NCNZ Te Tiriti o Waitangi in Nursing 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Māori patient uses rongoā Māori (traditional Māori medicine). How should a nurse respond to this disclosure?
- Acknowledge and respect the practice, explore potential interactions with prescribed medicines, and document without judgement (Correct answer)
- Discourage its use as it may interfere with Western treatment
- Report it as a safeguarding concern
- Ignore it as it is outside the nurse's scope of practice
Correct answer: Acknowledge and respect the practice, explore potential interactions with prescribed medicines, and document without judgement
Rongoā Māori is a legitimate health practice. Nurses should acknowledge and respect it (cultural safety), explore potential interactions (clinical safety), and document it accurately. Dismissing rongoā undermines cultural safety and may damage the therapeutic relationship.
Question 2: Under the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022, what role does Te Aka Whai Ora play in nursing practice?
- It commissions kaupapa Māori health services and sets priorities for Māori health — nurses should be aware of local Māori health strategies and engage with these services (Correct answer)
- It directly employs all Māori nurses in NZ
- It replaces the Nursing Council for Māori nurses
- It manages complaints about Māori health workers only
Correct answer: It commissions kaupapa Māori health services and sets priorities for Māori health — nurses should be aware of local Māori health strategies and engage with these services
Te Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority) commissions and monitors kaupapa Māori health services, setting Māori health priorities. Nurses benefit from understanding its role to facilitate referrals to Māori health providers and align care with Māori health strategies.
Question 3: What does 'manaakitanga' mean and how does it apply to nursing?
- Hospitality, generosity, and care for others — in nursing it means treating patients with dignity, warmth, and genuine respect for their wellbeing (Correct answer)
- A type of Māori clinical assessment
- The Māori word for professional nursing ethics
- A specific greeting used in health consultations
Correct answer: Hospitality, generosity, and care for others — in nursing it means treating patients with dignity, warmth, and genuine respect for their wellbeing
Manaakitanga (showing respect, generosity, and care) is a core Māori value that aligns closely with the nursing ethos of caring. In practice, it means going beyond task completion to show genuine warmth, respect for mana (dignity), and attention to the whole person.
Question 4: A nurse is aware that Māori patients in their ward are consistently discharged earlier than non-Māori patients with similar conditions. What should the nurse do?
- Document the pattern, raise it with the charge nurse and clinical governance, and contribute to a quality improvement review (Correct answer)
- Accept this as a coincidence and take no action
- Assume Māori patients prefer shorter admissions
- Raise it only if instructed by management
Correct answer: Document the pattern, raise it with the charge nurse and clinical governance, and contribute to a quality improvement review
Disparate discharge patterns may reflect systemic bias. Nurses have a professional and Te Tiriti obligation to identify and raise concerns about potential inequity. Raising systemic patterns through clinical governance is an appropriate professional response.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes the concept of 'hauora' in Māori health?
- Holistic wellbeing encompassing physical, mental, spiritual, and family health — not just the absence of disease (Correct answer)
- A Māori word for a specific physical health condition
- The name of the NZ Ministry of Health in te reo Māori
- A Māori healing ritual
Correct answer: Holistic wellbeing encompassing physical, mental, spiritual, and family health — not just the absence of disease
Hauora is the Māori concept of holistic wellbeing, encompassing taha tinana (physical), taha hinengaro (mental), taha wairua (spiritual), and taha whānau (family) dimensions. It underpins Te Whare Tapa Whā and reflects a holistic view of health beyond biomedical models.
Question 6: How should a nurse address a Māori elder in a clinical setting to demonstrate cultural respect?
- Ask the patient how they prefer to be addressed — use their preferred name or title, and not assume informality (Correct answer)
- Always use the patient's first name for efficiency
- Address all Māori patients as 'Koro' or 'Nan' as a sign of respect
- Avoid using any titles to be consistent across all patients
Correct answer: Ask the patient how they prefer to be addressed — use their preferred name or title, and not assume informality
Cultural safety requires asking each patient their preferred form of address. Assuming informality can be disrespectful to elders, while applying generic Māori titles to all patients may feel patronising. Asking directly shows respect for individual and cultural preferences.
NCNZ Te Tiriti o Waitangi in Nursing 2
A Māori patient uses rongoā Māori (traditional Māori medicine).
How should a nurse respond to this disclosure?