Nurses will rally outside Tauranga Hospital today - 'We're not going to let this one roll over'

Nurses will rally outside Tauranga and Whakatane hospitals today and tomorrow to highlight their concerns and the current staffing "crisis". Photo / Getty Images

Tauranga nurses will rally outside the city's hospital today to highlight their concerns that New Zealand nurses "have been undervalued for too long".

The rally will be on Cameron Rd, across the street from Tauranga Hospital, between noon and 1pm.

Another lunchtime demonstration will take place tomorrow outside Whakatane Hospital.

Lynette Taylor, a recovery nurse at Tauranga Hospital, said the salary structure for nurses did not adequately recognise experienced staff or incentivise nurses to remain in the profession.

"Inadequate pay is contributing to a vicious cycle of high nursing staff turnover."

Taylor, who has been a nurse for 30 years, said the staffing "crisis" was the result of district health boards being underfunded over the past decade and that had to be addressed.

"Nurses enjoy the career – we've chosen it, we want to continue and support the health of New Zealanders but we need greater recognition of our skills and knowledge.

"We're not going to let this one roll over this time, which we have done in the past."

Taylor said it was difficult to know how big the turnout would be today because nurses were shift workers, but she was hoping for 100 people or more.

It was not a stop-work meeting; nurses would attend in their own time.

"If we want to go out and let the public know what we're rallying for, then we will do it in our lunch break or before work," Taylor said.

"Give us a toot, show support, write letters to the paper. It would be lovely for the community to let us know that they're backing us."

She said there was still not a lot of community awareness about the issue.

Taylor said today's rally, especially with it being outside the busy hospital, was about letting the community know how nurses were feeling.

The Bay of Plenty District Health Board said normal hospital services would be available while nurses and midwives were undertaking rallies in support of claims about their pay and working conditions.

Chief executive Helen Mason said there would be hour-long lunchtime rallies outside Tauranga and Whakatane hospitals today and tomorrow respectively, but "it is important people realise all services will continue to be available and that access to either hospital will not be impeded".

"Anyone needing emergency treatment or with an appointment should go to their hospital as normal.

"We don't want anyone missing out on the care they need. The rallies will not block patient access to either hospital so people do not need to change any of their travel plans as a result."

Mason said the rallies were designed to highlight the nurses' and midwives' claims in negotiations.

"Staff who want to support their nursing colleagues are entitled to take part and can do so in non-work hours or during a rostered break."