Nurses' strike: 'I love my job but I want to do it the way I was trained to do it'

Hundreds of nurses and their supporters are protesting outside Tauranga Hospital and along Cameron Rd this morning. Photos / Scott Yeoman

Hundreds of striking nurses protested outside Tauranga Hospital today and a solid wall of purple marched along Cameron Rd.

The protest attracted near-constant hooting from passing cars, and the occasional deep honk of a truck was met with loud cheers and waving.

For the first time in 30 years, nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants walked off the job.

The nationwide 24-hour strike, which started at 7am, came after nurses rejected the district health boards' (DHBs) latest pay offer.

The strike will end at 7am tomorrow.

The New Zealand Nurses' Organisation (NZNO) has about 1500 members at the Bay of Plenty District Health Board and the organisation said more than 500 took part in today's strike.

Angela Neil, NZNO organiser for the Bay of Plenty DHB, said nurses were crying as they came off night shift this morning.

She said they did not want to have to strike.

One of the nurses standing outside Tauranga Hospital this morning was Sally Rowe.

The 56-year-old had been a registered nurse for 38 years, 17 of those in Tauranga.

Today was her last working day.

"Just by chance it happens to be on the picket line."

Rowe is retiring and said the strike was a symbolic way to end her career.

She was proud to be a part of it and said more nurses were needed on the wards and their professionalism needed to be recognised.

"I feel very strongly that I need to be here. It's for the next generation coming through. It's not for me, it's not for my future, it's for the future of young nurses."

Retiring nurse Sally Rowe (right front) protesting with her colleagues outside Tauranga Hospital. Photo / Scott Yeoman

Yvette McLeod, 44, also spoke of fighting for the future.

"We need to think about what nursing's going to be in 30 years' time and who's going to be looking after us and our children."

McLeod had been a nurse at Tauranga Hospital for a year and a half; she was a new graduate last year.

"We're losing good nurses to Australia," she said.

"We need to stop that and look after our nurses here because they need to be here looking after our people."

One of her biggest concerns was patient safety and having the right staffing levels on wards. She said nursing needed to attract professionals and therefore they needed to be paid well.

Standing next to McLeod was Anita Leitch, 51, who was also in her second year as a nurse at Tauranga Hospital.

Leitch had a very unwell child who died just before she went into nursing. The experience inspired her to become a nurse.

"I spent time over 10 years with a myriad of new nurses, experienced nurses, doctors and carers who helped me through our time in the hospital, both here and in Starship."

She wanted to contribute, like they did.

"I've had a lot of dealings with the hospitals, so I can see what they can do – what a good nurse can do with care."

Anita Leitch (left) and Yvette McLeod are both in their second year as nurses at Tauranga Hospital. Photo / Scott Yeoman

Leitch said the biggest reason she was striking was ratios.

"I love my job but I want to do it the way I was trained to do it, which is to give the utmost care to my patients. I feel I can't give them my best because I am stretched so thin over the course of my shift.

"I go home thinking I haven't given the care I want to give because I can't spend enough time with each of my patients and they're all important to me."

A large group of protesters outside the hospital slowly marched down Cameron Rd around 9am towards the NZNO office, chanting as they walked.

Members of the public came out of shops, offices and houses to watch, some taking photos and others showing their support by clapping and waving.

The group later marched back to the hospital, drawing just as much attention and support.

Meanwhile, DHBs said contingency procedures at the country's hospitals were going to plan and reports from around the country showed hospitals were managing well.

DHBs spokeswoman Helen Mason said emergency departments were relatively quiet and occupancy was slightly lower than expected.

"More staff and volunteers than expected have also turned up for work this morning, this level of support is very welcome and has been of great help."

Mason said arrangements for life-preserving services were working well and the national co-ordination centre was monitoring the situation closely.

In some cases where demand meant additional nurses were needed to provide life-preserving services, more were made available.

"I want to thank the nurses working to provide life-preserving cover and to all of the other people who are working to keep our communities safe."

Emergency and essential services were provided as usual at both Tauranga and Whakatāne hospitals today.

Non-essential services were reduced to a minimum.

Outpatient clinics at the two hospitals, which on an average day have 1605 people passing through them, were closed.

Fifty-five elective surgeries (16 in Whakatāne and 39 in Tauranga) were rescheduled.

Mason said the focus for hospitals was safety for the rest of the day and through to 7am tomorrow morning.

"Doctors and all other staff are working to ensure anyone who needs urgent hospital care will get it, and anyone who needs urgent medical treatment should not hesitate to go to hospital. They should dial 111 for emergencies or an ambulance."

She said for non-urgent matters people should do what they normally do and visit their GP or pharmacy.

Free medical advice is also available 24/7 through Healthline (0800 611 116).