The latest edition of the journal was released on October 30 and publishes thesis abstracts for the first time in 15 years.
Trauma-informed care and Māori oral health are two notable topics in the 33rd issue of the Whitireia Journal of Nursing, Health and Social Services.
This year’s journal, which was published on October 30, also examines experiences of gender discrimination in paramedicine and evidence-informed teaching and learning.
In the editorial, Whitireia and WelTec Head of School for Health, Carmel Haggerty, and Catherine Fuller, Programme Coordinator Postgraduate Certificate in Nursing (Mental Health), examine how research undertaken within the School of Health informs its teaching.
“Evidence-informed content is critical to educational practice, and we can confidently report that our research activities are informing our practice as educators,” they say.
In ‘Patient Rights Breaches by New Zealand Paramedics and Nurses: An Exploratory Study’, a team of researchers led by Youri Wijland analyses statistics of sentinel events in nursing and paramedicine. Conclusions drawn include that the “findings are valuable in that they may … inform potential interventions aimed at reporting and reducing these mistakes.”
The role of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in good access to holistic oral healthcare is discussed in ‘Māori Oral Health Across the Lifespan: A Literature Review’, which is co-authored by researchers Dr. Lee Smith, Jeanette Grace, Dr. Kuramaiki Lacey, Shayola Koperu, Jodi Bishop, and Dr. Te Taku Parai in conjunction with the Kaunihera Kaumātua o Ngāti Toa Rangatira. It aims to “explore the barriers to, and enablers for, good oral health and hygiene amongst kaumātua”.
Marion Kuresa, Wendy Trimmer and De’arna Rush take a big-picture view of the literature on adverse childhood experiences in ‘Understanding the Importance of Trauma-Informed Care and Leadership in Mental Health Nursing’. A positive finding of this review was “a trauma-informed approach in mental health settings can promote healing and post-traumatic growth, while also improving therapeutic relationships, and fostering empowerment and hope for tāngata whaiora.”
This edition of the journal also features thesis abstracts for the first time in over a decade. The inclusion of both forms means the journal is a wide-ranging and cohesive look into nursing, health and social services research. The abstracts cover the following topics:
- The challenge of Pacific students in trades and nursing courses balancing their studies and their out-of-school responsibilities
- How a Community of Practice can help non-Pacific tutors engage Pacific nursing students
- The impact of female physiology on women’s experiences as paramedics in Aotearoa
- Giving a voice to fuata Niue and capturing the experiences of those with multiple ethnicities residing in Aotearoa
More about the journal
Now in its 33rd year, the Whitireia Journal of Nursing, Health and Social Services publishes research and reflections from ākonga and kaimahi of Whitireia and WelTec nursing, health and social service programmes, other tertiary institutions and the wider health industry. The journal is published via open access and is free of charge.
We are calling for papers for our 2027 edition now. Submissions close 15 February 2027.
