Te Tiriti o Waitangi in Nursing Flashcards

What year was Te Tiriti o Waitangi signed, and what is its significance for NZ nurses?

Answer: 1840 — it is the founding document of NZ and underpins nurses' obligations to Māori health equity, partnership, and cultural safety

Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed in 1840 between Māori rangatira and the British Crown. For nurses, it is the foundational document that establishes obligations under Domain 4 of the NCNZ Competencies regarding partnership, protection, and participation in Māori health.

What are the three principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi most commonly applied in health practice?

Answer: Partnership, Participation, and Protection

The three principles most commonly applied in NZ health are: Partnership (working together), Participation (Māori involvement at all levels of health decision-making), and Protection (active protection of Māori health and cultural practices).

What does the principle of 'Partnership' under Te Tiriti mean for nursing practice?

Answer: Working collaboratively with Māori patients, whānau, and Māori health providers to plan and deliver care

Partnership in clinical nursing means actively collaborating with Māori patients and whānau in care planning, engaging Māori health workers (kaiāwhina), and working with kaupapa Māori services. It is an active, relational obligation.

What does 'tino rangatiratanga' mean and how does it relate to nursing care of Māori patients?

Answer: Full chiefly authority/self-determination — in nursing, it means supporting Māori patients' right to make decisions about their own health and care

Tino rangatiratanga means absolute sovereignty or self-determination. In health, it underpins Māori patients' right to make autonomous decisions consistent with their cultural values, and Māori communities' right to direct their own health services.

The Waitangi Tribunal was established in 1975 to hear Māori claims. What is its relevance to the NZ health system?

Answer: It can receive and report on claims about breaches of Te Tiriti in health policy, highlighting systemic inequities that affect Māori health

The Waitangi Tribunal has heard numerous claims about health policy failures and Te Tiriti breaches (e.g., underfunding of Māori health services). Its reports have influenced health policy and the establishment of bodies like Te Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority).

Which action best demonstrates a nurse's fulfilment of the 'Participation' principle of Te Tiriti in their clinical role?

Answer: Actively including Māori patients and whānau in care planning decisions and facilitating Māori health worker involvement

Participation means Māori are meaningfully involved at all levels — from individual care decisions (involving patients and whānau) to the broader health system (Māori in governance and planning). Active inclusion in care planning is the bedside expression of this principle.