EIT Donates Nursing Books to the Cook Islands   8 Oct 2014

Eastern Institute of Technology

Media Release

EIT Donates Nursing Books to the Cook Islands

Student nurses in the Cook Islands have lots of extra reading to look forward to, with staff from EIT’s School of Nursing donating textbooks to support their three-year training programme.

Spearheading the book-donation drive, EIT’s Assistant Head of School Nursing Jennifer Roberts asked her colleagues for textbooks they were no longer using. In the four weeks since, they have been piling up in her office so that now, she says, there are 112 to send away.

The campaign was prompted by a recent holiday to the island group and ongoing communication with the principal of the Cook Island’s School of Nursing, New Zealander Mary MacManus.

“They have also asked EIT’s School of Nursing to review their new curriculum, introduced this year for their Diploma in Nursing programme, so that has been on my to-do list too."

Jennifer says Mary was pleased to accept the offer of books, which are needed to build up a library for use by the student nurses and health professionals working in the Cook Islands. While the island group has an 80-bed hospital on Rarotonga and a 20-bed hospital on Aitutaki, most nurses work in primary health care out in the community.

The Cooks have a population of 11,000 people living on 15 islands scattered over two million square kilometres of ocean.

“Often nurses are working on their own, running a clinic where the challenge is to be a Jack of all trades, dealing with whatever problems come in the door."

Student nurses start practicums in their first year of training, undertaking 1900 clinical hours to complete their diplomas compared to the 1100 hours required for New Zealand’s Bachelor of Nursing.

Jennifer says she wasn’t expecting so many donations – “and they’re not small books”. Hefty tomes covering areas such as anatomy and physiology won’t date. Also useful will be those on maternal and child health, which make up a big component of nurse training and practice in the Cooks.

“They provide a foundation of knowledge – you always need a textbook."

Offering a regular service to Rarotonga, Pacific Freight Management Ltd has offered to ship the books free of charge.

“I only have to figure out how to get them to Auckland now,” says Jennifer. “They may be able to hitch a ride or we could arrange for a courier."

EIT’s School of Nursing is attracting more Pacific Island students, and this year it formalised project coordinator Pacific Maryanne Marsters’ role as a mentor for those enrolled in its nursing studies programme.


Add a comment

News

Hilary Timmins' Award-Winning UK Documentary Series To Inspire NZ Students

29 Jun 2020 Education
Dream Catchers, produced and directed by Hilary Timmins, celebrates the success stories of more than thirty inspirational New... more

New Zealand reaffirms support for Flight MH17 judicial process

7 Mar 2020 News By Rt HON WINSTON PETERS
Ahead of the start of the criminal trial in the Netherlands on 9 March, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has reaffirmed the need to... more

Business

NZ Government's Economic package to fight COVID-19

17 Mar 2020 Business News By RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
The Coalition Government has launched the most significant peace-time economic plan in modern New Zealand history to cushion the... more

NZ Government announces aviation relief package

19 Mar 2020 Business News By Hon Phil Twyford
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today outlined the first tranche of the $600 million aviation sector relief package announced earlier... more

Living

Diversity was Key at New Zealand Trade Tasting in London

6 Jun 2022 Food & Wine
New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Trade Tasting was recently held in London, on Wednesday 4 May, in Lindley Hall. It was the first... more

Kiwi author stuns Behind the Butterfly Gate

12 Jan 2022 Arts By Charlotte Everett
Hidden behind the Butterfly Gate is where the secret has been kept for 76 years...  New Zealand writer Merryn Corcoran’s... more

Property

Fairer rules for tenants and landlords

17 Nov 2019 Property By Minister Kris Faafoi
17 NOVEMBER 2019 The Government has delivered on its promise to the over one million New Zealanders who now rent to make it fairer... more

New Zealand Government will not implement a Capital Gains Tax

17 Apr 2019 Property By RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
The Coalition Government will not proceed with the Tax Working Group’s recommendation for a capital gains tax, Jacinda Ardern... more

Migration

Boosting border security with electronic travel authority – now over 500,000 issued

19 Nov 2019 Migration By Hon Iain Lees-Galloway
19 NOVEMBER 2019 We’ve improved border security with the NZeTA, New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority, which helps us to... more

Christchurch reinstated as refugee settlement location

18 Aug 2018 Migration
18 AUGUST 2018 HON IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY The announcement that Christchurch can once again be a settlement location for refugees... more

Travel

Gallipoli Anzac Day services cancelled

19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism By RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
The New Zealand and Australian Governments have announced this year’s joint Anzac Day services at Gallipoli will be cancelled... more

New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas

19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism
New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas more

Sport

The Skipper's Diary: Sir Richard Hadlee honouring his father and NZ's Forty-Niners

27 Oct 2019 Cricket By Charlotte Everett
NZNewsUK London Editor Charlotte Everett spoke to Sir Richard Hadlee about why he’s chosen to publish his father’s... more

PREVIEW: All Blacks v England semi-final

26 Oct 2019 Rugby
The two most convincing quarterfinals winners are set to square off in a semifinal showdown for the ages when the All Blacks meet old... more

Columns

Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade

11 Nov 2016 Opinion
Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade First published on Werewolf The ghastly likes of Marine Le Pen in France and Geert ... more

Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome

10 Nov 2016 Opinion
Column - Gordon Campbell   Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome Well um.. on the bright side, there (probably)... more

Kiwi Success

Congratulations to Loder Cup winner

26 Sep 2018 People By Hon Eugenie Sage
25 SEPTEMBER 2018 The Loder Cup, one of New Zealand’s oldest conservation awards, has been awarded to Robert McGowan for 2018... more

Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO

16 Aug 2018 Appointments
16 AUGUST 2018Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO HON JENNY SALESA Associate Education Minister Jenny Salesa is... more

Recruitment

Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers

14 Aug 2018 Recruitment By RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers RT HON JACINDA ARDERN HON CHRIS HIPKINS Prime Minister The... more

Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers

22 Aug 2018 Recruitment By RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers RT HON JACINDA ARDERN HON CHRIS HIPKINS Prime Minister The... more