Working Here

Opportunities exist within the region for Nurses of all levels, experience and qualifications, to work across all specialties in mental health and the general ward such as:

Not all specialties are available in each of the DHBs, but check us out.

• Our Nurses
  
• The Positions
  

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Our Nurses

We encourage our Nurses to develop diagnostic inquiry and decision-making skills and broader competencies – to lead care co-ordination and work in partnership with patients to determine health care plans. They have autonomy in and over their practice, are led by active professional Nurses who value ongoing professional development and have an equal say in how the organisation responds to issues.

“Great opportunities exist for continuing education and professional development. I am presently being supported in obtaining my Masters at Victoria University.”
Charles V Kaluwasha (RN Dip Occupational Health - Zambia), regarding professional development opportunities since moving to New Zealand.

Scopes of Practise

Nurses in our District Health Boards work in the following scopes of practise:

• Registered Nurses
• Nurse Practitioners
• Clinical Nurse Leaders
• Clinical Nurse Specialists 

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Registered Nurses:

Registered Nurses utilise nursing knowledge and complex nursing judgement to assess health needs, provide care and advise and support people to manage their health. Nurses practise independently and in collaboration with other health professionals, and provide comprehensive nursing assessments to develop, implement and evaluate an integrated plan of health care, and provide nursing interventions that require substantial scientific and professional knowledge and skills.

This occurs in a range of settings in partnership with individuals, families and communities. Registered Nurses may practise in a variety of clinical contexts depending on their educational preparation and experience. Registered Nurses may also use their expertise to manage, teach, evaluate and research nursing practice. There are conditions placed on the scope of practice of some Registered Nurses e.g. Mental Health Nurses.

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Nurse Practitioners:

Acknowledged as the most advanced registered level with a specific scope of clinical nursing practice in New Zealand, Nurse Practitioners work within a specific area of practice incorporating advanced knowledge and skills. They practise both independently and in collaboration with other health care professionals to promote health, prevent disease and to diagnose, assess and manage people’s health needs. Nurse Practitioners use advanced assessment skills, access, interpret and act upon diagnostics. They direct patient management including, where formally endorsed by the Nursing Council, prescribe medications within the specific area of specialty. They also provide leadership as consultants, educators, managers and researchers and actively participate in professional activities, and contribute towards local and national policy development.

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Clinical Nurse Leaders:

A Registered Nurse who provides management and leadership to a ward or department. Such roles are responsible for monitoring and maintaining standards of clinical practice, providing professional direction and leadership to staff and ensuring that high quality health care is delivered to patients. Often this role has delegated authority to co-ordinate and manage resources and budgets of a ward or department. The role also develops the nursing speciality and provides input for service planning.

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Clinical Nurse Specialists:

A Clinical Nurse specialist is a senior clinical nursing role available to Registered Nurses throughout New Zealand. This position may practise within a specific area of specialty, and/or across a number of specialties. Appointees to such roles have worked, or are working towards, relevant postgraduate qualifications, advancing knowledge relevant to their area of specialty. The position advances the discipline, provides clinical leadership, consultancy, teaching, and often has a component involving research. Clinical Nurse specialists lead clinical audit, process and outcome measurement, analysis in their discipline’s quality assurance programme and improvement activities in their area of practice. Taking an interdisciplinary teamwork and collaborative approach, Clinical Nurse specialists are actively involved in advancing evidence-based practice and nursing knowledge and leadership within defined areas of specialty.

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NZ Nurses Nursing Job Site – for more than a career in nursing. A nursing job initiative of the District Health Boards of
Capital & Coast (Wellington) | Hawkes Bay | Hutt Valley | MidCentral | Wairarapa | Whanganui