Nursing burnout and understaffing w/ University of Auckland Professor of Nursing Andrew Jull: 11th May, 2026

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.