Future nurses meet at hui

GATHERING: Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia (centre) with attendees at last week's national Maori student nurses hui at Waitangi.PHOTO/SUPPLIED

It's the birthplace of the nation and Waitangi proved a popular venue for the national Maori student nurses hui with one of the largest turnouts in memory.

Yesterday was International Nurses Day and ahead of the big occasion about 190 people attended the four-day Hui a Tau Mo Nga Tauira Neehi Maori 2014 at Waitangi last week.

Organisers and regular attendees of the hui said it was one of the largest they could remember and North Tec Bachelor of Nursing lecturer Christine Sapwell believes this was partly because of the attraction of coming north to Waitangi where the relationship between Maori and Pakeha began.

"Northland always makes a strong presence at previous hui so I think this year a lot of people were curious to see how we fared.

"Hopefully (the attraction was also) experiencing some of our legendary hospitality too," Ms Sapwell said.

The four-day hui included nursing students, registered nurses, educators, and those thinking of starting a nursing career, as well as key people such as president of Te Kaunihera Neehi Maori o Aotearoa Hemaima Hughes from Nelson.

Guest speakers comprised an impressive and inspirational line-up, including Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia, who, according to Northland DHB director of nursing and midwifery Margareth Broodkoorn, held the audience captive as she talked about Rangatiratanga leadership - this year's theme.

Ms Broodkoorn, also the Te Tai Tokerau chairwoman of the national council of Maori nurses and a guest speaker at the event, said the main aim of the hui, which ended Friday, was about strengthening Maori presence in the nursing sector and supporting Maori students.

"We need to grow our Maori nursing workforce. Nationally Maori make up 7 per cent of the nursing work force and 15 per cent of the population," she said.

"That's why these hui are so important, it's about creating great Maori nurses of the future."