Whangārei Hospital nurse delegates Bridget Firth, Sacha Young, Lisa Tito, Chantelle Thompson, Kayla Crossley and Sylvia Dodd held a protest this month, worried Health NZ is not valuing nurses. Photo / Denise Piper
Whangārei Hospital nurse delegates Bridget Firth, Sacha Young, Lisa Tito, Chantelle Thompson, Kayla Crossley and Sylvia Dodd held a protest this month, worried Health NZ is not valuing nurses. Photo / Denise Piper
Opinion by Gus Greenslade
Gus Greenslade is a qualified teacher and current nursing student.
THREE KEY FACTS
Nearly half of the country’s nurses are not working as nurses, with some even taking jobs in supermarkets or on road gangs in preference to healthcare.
Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand is seeking to persuade some back to the front lines to help fill chronic shortages.
As a nursing student midway through my training, I find myself reflecting on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead - not just for myself, but for the future of nursing in New Zealand.
Nursing, to me, is not merely a career; it is a calling - born out of deeply personal experiences. It is a profession that embodies compassion, skill, and resilience and one that I feel privileged to pursue.
Yet, like many of my peers, I fear that the profession we are so committed to is becoming increasingly inaccessible to those of us starting out.
Both experiences taught me the extraordinary power of nursing.
Nurses were the ones who stood by me during my darkest days, offering not only care but also dignity, hope and human connection. It was through their example that I found the courage to pursue this profession.
Gus Greenslade is a qualified teacher and current nursing student. Photo / Supplied
Now, as a father of two young boys and a former early childhood teacher, I am on the path to becoming a nurse so that I can provide the same care and compassion I received.
Yet as I progress through my training, I am confronted with the grim reality that even as hospitals cry out for more staff, many newly graduated nurses struggle to secure employment.
The barriers are systemic: healthcare providers are often hesitant to hire inexperienced nurses due to the perceived costs of training and support, while limited spaces in graduate programmes such as NETP (Nurse Entry to Practice) leave many of us without clear pathways into the workforce.
Despite New Zealand’s critical shortage of nurses, graduates face immense barriers to finding employment - a paradox that demands urgent attention.
This disconnect is not only disheartening for students like me - it is unsustainable for our healthcare system.
New Zealand is facing a dire shortage of nurses, with current staff stretched to breaking point.
Without a steady pipeline of new graduates entering the profession, the system will continue to falter, putting patients and families at risk.
As a father, I worry about the future of healthcare for my children. As a former patient, I know how critical it is to have skilled, compassionate, nurses at the bedside.
The solution begins with investment in the next generation.
Expanding graduate programmes like NETP, increasing funding for training and mentorship, and creating innovative pathways to employment - such as targeted placements in underserved areas or auxiliary roles for graduates - are crucial steps.
Healthcare providers must also embrace a cultural shift that values new graduates as opportunities rather than burdens.
Every experienced nurse was once a beginner. By supporting us now, we can secure the future of nursing and ensure that every patient receives the care they deserve.
New Zealand is at a crossroads. Will we allow short-term thinking to jeopardise the healthcare system, or will we take bold steps to empower those who are ready and eager to serve?
As a nursing student and a father, I am calling on our leaders to act - not just for my sake, but for the sake of every patient, family, and community that relies on us.
The nursing crisis will not be solved overnight, but it must start with valuing and supporting new graduates.
