NCNZ Te Tiriti o Waitangi in Nursing — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What year was Te Tiriti o Waitangi signed, and what is its significance for NZ nurses?
- 1840 — it is the founding document of NZ and underpins nurses' obligations to Māori health equity, partnership, and cultural safety (Correct answer)
- 1975 — it established the Waitangi Tribunal
- 1900 — it created the NZ health system
- 1984 — it introduced the Nursing Council of NZ
Correct 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.
Question 2: What are the three principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi most commonly applied in health practice?
- Partnership, Participation, and Protection (Correct answer)
- Sovereignty, Citizenship, and Freedom
- Kāwanatanga, Rangatiratanga, and Ōritetanga
- Equity, Access, and Outcome
Correct 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).
Question 3: What does the principle of 'Partnership' under Te Tiriti mean for nursing practice?
- Working collaboratively with Māori patients, whānau, and Māori health providers to plan and deliver care (Correct answer)
- Providing exactly the same care to all patients regardless of background
- Consulting Māori leaders only at a policy level
- Employing Māori nurses in senior positions only
Correct 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.
Question 4: What does 'tino rangatiratanga' mean and how does it relate to nursing care of Māori patients?
- Full chiefly authority/self-determination — in nursing, it means supporting Māori patients' right to make decisions about their own health and care (Correct answer)
- A Māori word for patient consent only
- A legal term for land ownership with no relevance to health
- The Māori name for community nursing
Correct 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.
Question 5: The Waitangi Tribunal was established in 1975 to hear Māori claims. What is its relevance to the NZ health system?
- It can receive and report on claims about breaches of Te Tiriti in health policy, highlighting systemic inequities that affect Māori health (Correct answer)
- It regulates health practitioner registration
- It funds Māori health providers directly
- It sets clinical guidelines for hospitals
Correct 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).
Question 6: Which action best demonstrates a nurse's fulfilment of the 'Participation' principle of Te Tiriti in their clinical role?
- Actively including Māori patients and whānau in care planning decisions and facilitating Māori health worker involvement (Correct answer)
- Noting the patient's ethnicity on the admission form
- Attending a Māori cultural event once per year
- Using a translated pamphlet when available
Correct 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.
