School of Nursing

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The School of Nursing evolves with the latest research and needs of the healthcare sector. Our research focuses on advancing knowledge to improve patient outcomes and recovery.

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Towards Promoting Innovation in Inclusive Education: Behavioural Intention of Teachers Towards Adopting AI to Teach Students with Learning Disabilities in the UAE
(Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2026-01-13) Zraydi, F; Opoku, MP; Guirguis, BM; Ndijuye, LG; Gyimah, EM
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education offers significant potential for identifying and supporting all students, including those with learning difficulties. Although discussions on the potential of AI to advance the learning of students are ongoing, AI usage among teachers to leverage it in the teaching of students with learning disabilities in nonwestern contexts, such as the United Arab Emirates, is unresearched. The study was guided by a unified theory of acceptance and use of technology to examine teachers’ intentions toward adopting AI tools to enhance educational outcomes for students with learning disabilities in the UAE. Using a quantitative research approach, a structured survey was completed by 244 teachers from both public and private schools. The data were subjected to analyses, such as structural equation modelling, to test the structural validity of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology. Moreover, confirmatory factor analysis, means, multivariate analysis of variance and path analysis were computed to explore the variables that impact the behavioural intentions of teachers. The findings provide support from instruments used to measure intentions towards AI. While social influence positively predicts intention, effort expectancy makes a negative but significant contribution to the variance in intention (social influence: β =.32; effort expectancy: β = −.26, R² = 0.14). The implications of the study for AI policy development and teacher development are discussed.
“I will advocate for rehabilitation specialists…”: A Secondary Analysis of In-Service Adolescents with Disabilities and Families’ Recommendations to Enhance Rehabilitation Access in Ghana
(Wiley, 2026-01-20) Gyimah, EM; Dassah, E; Nuri, RP; Okyere, FC; Opoku, MP
Background: Despite supportive national policies in respect of healthcare access, in-service adolescents with disabilities and their families in Ghana still face key barriers in accessing rehabilitation services. The aim of this study is to identify and understand recommended solutions from in-service adolescents with disabilities and their families to improve access to rehabilitation services in Ghana. Methods: The study is a secondary analysis of data set from a previous qualitative study with 45 participants (consisting of 25 adolescents with disabilities and 20 families of adolescents with disabilities). We collectively analyzed the data thematically in combination with elements of a grounded theory approach. Results: We identified four key recommended solutions from the analysis. These are (i) affordable rehabilitation services, (ii) availability of services, (iii) protection of human rights, and (iv) greater awareness of rehabilitation services. Overall, participants’ recommended solutions related to policies and practices that can potentially improve access to rehabilitation services for adolescents with disabilities in Ghana and similar contexts. Conclusion: Participants’ recommended solutions have important implications for rehabilitation service provision and policy decision-making. As such, there is an urgent need to involve in-service adolescents with disabilities and their families in the development and implementation of rehabilitation interventions to meet the specific and unique needs of adolescents with disabilities. This may advance Ghana’s efforts towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Rehabilitation and, ultimately, the Sustainable Development Goal 3.
Exploring the Attitudes Toward Climate Change and Pro-Climate-Change Behavior Among People With Sensory Disabilities in the Middle East and North Africa
(Informa UK Limited, 2026-04-07) Opoku, MP; Gyimah, EM; Alnuaimi, A; Frimpomaa, L; Sallam, A; Mansour, K; Mustafa, A
Global ecosystems, including those of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, are severely threatened by the climate crisis. However, there are limited studies on climate change awareness among people with sensory disabilities, especially as climate change affects them as they navigate their daily activities. Guided by Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior, 542 participants with sensory impairments in the MENA region completed the Awareness of Climate Change and Pro-Environmental Behavior Willingness Questionnaire. We performed confirmatory factor analysis and multivariate analysis of variance to understand the influence of demographics on awareness and behavior. The instrument demonstrated robust validity and reliability, with appropriate fit indices and mean scores indicating participants’ ambivalence toward awareness and pro-climate-change behaviors, as well as notable demographic variations. The findings underscore the need for targeted education and climate change activism, as prescribed by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
How Does Pre-Registration Child Specific Education Prepare Newly Qualified Nurses’ to Care for Children, Young People, and Their Families? An Empty Narrative Review
(Informa UK Limited, 2026-04-23) Carey, Matthew; Edge, Danielle; Blamires, Julie; Foster, Mandie; Neill, Sarah
This narrative review investigates the influence of child-specific content within pre-registration nursing programs on newly qualified nurses’ perceptions of preparedness to care for children, young people, and their families. Despite international recognition of the specialised competencies required for pediatric nursing, the proportion and quality of child-focused education across Higher Education Institutions is not clear. The Population, Exposure, Outcome framework provided a comprehensive search strategy applied across eight databases to identify relevant studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of 663 records identified, 451 were screened and 25 full texts were assessed for eligibility by two reviewers. No studies met the eligibility criteria, resulting in an empty review. Although no empirical evidence could be synthesized, the absence of eligible studies is itself a notable finding. Empty reviews are becoming increasingly recognized within structured review methodology as scientifically meaningful contributions. An empty review can highlight areas where assumptions are made without evidence and where systematic research is urgently needed. In our review, the lack of studies reveals a critical and previously uncharted gap in the literature. Although authors acknowledge that a strict inclusion criteria may narrow the field for capturing relevant studies. Rather than representing a failure of the review process, the empty review demonstrates that the research question has not been empirically investigated despite longstanding concerns about adequacy of children’s nursing education. Empty reviews aid researchers to identify gaps in the evidence base and to identify where research is needed. They can ensure that policy or curriculum reform is not based upon untested beliefs. Empty reviews offer guidance for researchers, educators and healthcare providers on future research. By confirming through a robust and comprehensive search strategy that no eligible evidence exists, this empty review strengthens the case for dedicated studies exploring the relationship between curriculum content and preparedness outcomes. It highlights the need for empirical work before evidence‑based recommendations on child‑specific content can be made. In this sense, the empty review is not a negative result but an important and constructive contribution, drawing attention to a neglected but vital area of nursing education research.
Who Cares for the Carers? A Holistic Approach to Teacher Wellbeing in a Tribal Head Start Context
(Teachers College Press, 2026-02-27) Gourneau, Hilary; Brockie, Teresa N.; Wilson, Deborah H
Introduction: Often, our focus when investigating the stress and well-being of teachers is on how it affects the students they teach. It’s true that a teacher’s levels of stress, depression, and well-being affects the socio-emotional and academic development of the children, not to mention students often come to school with physical, mental, social, learning difficulties, or trauma, that teachers can be ill-supported in handling. However far less time and resources have been spent on valuing teachers as individuals who themselves need psychological support and resources to optimize their own health and well-being. Methods: Through a research-practice partnership between the Fort Peck Native American Reservation, Fort Peck Head Start and Johns Hopkins University, USA we implemented a culturally informed intervention focused solely on the teachers, to support their well-being and find ways to help them manage and decrease stress and depression. Results: By focusing on re-connection to culture, healing historical and contemporary traumas perpetrated by colonizing practices and normalizing traditional cultural practices we supported a process of healing. Discussion: This presentation discusses what has followed on from the research study. We describe the process of building morale, improving partnerships between Tribal Head Start administration and staff as we navigate reconnection to our Native American culture, put supports in place to mitigate the harmful effects of colonization such as addiction, suicide, poverty and poor physical health. Conclusion: Focusing on our Sovereignty, rich cultural heritage, connection to land, relatives and the Creator is enabling a flourishing and healing in our teachers.
Envisioning Auckland 2050: Insights from Emerging Scholars for a Thriving Future
(AUT Graduate Research School, and Te Mātāpuna: AUT Library, 2026-03-24) Nagalingam, Jayanthi
Kia ora and welcome to the latest edition of Rangahau Aranga. This edition marks the journal’s first issue dedicated to the theme “Auckland 2050”. As a fellow doctoral student, I am delighted to contribute to the editorial for the first issue of 2026, highlighting the work of postgraduate researchers whose scholarship explores how Auckland and Aotearoa New Zealand might evolve and flourish in the decades ahead. Together, these contributions offer diverse perspectives on the opportunities and challenges shaping our shared urban future. To begin with, a brief context, the Auckland Plan 2050, developed by the Auckland Council, is the region’s long-term spatial plan designed to guide growth in ways that respond to future opportunities and pressures. The plan outlines Auckland’s current state, identifies major challenges, and sets a strategic direction to ensure the city remains a place where people want to live, work, and visit (Auckland Council, 2018). This issue builds on that vision by presenting research that engages with themes such as urban design and architecture, social geography and demographics, cultural identity in urban spaces, environmental sustainability, wellbeing, and artificial intelligence (AI). Submissions for this edition were received as research summaries and one research overview, with three projects adopting participatory or co-design approaches. Yang Guo examines how AI is reshaping journalism and newsroom ethics. Focusing on Channel 33, a television station serving Auckland’s Chinese community, the study uses ethnographic methods to explore how AI tools influence reporting practices, editorial decision-making, and public discourse. The research raises critical questions about whether AI will ultimately supplement or replace journalistic expertise and highlights the ethical dilemmas that arise as newsrooms integrate automated systems into their workflows. Khulani Dube draws on experiences from the DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe) programme in Zimbabwe. Coordinated by Zimbabwe Health Interventions (ZHI), the DREAMS initiative aims to reduce HIV infections among adolescent girls and young women through various prevention and support services. Using a reflective, practice-based approach, Khulani discusses the practicalities of implementing Community-Led Monitoring (CLM), emphasising the importance of stakeholder engagement, simplifying monitoring tools, and involving communities in co-designing data collection mechanisms. The findings underscore the value of empowering communities to collect, analyse, and interpret their own data, strengthening advocacy and accountability. The research also acknowledges the structural and operational challenges of CLM. Importantly, the lessons from DREAMS offer insights that could be adapted to the New Zealand context, particularly in addressing health inequities, improving mental health and wellbeing among vulnerable populations, and designing inclusive, community-owned service delivery systems. Sarah Bodmer and Cath Conn present research of vital importance to the future healthy cities agenda by creating a collaborative space for university students to envision sustainable urban futures. Conducted as a summer project, the research involved a co-design workshop with four university students and a student researcher. The study highlights the potential of serious games, especially world-building games, to foster creative, interdisciplinary thinking about complex urban challenges such as climate change, overpopulation, and social disconnection. Participants imagined solutions including eco-bubbles, arcologies, improved transport systems, and free community-based services. Their ideas reflected values such as Kaitiakitanga (Māori environmental guardianship), demonstrating how Indigenous perspectives can enrich future city design. The authors argue that youth-led co-design and serious games should be embedded in policy development processes to ensure young people’s voices shape long-term sustainability and health strategies for cities like Auckland. Cassie Wang, Cath Conn, and Julie Trafford address how Auckland’s emerging smart-city systems can support healthy ageing among Asian communities. Using a co-design methodology that blends creative participation with policy analysis (Berg & Gulden, 2012; Sanders & Stappers, 2014), the researchers developed an adapted World Café method called the “World Teahouse”. This culturally resonant format brings together older Asian adults (aged 55+), policymakers, service providers, and technology actors to share stories, ideas, and aspirations in both English and heritage languages (Brown & Isaacs, 2005). By foregrounding the experiences of Asian older adults' voices, which are often absent from ageing and digital health discussions, the study positions healthy ageing as a shared act of design. The authors envision a 2050 Auckland that is not only smart but wise: a city where ageing means becoming more connected, and where every generation sees its future reflected with dignity and hope. Collectively, the research presented in this edition demonstrates the depth, creativity, and commitment of postgraduate scholarship focused on shaping a thriving, inclusive Auckland. Each contribution offers unique insights into the opportunities and challenges ahead, enriching our understanding of what it means to design a city for all. Thank you to everyone (contributors, reviewers, editors and the entire team of Rangahau Aranga) who have made this issue possible. I hope this issue inspires continued dialogue and collaboration as we work toward a vibrant Auckland of the future.
Hospital Audit Finds Siblings of Children with Serious Conditions Are Overlooked, Lack Support
(The Conversation, 2026-03-24) Blamires, Julie
Predatory Journals and Authors in the Age of AI: An Emerging Threat to Pediatric Research [Editorial]
(Elsevier BV, 2026-01-27) Al-Motlaq, M; Foster, M
The Relationship Between Indigenous Health and Relevant Sector Standards in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia and Canada: A Scoping Review
(Oxford University Press (OUP), 2026-03-07) Cowles, Dean; Dewar, Jan; Cook, Catherine
Background Health sector Standards in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia and Canada increasingly acknowledge the importance of culturally appropriate care for Indigenous populations. Despite this, inequities persist. This review explores how national health Standards intersect with Indigenous health, focusing on Cultural Safety, Indigenous-led governance, Indigenous knowledge, and anti-racism. Methods A scoping review methodology was employed to map the breadth of literature across Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia and Canada. Guided by a six-stage framework and the PRISMA-ScR protocol, the review used the qualitative variant—Population/Problem, Interest, Context (PICo) approach–to structure inclusion criteria and search strategies. Literature was sourced from five major databases and supplemented by grey literature. Data from 36 records were charted, synthesised, and analysed through narrative synthesis and stakeholder engagement. Results Cultural Safety was consistently identified as more impactful than cultural competency alone, yet most Standards fall short of indicating how Cultural Safety will be measured. Across records, 75% highlighted the need to address social determinants of health, and 67% advocated anti-racism and structural reform. Indigenous-led governance and self-determination were linked to improved health outcomes in 50% of the records, though practical implementation was uneven. Integration of Indigenous knowledge and holistic approaches was supported in 47% of records, but limited by weak policy infrastructure. Racism, both systemic and interpersonal, was identified in all studies as a persistent barrier to equity. National Standards often lack the enforcement mechanisms to address these issues meaningfully. Conclusion This review identified significant gaps between the intent and implementation of health sector Standards across Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, and Canada in relation to Indigenous health. Despite formal commitments to culturally appropriate care, systemic barriers, rooted in colonisation and policy-practice disconnects, continue to undermine equitable outcomes. The findings highlight the need for Indigenous-led evaluation, stronger accountability, and the embedding of Cultural Safety, Indigenous leadership, and holistic health approaches to drive meaningful and lasting change.
From Positive Screen to Engagement in Treatment: A Preliminary Study of the Impact of a New Model of Care for Prisoners With Serious Mental Illness
(BioMed Central Ltd., 2016-01-15) Pillai, K; Rouse, P; McKenna, B; Skipworth, J; Cavney, J; Tapsell, R; Simpson, A; Madell, D
Background: The high prevalence of serious mental illness (SMI) in prisons remains a challenge for mental health services. Many prisoners with SMI do not receive care. Screening tools have been developed but better detection has not translated to higher rates of treatment. In New Zealand a Prison Model of Care (PMOC) was developed by forensic mental health and correctional services to address this challenge. The PMOC broadened triggers for referrals to mental health teams. Referrals were triaged by mental health nurses leading to multidisciplinary team assessment within specified timeframes. This pathway for screening, referral and assessment was introduced within existing resources. Method: The PMOC was implemented across four prisons. An AB research design was used to explore the extent to which mentally ill prisoners were referred to and accepted by prison in-reach mental health teams and to determine the proportion of prison population receiving specialist mental health care. Results: The number of prisoners in the study in the year before the PMOC (n = 19,349) was similar to the year after (n = 19,421). 24.6 % of prisoners were screened as per the PMOC in the post period. Referrals increased from 491 to 734 in the post period (Z = -7.23, p < 0.0001). A greater number of triage assessments occurred after the introduction of the PMOC (pre = 458; post = 613, Z = 4.74, p < 0.0001) leading to a significant increase in the numbers accepted onto in-reach caseloads (pre = 338; post = 426, Z = 3.16, p < 0.01). Numbers of triage assessments completed within specified time frames showed no statistically significant difference before or after implementation. The proportion of prison population on in-reach caseloads increased from 5.6 % in the pre period to 7.0 % in the year post implementation while diagnostic patterns did not change, indicating more prisoners with SMI were identified and engaged in treatment. Conclusions: The PMOC led to increased prisoner numbers across screening, referral, treatment and engagement. Gains were achieved without extra resources by consistent processes and improved clarity of professional roles and tasks. The PMOC described a more effective pathway to specialist care for people with SMI entering prison.
Āhurutanga - A Mātauranga Māori Response to Racism
(Hei Āhuru Mōwai | Māori Cancer Leadership Aotearoa, 2024-09-09) Goza, Moahuia; Blundell, Rawiri; Arnet, Hayley; Kidd, Jacquie; Rachelle, Love; Ronald, Maxine; Scott, Nina
Tō Mātou Haerenga: The Journey of a Fractured-Connected Taiamai Whānau: Reflections From a Hapū Wānanga
(Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Library, 2024-09-09) Kidd, Jacquie; Murphy, Tracy; Putnam, Caitlin; Kidd, Andrew; Robertson, Ellie
For some whānau Māori, colonisation has resulted in the disconnection from their home marae, whenua, hapū and iwi. This paper takes a collective authoethnograhical approach to describing and exploring a recent journey of reconnection and discovery embarked on by one whānau. The journey is framed by the construction of a waka hourua, a double hulled canoe, to represent the two parts of the hapū; those who retained their home base connection and those who were disconnected through generations of colonisation, racism and geographical distance.
Hauora Māori: Aspirations of Māori Health Practitioners for a Culturally Relevant Health System
(Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Library, 2025-05-11) Kidd, Jacquie; Tipa, Zoe; Arnet, Hayley; Rēnata, Haidee
Health care in Aotearoa New Zealand privileges the Western worldview. Consequently, institutional racism is a health system attribute demonstrated by prolonged health inequities, including life expectancy, between Māori and non-Māori. The Crown has breached Te Tiriti o Waitangi, an enduring agreement between Māori and the Crown, by failing to design and deliver health services adequately for Māori, and failing to provide opportunities for Māori sovereignty. Māori experts have articulated the need to surpass equity and achieve Māori aspirations. This qualitative kaupapa Māori research explored Indigenous aspirations for health system transformation, specifically in an environment free of racism. Three online wānanga with Māori health practitioners highlighted the difficulty of describing aspirations when mamae (hurt) continues to be felt in the existing system. By capturing these experiences, we mapped differences between the current system and Māori aspirations for Hauora Māori - a construct where whānau health care and support for wellbeing is indistinguishable from everyday life. The biggest barriers identified in moving towards this approach are Crown resistance to prioritising Māori aspirations for hauora, and the expectation that aspirations should fit within current structures. To achieve hauora Māori, we need changes to funding allocations, prioritising hapū-based commissioning, and improved monitoring and accountability.
“You gotta keep climbing that mountain to reach the goal”: Perspectives of Transplant Waitlisted Dialysis Patients. A Qualitative Study
(Elsevier, 2025-11-20) Wilson, Deborah H; Hughes, Avrey; Curriero, Samantha; Szanton, Sarah; Crews, Deidra C; McAdams-DeMarco, Mara; Brennan, Daniel C; deCardi Hladek, Melissa
Rationale & Objective: There is critical need for interventions that help improve outcomes for individuals requiring a kidney transplant but are waitlisted as inactive. We explored the perspectives of dialysis patients and clinicians to develop CAPABLE-Transplant. “Community Aging in Place- Advancing Better Living for Elders” (CAPABLE) utilizes a home visiting Registered Nurse, Occupational Therapist and handy worker who work with older adults to create action plans that change behaviors to improve safety, independence and health. Study Design Qualitative semi-structured interviews. Setting & Participants: Individuals on dialysis and inactive on the transplant list (n=20) and transplant clinicians (n=6) from an urban transplant center. Outcomes The adaptation of CAPABLE into CAPABLE-Transplant. Analytical Approach Following Braun and Clark’s method of thematic analysis to inform intervention adaptation. Results Three major themes were identified: 1.Mismatch of Expectations with subthemes: Communication keeps breaking down; High center volume impedes follow up; 2.Agency: from Fragmentation to Functionality with subthemes: Patient agency needs enhancing; Digital literacy key to improving communication capacity; Pre-post-transplant education needs to be ongoing; 3.“You gotta keep climbing that mountain ‘til you reach the goal” with subtheme: Navigating compliance while struggling with symptom burden. Limitations A single-center perspective, small sample size. Conclusions By comparing the patient and clinician experience, specific adaptations for CAPABLE-Transplant that address modifiable factors to decrease time inactive on the kidney transplant waitlist were identified. These included adding a digital literacy component to the home visiting team to improve patient-clinician communication; ongoing education about the transplant process to improve health literacy; and activities to strengthen mental fortitude, self-efficacy and agency. The core components of CAPABLE remain important to improve physical function, medication management, pain, and depressive symptoms. Patients and clinicians expressed support for CAPABLE-Transplant to help improve self-efficacy, agency and engagement along the transplant continuum.
Applying the Vanua Framework to Explore i-Taukei Nurses’ Job Satisfaction in Fiji
(Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Library, 2025-12-07) Nawaqalia, Kesaia Tawa; Holroyd, Eleanor; Thaggard, Sandra
This paper contributes to research on the application of the Vanua framework as a research methodology. The Fijian Vanua framework guided the theoretical and methodological approach to exploring nurses' job satisfaction in Fiji, highlighting ways of living, interacting, and sharing knowledge. The Vanua is founded on social principles that provide a structural framework in understanding the beliefs, values, ceremonial rituals, taking place in both the physical and social structure of Fijian society. Indigenous based approaches are critical to understanding job satisfaction, in post-colonial societies, as they highlight how historical and systematic factors shape the workplace experiences of localised employees. Twenty individual Talanoa conversations were held with Fijian registered i-Taukei nurses, and in addition two Talanoa group discussions took place nine nurse leaders and government administration officials. The individual Talanoas participants were all females and with between 5- and 10 years’ nursing experience in their respective roles. The Talanoa focus group participants were involved in nursing policymaking in urban and rural settings. This is the first time nurses' job satisfaction has been examined in Fiji using the Vanua as a lens to highlight the historical influence of culture, belief systems, organisational power imbalances, the role of women and impact of colonisation The engagement with Vanua together with employing Talanoas enabled deep and rich descriptions of nurses and nurse leaders’ employment experiences and engagement to emerge, while honouring of Fijian ritualised engagement ceremonies and respect protocols.
Tūtakarerewa-Indigenous Advocacy and Structural Racism in Bowel Cancer Screening in Aotearoa New Zealand
(Pasifika Medical Association Group, 2025-12-12) Scott, N; Kidd, Jacquie; Arnet, H; Dargaville, C; Goza, M; Crengle, S; Jones, R; Kerrison, C; McKree Jansen, R
Aotearoa New Zealand has one of the highest bowel cancer rates in the world. Bowel cancer incidence is increasing for Māori (the Indigenous people of Aotearoa), while trending downwards for non-Māori. Over half of Māori who get bowel cancer are diagnosed before the age of 60 years and are more likely than non-Māori to die within 2 years. Pacific people also experience bowel cancer inequities. In 2016, a national bowel screening programme for Aotearoa was announced, with an age range of 60-74 years. However, equity modelling showed that the proposed programme would disproportionately benefit non-Māori and that lowering the screening age for Māori and Pacific peoples to 50 years could achieve equal health gains. Over subsequent years, Māori cancer leaders advocated for policy change to lower the bowel screening age by 10 years for Māori. They used academic publications, presentations, letters, position statements, media stories and meetings with government leaders. Despite this advocacy, in 2020, the Government announced it was not going to lower the bowel screening age for Māori and Pacific peoples. The advocates persevered. They were supported in their efforts by new data that further confirmed the increasing bowel cancer incidence for Māori. In 2022, the Government committed to lowering the bowel cancer screening age to 50 for Māori and Pacific peoples. However, what followed was a tardy, phased rollout in only three regions. A year on, a new government embarked on a politically motivated agenda to reject ethnically targeted policies, with further significant equity changes to the programme announced. This paper summarises the lobbying efforts of cancer leaders and the government response, revealing structural and institutional racism, represented by inaction and active rejection of evidence-based advice. We describe the perseverance required to advocate for equity in the face of structural racism and the cost to Māori lives while inaction and racism persist.
How the Tivaevae Methodology Can Be Used to Guide Ethical Research When Capturing Pacific Youth Voices
(Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Library, 2025-12-17) Henry, Amy
Introduction: Health research involving children and young people is essential to gain a better understanding of their unique perspectives, and health needs, particularly for Pacific populations in New Zealand, which are comparatively young. Research involving children and young people presents ethical challenges, as children and persons under 16 years of age are considered vulnerable and in need of protection. The capacity and appropriateness of children and young people providing individual consent or assent can be a contentious issue and for Pacific children and young people, individual consent may conflict with collectivist cultural values. Methods A review of the Cook Islands’ Tīvaevae research methodology was undertaken against the New Zealand health research ethical standards to assess its suitability for guiding consent processes involving Pacific youth. Conclusion: This paper argues that the values of the Cook Islands’ Tīvaevae methodology namely tu-inangaro (relationships) and akaari kite (a shared vision) can be used to reframe the consent process from an individual transaction to a collective dialogue to ease the tension in capturing informed consent for young Pacific people and children, thereby mitigating potential harm and fostering trust in research participation.
Understanding the Challenges and Opportunities for Pacific Allied Health Staff to Enable Culturally Responsive Care in Aotearoa New Zealand
(Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Library, 2025-12-09) Biggs, Larissa; Vaka, Sione; Cook, Catherine
Introduction: There are low numbers of Pacific allied health professionals in Aotearoa, which warrants urgent prioritisation of more Pacific allied health professionals. Life expectancy differentials persist among Pacific people in Aotearoa compared to non-Pacific. Methods: This qualitative study explored the challenges and opportunities for Pacific allied health staff to enable culturally responsive care in Aotearoa. The research explores the perspectives of five Pacific allied health professionals utilising Talanoa methodology and thematic analysis. Discussion: Four themes were identified: theme one, Cultural capability and capacity; theme two, Pacific values and responsibilities; theme three, “I struggle navigating white spaces”, and theme four, Emotional and cultural intelligence. Conclusion: This study identified three meta-themes: cultural isolation, cultural intelligence, and cultural load. Pacific cultural knowledge and expertise are crucial in helping non-Pacific allied health clinicians recognise and embrace culturally responsive healthcare. This study contributes to the gap in the literature by highlighting the challenges and opportunities Pacific allied health professionals experience in Aotearoa.
Evolving Nursing Roles in Assisted Dying Services in New Zealand: A Scoping Review
(Elsevier, 2025-10-16) Amankwaa, Isaac; Liu, Cathy; Coates-Harris, Jacqui; Chin, Mellisa; Brownie, Sharon; McClunie-Trust, Patricia
Background: The implementation of New Zealand's End-of-Life Choice Act 2019 provides a unique lens for examining the early-stage implementation of assisted dying policy. As legislation expands globally, nurses are emerging as central yet under-examined actors in delivering assisted dying care. This review addresses the urgent need to understand how nursing roles evolve in newly legalised contexts. Objective: This scoping review aimed to understand the experiences, roles, and challenges faced by registered nurses and nurse practitioners in delivering assisted dying services under the End-of-Life Choice Act in Aotearoa New Zealand. Method: The scoping review followed Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. A systematic search was performed across ProQuest Central, Scopus, PubMed, and CINAHL to identify literature published between 2021 and 2025. Two screened the articles and extracted the data. A convergent, segregated approach was used for thematic synthesis. Results: Nineteen studies were included, spanning anticipatory commentary and experiential data after the End-of-Life Choice Act came into force. Four themes were identified. First, evolving nursing roles revealed fragmentation: nurse practitioners administer life-ending medication but remain excluded from eligibility assessments. In contrast, registered nurses act as frontline coordinators yet are legally barred from initiating discussions. Experiential accounts added unanticipated burdens, including family management, logistical coordination, and supporting colleagues without formal preparation. Second, ethical dimensions extended beyond legal safeguards. Anticipatory sources predicted value conflicts, while experiential studies described lived moral distress, fractured team dynamics from conscientious objection, and confidentiality risks in small communities. Third, preparedness and support showed a marked gap. While early literature assumed structured training and clear guidance, experiential findings reported uneven preparation, reliance on informal peer networks, and culturally unsafe or absent emotional support. Debriefing was valued but inconsistently delivered. Finally, contextual variations shaped implementation. Hospices diverged between integration and resistance, aged residential care exposed nurses to family conflict and role ambiguity, rural practice intensified inequities and professional isolation, and community nurses often became central coordinators of home-based deaths. Māori perspectives were largely absent. Conclusions: New Zealand's assisted dying policy creates a fragmented framework for nursing roles, confirmed by anticipatory projections and lived experience. This contrasts with integrated approaches in countries such as Canada, while also exposing gaps in preparedness, ethical support, and cultural responsiveness. Addressing these challenges requires legislative refinement, consistent support systems, and Māori-led, longitudinal research across diverse care contexts. Social media abstract: New Zealand's assisted dying policy fragments nursing roles, creates ethical tensions, and leads to access inequities. Cultural safety and the integration of the nurse practitioner role are essential. #PalliativeCare #NursingPolicy.
A Critical Tiriti Analysis of the New Zealand Cancer Control Strategy
(Elsevier, 2020-02-01) Came, H; Kidd, J; Goza, T
Objectives: Te Tiriti o Waitangi is foundational to health policy in Aotearoa (New Zealand). Systemic breaches of te Tiriti have contributed to enduring health inequities between Māori (the indigenous peoples of New Zealand) and other New Zealanders. There are significant inequities in cancer morbidity and mortality rates between Māori and non-Māori. With the development of a new Cancer Control Strategy underway in Aotearoa it is timely to critically review the current Strategy with a view to strengthen efforts to minimise the harm of cancer through stronger alignment to te Tiriti responsibilities. Design: Within this paper the authors undertake a critical Tiriti analysis of the current New Zealand Cancer Control Strategy. This process involves interrogating the policy against the preamble, and the articles of the Māori text of te Tiriti; focussing on kāwanatanga (governance), tino Rangatiratanga (sovereignty), ōritetanga (equity) and wairuatanga (spirituality). Results: We found that the Strategy contained little tangible connection to te Tiriti or other Māori health strategic documents. The significance of such a gap can be clearly seen in the continuing inequities of access and outcomes for Māori with cancer. Conclusions: We recommend that future cancer control strategies in Aotearoa be developed with te Tiriti and tikanga (Māori protocols) as the central considerations. Strengthening Indigenous content in policy is likely to improve the efficacy of health policy for Indigenous peoples and reorientate health policy to address enduring health inequities.

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