A focus on primary health care nursing
The symposium was hosted by the New Zealand College of Primary Healthcare Nurses, NZNO and the College of Nurses Aotearoa, New Zealand on 6 March 2021; and provided the opportunity to celebrate the contribution that primary health care nurses make to the delivery of primary health care in a variety of roles, settings and environments. The seminar emphasised the diversity of nursing within primary care. The programme included; speakers, clinical workshops and networking opportunities with colleagues across the primary health care sector.
The symposium was a one day only event and involved approximately 100+ delegates from across the seventeen plus disciplines of nursing within the primary health care sector. The programme offered a wide range of topics, acknowledging the diversity of nurses and nursing within primary health care. The symposium allowed the opportunity to celebrate primary healthcare nursing by creating an environment that attendees felt valued, remain motivated, be inspired by and inspired others as well as network across the sector.
The keynote speaker, Michele Rumsey, Director at the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre at the University of Technology Sydney, shared her insightful knowledge on the nursing response to COVID-19.
Australia and New Zealand nurses continue to work on primary and community care and have made a huge contribution to the COVID-19 pandemic response, therefore, this symposium focused on nursing and their contribution to COVID-19, as well as the many challenges they faced and will continue to face.