Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
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Clare Buckley is a strong voice for the nursing profession.
2020 has been endorsed by the as the International Year of the Nurse. EIT is joining the celebrations by putting a local face on an international campaign.
Throughout the year EIT will shine a light on a number of nurses working in a wide range of careers – from recent graduates right up to our regional nurse leaders. EIT wants to showcase the amazing nurses who are making their mark in Hawke’s Bay and the important role of EIT in tertiary nursing education.
According to the Ministry of Health, nurses working throughout New Zealand make up the largest health workforce in the country. There are more than 56,000 nurses who play a pivotal role in their communities, clinics, hospitals and in the health care sector. However, they are not always valued or represented in leadership positions where they could proactively drive change within the health system.
Clare Buckley, Head of School for Nursing, is a passionate advocate for the nursing profession. Clare was recently appointed as the national co-chair of Nursing Education in the Tertiary Sector (NETS). This organisation represents all NZ’s institutes of technology and polytechnics (ITPs) that educate nurses. 75 percent of nursing graduates in NZ are ITP graduates making these institutes a major player in the education of health professionals.
Clare says that in her role of Head of School and as national co-chair of NETS she will tackle national issues in nursing education and nursing workforce development. “To start with, we need to change how nursing is perceived. It’s not just a career for nice and caring girls, it’s a serious profession for serious and career-minded people that opens up a wide range of career options. Nursing is for people who are able to think critically, for problem-solvers and for health advocates who want to tackle difficult issues of health inequities” Clare stresses.
