After years of hiring freezes, underfunding, and now cancelled pay equity claims, nurses' working conditions have continued to worsen, and many are now facing burnout, impacting their and their patients' well-being.
Despite a clear need for more nurses, with THIRTY SEVEN per cent of all nursing shifts in public hospitals being understaffed, many newly graduated nurses are still struggling to find work, and those who do are more commonly being put on part-time contracts.
With poverty and economic hardship increasing, emergency departments find themselves increasingly burdened and struggling to deliver quality care while being under-resourced.
To discuss the state of nursing in New Zealand and why it's leading to burnout, host Thomas talked to University of Auckland Professor of Nursing Andrew Jull.
Dirtbag Radio is proud to be spotlighting the work of underground Tamaki Makarau legend Grant Sheridan, aka Sheridactyl, aka Grunt. He has been consistently putting out great music and art for many years. Tonight we're hanging out for the whole show and digging into the archives, with music from NOXO, sere, Sex Pest, Crawler ... and other cool shit that shouldn't be missed. Thanks to Gokula Music!
Last week the ACT Party announced a new health policy that would see the responsibilities of pharmacists expanded to move pressure away from GPs. The idea of the policy is that for less significant health issues, people could see their local pharmacist instead of their GP, reducing wait times and costs for the public.
Also last week, the government announced plans to scrap the broadcasting standards authority. The announcement follows a period of complaints from the government over the BSA, which had ruled on online broadcaster The Platform. The government (and The Platform) say that the BSA shouldn’t be able to make rulings on online broadcasters, but some others disagree.
Without the BSA, many of the restrictions and rules that broadcasters are held to could disappear. In addition, the BSA offers a vehicle for members of the public to hold said organisations to account. Without the BSA, avenues for public feedback on poor conduct are minimal.
For this week’s catchup with the ACT Party’s Simon Court, News Director Castor asked about each of these issues, beginning with the party’s new health policy.
Last week, NZ First Leader Winston Peters leaked that the government is planning to cut the fees free programme that would see University students not paying course fees during their last year of study. The plan was later confirmed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.
Many students and educators have expressed displeasure at the announcement. The original policy, fees free for the first year of study, was changed by this government earlier in its term to affect the final year. At the time, the argument was that the change would motivate students to finish their degrees. Now, with the programme set to go, it’s unclear what the reasoning is from the government.
To discuss what the fees free programme meant for students and the financial benefits it presented, News Director Castor spoke to President of Te Aka Tauira the Victoria University of Wellington Student’s Association, Aidan Donoghue.
Next, to discuss the educator perspective on the announcement, they also spoke to National Secretary of the Tertiary Education Union, Amy Ross
Charlie joins Rosetta in the studio for a kōrero about all things extraction! Listen back for some tips on perfecting your brew at home, and text through to 5395 throughout the week for a chance to win a bag of the eighthirty standard blend! Whakarongo mai nei.
Last week, the Global Initiative for Asthma released an update to the recommended approach for treating asthma in children. The change now advises that children should follow the same treatment approach as adults, using a 2-in-1 anti-inflammatory reliever inhaler rather than the currently commonly used reliever-only inhaler.
The announcement was based in part on findings from a study conducted by the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand, which found that the change in treatment could reduce asthma attacks in children by an average of 45%.
To discuss the potential impacts of the global treatment update and New Zealand’s role in the change, host Thomas talked to the Chief Executive of the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation New Zealand, Letitia Harding.
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