Branches

Welcome to the National Disability Nurses Branch site for Te Ao Māramatanga – New Zealand College of Mental Health Nurses. The Branch was formally established and officially launched on the 13th July 2018 at the College planning hui in Auckland. The work of founding members and those of colleagues, who have both informed and since joined the conversation, has and continues to evidence the need for a professional body to inform nursing and the wider health system about working alongside people with intellectual, learning, physical, neuro, developmental and other forms of impairment who are disabled on a daily basis by society. 

As a specialist branch of nursing, our purpose is to: 

• Promote professional, collegial and political standing in the field of learning, intellectual, developmental, neuro, and other disabilities.
• Actively inform nurses with specialist knowledge in this field to facilitate holistic health and well-being for individuals, whānau/family and communities.
• Re-professionalise the role of nursing in the disability sector and be a leading voice that proactively responds to the issues that arise.
• Advocate for the people themselves who experience learning, intellectual, developmental, neuro, and other impairment and are disabled by others. 
• Include and promote the principles of Te Tiriti of Waitangi in disability nursing.