Two winners share NZNO’s Young Nurse of the Year Award

Two winners share NZNO’s Young Nurse of the Year Award

A Māori nurse who cares for people with long-term conditions and a Filipino nursing lecturer are the co-winners of this year’s New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) Young Nurse of the Year Award.

Rosita Richards, who is based in Tokoroa, works for the Hauraki Primary Health Organisation (HPHO) and Jed Montayre, a lecturer at Auckland University of Technology (AUT), are the co-recipients. This is the first time two nurses have won the award.

The two winners were presented with their awards – a shared trophy and $2000 each – at an awards dinner following NZNO’s annual general meeting last night (September 6). The award was established in 2014 and recognises outstanding practice, contribution to nursing and entrepreneurship in young nurses.

Rosita Richards, of Ngāti Kahungunu and Whakatohea descent, says she is honoured and humbled to win the award. She hopes it will prove an inspiration for other Māori nurses and young nurses of every culture to aspire to be and do the best they can for their clients and communities.

Jed Montayre, who came to New Zealand from the Philippines in 2011, says receiving the award is a great honour and a great way of recognising what young nurses are doing. As well as lecturing in undergraduate and postgraduate nursing education, he works part-time in aged care.

The New Zealand health system depends heavily on internationally qualified nurses (IQNs), with 27 per cent of all nurses working here trained overseas. Montayre says winning the award demonstrates that IQNs are valued and appreciated in the nursing workforce here.

“The calibre of this year’s winners proves the future of nursing is in good hands. They are outstanding role models, passionate about their profession and committed to improving the health of New Zealanders,” NZNO’s President Grant Brookes said.

Award judges were the director of the Otago University’s Centre for Postgraduate Nursing Studies, Philippa Seaton, last year’s award winner, West Coast rural nurse specialist Gemma Hutton, Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) Jane O’Malley, senior adviser in the CNO’s office, Alison Hussey, NZNO President Brookes and NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku.
Runner-up in this year’s award is Emily Rushton, a health educator and climate change campaigner, based in Auckland.

A number of other nurses were honoured at the awards dinner for their services to nursing and midwifery or their services to NZNO.

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