum in 

2010. 


Motion 6: Australia/ Papua New Guinea 

The 14th South Pacific Nurses Forum congratulate and thank the Fiji 

Nursing Association for hosting a wonderful Forum for their hospitality 

and welcome to their country. 



Constitution of the South Pacific Nurses Forum 




Participating Nurses Associations 

American Samoa Nurses Association 

The Secretary 

LBJ Tropical Medical Centre 

Pago Pago 

AMERICAN SAMOA 

Email lisa.vaivao@lbj.as 

Australian Nurses Federation 

Lee Thomas, Federal Secretary 

PO Box 4239, Kingston Act 2602 

AUSTRALIA 

Ph 61 2 6232 6533, Fax 61 2 6232 6610 

Mobile 0419 576 590 

Email fedsec@anf.org.au 

Cook Island Nurses Association 

Peta Ngari, General Secretary 

PO Box 109 

Rarotonga COOK ISLANDS 

Ph 682 22 664, Fax 682 22 670 

East Timor Nurses Association 

Luis Lobato, President 

Escola de Enfermagem Lahane 

Bairo Alto, Sub-distrito Vera Cruz 

Dili - Timor - Larosae 

Email wuc10897@uow.edu.au or 

dionelis05@yahoo.com 

Mobile Luis 0419 918 456, 

Lourenco 0418 487 912 

Fijian Nurses Association 

Salanieta Matiavi 

President, 

PO Box 1364 

Suva FIJI 

Ph 679 305 855, Fax 679 304 881 

Email fna@connect.com.fj 

Kiribati Nurses Association 

Mamao Robate, Director of Nursing 

C/- Ministry of Health, PO Box 268, 

Nawerevere, Bikenibeu, Tarawa 

REPUBLIC OF KIRIBATI 

Ph 686 28 100, Fax 686 28 152 

Email mrobate@yahoo.com 

Nauru Nurses 

Mrs Lois Aingimea, Chief Nursing Officer 

Department of Health 

RON Hospital, NAURU 

Ph 674 444 3882, Fax 674 444 3881 

New Zealand Nurses Organisation 

Mr Geoff Annals, Chief Executive Officer 

New Zealand Nurses Organisation 

PO Box 2128 

Wellington NEW ZEALAND 

Ph 64 4 499 9533, Fax 64 4 382 9993 

Email: nurses@nzno.org.nz 

Niue Island Nurses 

Keri Fereti, Principal Nursing Officer 

Lord Liverpool Hospital 

PO Box 33 

Alofi, NIUE ISLAND 

Ph 683 4100, Fax 683 4265 

Email health@mail.gov.nu 

Papua New Guinea Nurses Association 

Jack Suao, General Secretary 

PO Box 6206 

Boroko, National Capital District, 

Port Moresby, PAPUA NEW GUINEA 

Ph 325 4203, Fax 323 6027 

Email pngna@global.net.pg 

Samoan Nurses Association 

Mrs Faamanatu Nielson, National 

President 

PO Box 3491 

Apia, SAMOA 

Ph 685 24 439, Fax 685 26 976 

Email samoanursing@lesamoa.net 

Solomon Islands Nurses Association 

William Same, General Secretary 

PO Box 233 

Honiara, SOLOMON ISLANDS 

Ph 677 26 688, Fax 677 21 344 

Email wsame@moh.govt.sb 

Tokelau Nurses Association 

Lee Pearce 

c/ Tokelau Apia Liaison Office 

PO Box 865 

Apia, TOKELAU 

Ph 685 20 822, Fax 685 21 761 

Tonga Nurses Association 

Mrs Sela Paasi, Secretary 

PO Box 150 

Nukualofa TONGA 

Ph 676 23 200 (w), Fax 676 24 291 

Email sela@tongatapu.net.to 


Tuvalu Nurses Association 

Alata, Acting Secretary 

Princess Margaret Hospital 

Fakaifou, Funafuti TUVALU 

Ph 688 20 749 Fax 688 20 481 

Vanuatu Nurses Association 

Evelyn Emila 

PMB 009, Port Vila, VANUATU 

Ph 678 22 512, Fax 678 26 204 

Email mrosaria@vanawatu.gov.vu 

Commonwealth Nurses Federation 

Jill Iliffe, Executive Secretary 

C/- Royal College of Nursing 

20 Cavendish Square 

London W1M OAB United Kingdom 

Ph 61 438 647 252 

Email jill@commonwealthnurses.org 

International Council of Nurses 

3, place Jean-Marteau 

1201 Geneva 

Switzerland 

Ph 0041 22 908 01 00 

Fax 0041 22 908 01 01 

Email icn@icn.ch 


Trade Information 




Useful Maps 

The venue for the SPNF is the Aotea Centre, Queen Street, Auckland. 

The main forum sessions will be held in the Lower NZI Rooms with trade 

and catering in its foyer. 

The dinners on Mondays and Wednesday will be held in the Air NZ Foyer. 

A full venue map and maps of the Auckland central area with public transport 

routes are provided in the forum satchels. 


Aotea Centre Layout

Challenges and Actions for Nursing and Nurses - Pacific Health ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?