Nurses Mourn Rhoena Davis | Scoop News

The passing of Rhoena Davis on Friday, 16 August has
created a gaping hole among the ranks of senior Māori
nurses which will be difficult to fill, New Zealand Nurses
Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO)
Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says.

Ms Davis was a nurse in
Northland since 1993, and for more than 30 years her nursing
ability was unparalleled. As chair of the Māori caucus of
the College of Nurses Aotearoa and a member of the New
Zealand Nursing Council Komiti Māori, she was vital in
shaping nursing leadership and advocating for Māori health
at local, regional, and national levels.

“Her advocacy
for funding and policy changes to support nurse
practitioners and working tirelessly to address inequities
in healthcare delivery, particularly in rural and remote
areas, made her a highly respected figure among her peers,”
Ms Nuku said.

“It was her selflessness and deep care
for others, no matter who they were, that made her such an
amazing nurse and person. Her life was an emblem of what it
truly means to be a nurse.”

Ms Davis was also involved
in several national groups including the National Nurse
Leaders Group, Ora Taiao, and the Federation of Primary
Health Care.

“She was dedicated, humble and quietly
went about her awesome work right to the end. In fact, she
persevered even while knowing she had little time left, only
finishing her mahi on 30 July,” NZNO Board member and fellow
nurse practitioner, Margaret Hand said.

Beyond nursing
organisations, Ms Davis sat on the Hauora Taiwhenua Board as
deputy chair, and through her position as deputy chair of Te
Ropu Arahi she was also part of initiatives aimed at
actualising the principles of Te Tiriti o
Waitangi.

Among her many accolades Ms
Davis was the 2022 recipient of the prestigious Te Akenehi
Hei Memorial Award – the highest award of honour for Te
Rūnanga o Aotearoa, NZNO – for her outstanding contribution
to Māori health.

On the podium her
humility again shone through when she dedicated her award to
all who worked alongside her and stressed the importance of
working together.

This year’s recipient,
Auckland-based nurse practitioner Dhyanne Hohepa, paid
homage to her mentor on Saturday morning, saying her
generation had huge boots to fill in taking up the challenge
of fulfilling all Ms Davis had worked to achieve.

“To
her, nursing and seeking and equal playing field wasn’t just
a job, it was a way of life.

“Rhoena was an
inspiration to me and other younger Māori. We will aspire
to carry out her dreams and finish what she
started.”

No reira e te tuakana, e te tuahine, e te
mareikura, moe mai ra i roto i nga ringaringa o nga matua
tupuna.

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