Reviewing Key legal and regulatory updates affecting nurses in Aotearoa

Highlighting the importance of legal literacy in nursing

Outlining what is driving recent and upcoming legal change

Understanding updates to the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights

Exploring the latest developments in healthcare policy, funding, and resource allocation

Understanding the key healthcare reforms introduced by the Government and Te Whatu Ora, and their direct implications for nursing practice

Examining workforce-related policies including funding for recruitment, retention, and professional development of nurses

Exploring the impact of resource allocation decisions on staffing ratios, access to care, and community-based nursing services

Highlighting equity-focused initiatives and their relevance to Māori, Pacific, and rural health services

Exploring the significance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the foundational document guiding equitable nursing care in Aotearoa

Clarifying the roles and responsibilities of nurses under Te Tiriti, with a focus on the principles of partnership, protection, and participation

Translating Tiriti commitments into daily practice, from patient interactions to policy implementation and service delivery

Showcasing real-world examples of culturally safe care, whānau-centred models, and equity-driven clinical leadership

Understanding the Nursing Council’s expectations regarding cultural safety, reflective practice, and accountability

Discussing systemic challenges and enablers to delivering on Tiriti obligations within mainstream healthcare environments

Providing an overview of recent updates from the Nursing Council of New Zealand, including regulatory changes and current areas of focus

Highlighting key amendments to scopes of practice, registration requirements, and continuing competence frameworks

Outlining developments in the Code of Conduct and how these shape expectations for professional behaviour and accountability

Discussing data trends and insights from recent audits, complaints, and notifications and what nurses can learn from them

Exploring strategic priorities such as workforce sustainability, cultural safety, and support for internationally qualified nurses

Patient Safety - the past, present and future - the evolution of patient safety and major safety milestones within healthcare

Staff well-being and psychological safety - explore the critical role of staff mental health, burnout, and creating psychologically safe environments

Organisational and safety culture and its impact on care delivery - how leadership, professional subcultures, and attitudes influence patient safety outcomes.

The impact of clinical error on healthcare professionals -discuss the emotional and professional impact that clinical error has on health professionals 

Research findings and practice recommendations- Share key evidence-based findings and recommendations for improving safety and

Defining what constitutes safe nurse staffing in different care settings, including acute, primary, aged care, and mental health services

Reviewing evidence linking staffing levels to patient outcomes, safety incidents, and nurse wellbeing

Exploring the consequences of chronic understaffing, including moral distress, burnout, and workforce attrition

Highlighting current policies, standards, and guidelines in Aotearoa that guide safe staffing practices

Showcasing local and international case studies where safe staffing models have led to measurable improvements in care delivery

Discussing tools and technologies that help monitor staffing levels and acuity in real time

Identifying barriers to achieving safe staffing and exploring strategies to overcome them through leadership, advocacy, and collaboration

Defining moral injury in the context of nursing and distinguishing it from burnout and routine occupational stress

Exploring real-world scenarios where moral injury arises, such as unsafe staffing, delayed care, ethical conflicts, or systemic failings

Examining how moral injury can intersect with legal accountability, including complaints, investigations, and professional conduct reviews

Understanding employer duties under health and safety and employment law to mitigate risks that contribute to moral injury

Discussing whistleblower protections and the legal rights of nurses who speak up about unsafe or unethical practices

Highlighting case examples where moral injury played a role in legal proceedings or contributed to systemic review

Guidance on managing ethical distress while protecting professional integrity and reducing legal exposure

Exploring the ethical and professional responsibilities of nurses to provide safe, person-centred care even in high-pressure, resource-limited environments

Examining the realities of staffing shortages, budget limitations, and system strain across various care settings in Aotearoa

Discussing how nurses and health leaders navigate the tension between clinical standards and operational constraints

Highlighting practical strategies for maintaining care quality, including prioritisation frameworks, delegation practices, and interprofessional teamwork

Understanding the legal implications of compromised care and how nurses can protect themselves while advocating for patients

Sharing examples of innovation and leadership where high-quality care was sustained despite significant challenges

Is it only legal requirements we need to be focusing on?

What are the biggest issues we are seeing for our profession and what does the evidence tell us?

What are psychosocial risks and psychological safety?

Exploring the impacts of unmanaged psychosocial risks on nurses, team dynamics, patient safety and organisational wellbeing

Outlining the legal obligations of employers under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 to protect physical and mental harm to create psychologically safe workplaces

Outlining the legal obligations of employers under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 to protect physical and mental harm to create psychologically safe workplaces

Reviewing key concepts in risk management: hazard identification, management of ‘reasonably practicable steps’ and monitoring in the context of the psychosocial work environment

Connecting the dots: Highlighting organisational and leaders responsibilities to meet compliance and support nurses health, safety and wellbeing (inclusive of safe rostering, workload monitoring, clinical supervision, peer support etc)

Case studies where poor psychosocial risk management led to harm, complaints, or regulatory action and how these were addressed

Practical tools and discussion on fostering healthy workplaces, with a culture of care, accountability and psychological safety in nursing teams