Waiariki Response to Nursing Council of NZ Statement

Waiariki Institute of Technology Open Letter in Response to Nursing Council of New Zealand Statement of 25 May, 2012

1. Waiariki Institute of Technology (“Waiariki”) is concerned at the statement released on the Nursing Council website today, which makes allegations that are inaccurate and unfairly impact upon Waiariki’s reputation. In particular, the Nursing Council of New Zealand alleges that the Bachelor of Nursing for Registered Nurses “is not a Nursing Council accredited programme”. This is incorrect.

2. The Waiariki Bachelor of Nursing (“BN”) degree is approved and accredited by NZQA and the Nursing Council at Level 7 on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework. This approval and accreditation includes the pathway for Registered Nurses within the Bachelor of Nursing.

3. The Waiariki BN was approved by NZQA and Nursing Council of New Zealand on 11 February 2009, following a successful panel visit from NZQA and Nursing Council where Waiariki met all the gazetted approval and accreditation criteria of both organisations. This approved qualification has also been subject to Nursing Council audit and monitor visits and in 2010 was a focus of the External Evaluation Review visit (conducted by NZQA) where it received ratings of excellent/excellent: the highest possible ratings.

4. There is no separate Bachelor of Nursing for Registered Nurses qualification. The Registered Nurse 1 year pathway is a programme of study within the Nursing Council approved Bachelor of Nursing. This position is clear from the Waiariki’s Bachelor of Nursing qualification and accreditation documentation, upon which Nursing Council of New Zealand approval and accreditation is based.

5. The Nursing Council of New Zealand has therefore accredited and approved the Registered Nurse pathway within the BN qualification, and the recognition of prior learning regulations with the document.

6. The Nursing Council of New Zealand also states that it has “communicated [its] concern at national nurse education meetings during the past five years.” At this time Waiariki is unaware of such communications, but is urgently trying to verify this statement. However, there have not been any issues raised via audit monitoring or moderation during the past three years and hundreds of Waiariki students have gone on to successfully gain New Zealand Nursing Council registration prior to 2012.

7. The Waiariki BN is a three year, 360 credit, NZQA and Nursing Council of New Zealand approved and accredited award. Students with a Registered Nurse qualification from another country are able to have up to 240 credits of prior learning, thus reducing their time committed to 1 year (minimum). Because there is an entry requirement of the student having at least 1 year full-time clinical work experience there is no need for clinical placements during this one year. The students still need to achieve all the clinical competencies as required by the Nursing Council.

ENDS

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