News
Welcome to the Nurse Maude news page, where we keep our community informed about the latest developments and events.

This Wills Week, we’re reminding our community of the importance of having a will - and the incredible impact you can make by leaving a gift to charity. A will gives you peace of mind, knowing your wishes will be carried out and your loved ones cared for. It can also be a powerful way to create a lasting legacy by supporting causes close to your heart. Why it’s important to have a will A will ensures your assets are distributed the way you want. It helps reduce stress and uncertainty for your loved ones. You can appoint guardians for your children. You can leave gifts to the charities you value, continuing your support beyond your lifetime. Gathered Here Partnership Nurse Maude, together with hospices across Aotearoa, has partnered with Gathered Here to make writing or updating your will simple, fast, and free. Gathered Here is a trusted online service where you can write a will in just 20 minutes. You’ll have the option to include a gift to Nurse Maude, ensuring that future generations can continue to receive the specialist palliative and hospice care that our community depends on. Every gift makes a difference A bequest, no matter the size, is a deeply meaningful way to support the care, compassion, and dignity we provide for patients and their whānau every day. Your generosity helps us continue our mission to care for people in their homes and in our hospice, free of charge.

Nurse Maude is trialling Starlink satellite internet to support staff working in some of New Zealand’s most remote and rugged regions. With limited or no mobile coverage in areas such as Golden Bay, the service is being tested to improve real-time access to clinical systems for frontline staff delivering home and community care. Currently, a Case Manager based in Nelson is piloting the technology while working in low signal zones across the district. The trial includes exploring different setups - from mounting the Starlink dish to the roof racks of Nurse Maude vehicles, to positioning it on the parcel tray inside the car. A 12-volt adapter allows the unit to be powered through a standard vehicle cigarette lighter, meaning the connection can be deployed almost anywhere with a clear view of the sky.

This National Volunteer Week (16–22 June 2024), we were proud to celebrate the heart and hands of our community: our incredible volunteers. This year's theme was “ Whiria te tangata - Weave the people together. " Throughout the week, each of our Hospice Shops hosted their own morning teas and acknowledgements for our retail volunteers, recognising the hard mahi and heart they bring to their communities. These small, personal celebrations were spread across the week - except Tuesday, when we gathered for at McDougall House, celebrating those who volunteer in our care home, hospice, and other services.

Research shows that up to 50% of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) could be prevented through effective hand hygiene practices. Yet today, millions of people worldwide still acquire infections while receiving care that could have been prevented.
In Aotearoa New Zealand, we can be proud of our progress: The national hand hygiene compliance rate for public health districts is 84.8%. However, even here, hand hygiene is still missed in 16.3% of cases when gloves are used.