Question 1

What are the benefits of being a College member?

Accepted Answer

You will be part of an active, vibrant, professional organisation and be kept up to date with professional issues. The benefits of the College are focused on nursing in general and the service nursing provides to the public, as well as the direct personal benefits you will receive:

• $1 million p/a Professional Indemnity Insurance cover for civil liability,  members are covered automatically with the exception of retired and international/overseas members. 
 • Scholarships and Grants
 • Belonging to an organisation which is bicultural in its structure and organisation
 • Being part of an organisation whose focus is on the professional issues of nursing and on the health of our communities
 • Contributing to an organisation with significant influence on health policy decision making at the national level
 • Involvement with a dynamic network of professional nurses committed to high standards of nursing practice
 • Regular email updates on current health information (including Pharmac)
 • Opportunities to contribute to relevant submissions
 • Access to education workshops eg Supervision, Mentoring, MH & A & Aged Residential Care.
 • Provides well researched and carefully considered submissions on all health sector concerns.
 • Nursing Praxis in New Zealand - Journal of Professional Nursing
 • Recognition as a leader in your specific field of nursing (Fellow Benefit)
 • Use of FCNA(NZ) after your name (Fellow Benefit)

Question 2

Is it simple to join the college?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The procedure for joining the College is very simple. Go to our membership tab and choose "join today". Your membership starts when we receive your first payment. You can pay immediately by Credit Card, via your online banking or on invoice.

Question 3

What are the current Membership fees?

Accepted Answer

Click here for current membership fees(https://www.nurse.org.nz/membership)

Question 4

What does Indemnity Insurance cover?

Accepted Answer

Indemnity Insurance is to protect you against legal costs and any fines incurred on Indemnity claims only. The College of Nurses professional indemnity insurance cover provides individual and separate representation for each of our members, covering you 24hrs a day anywhere in NZ (even assisting at the site of an accident). For a full explanation see Indemnity Insurance section for FAQ on Indemnity Insurance.(https://www.nurse.org.nz/indemnity-insurance-cover.html)

Question 5

My Employer says I am covered under their Indemnity Insurance, is this ok?

Accepted Answer

The College advises against relying on an employer's insurance pOlicy for the following reasons -

• You are only covered while at your workplace.
 • A direct conflict of interest - Where their insurance covers staff as well as the employers/practice/GP's at the same time there is a  potential conflict of interest. In general a claim made against a nurse will also accompany a claim against the practice, and may also result in a claim by the employer against the nurse. In such a case it is far better for all parties to have entirely separate and independent legal representation.
 • The employer is funding their insurance policy and will be covered first and foremost before individual staff members. Each person involved in a case should have their own indemnity cover/legal representation.
 • We advise strongly that nurses need their own separate indemnity insurance.

The College of Nurses professional indemnity insurance cover provides individual and separate representation for each of our members, covering you 24hrs a day anywhere in NZ (even assisting at the site of an accident). In addition without belonging to a nursing professional organization you are disconnected from nursing as a profession. You are cut off from the publications and the information and you may not be informed what is going on in health and in nursing. It benefits not jut nurses but the employers and patients as well to have well informed up to date nurses.

Question 6

My employer has received a complaint and wants to meet with me to discuss it, what should I do?

Accepted Answer

We strongly recommend that you call the College office for support in any complaint whether it be a general workplace complaint or a possible indemnity case. Ask for advice as early as possible. We have experienced people who can discuss your situation with you and if required can act as your support person. Call the College office (06) 358 6000

Question 7

Do I have to belong to a union to get the same benefits as those on a group employment contract?

Accepted Answer

The College is not a union.  In NZ you are not required to be a member of a union for any employment situation. All employers are required to offer no less than the terms of any collective contract to relevant employees, (this is usually negotiated as an Individual Employment Contract or IEC).

Question 8

How does an Individual Employment Contract work?

Accepted Answer

An IEC is a negotiated agreement between you and your employer around your work situation that suits you both. All IEC's must cover the minimum standards and rates of pay for your position and industry, the Department of Labour can provide this information.(http://www.dol.govt.nz/)(http://www.dol.govt.nz/)

The best way to enter a negotiation for an IEC is to be prepared, don't be afraid to suggest your own ideas for your contract, most employers use a standard contract as a starting point only. Enter into discussions prepared to discuss and negotiate both your wishes and your employers requirements for your role and you are more likely to be happy with the outcome of your own employement contract. You should feel free to take along a support person with you and we strongly recommend that before you sign any IEC you seek advice from an employments contract lawyer or the Dept of Labour.

Question 9

Does the College negotiate rates of pay for members?

Accepted Answer

No, the College is not a Union and does not act to negotiate collective rates of pay for members. Non Union members are usually employed under individual employment contracts, this allows you as an employee the opportunity to negotiate with your employer around items that may be preferable to you in your own work situation and circumstances eg. rostered hours, leave entitlements etc. For someone with experience that their employer values, there is always the opportunity to negotiate higher rates of pay or flexibility. We highly recommend that before you sign an IEC that you consult the Dept of Labour website and/or have an Employment contracts lawyer check over your contract.

Question 10

I require confirmation of my insurance cover, what do I do?

Accepted Answer

Email member@nurse.org.nz (member@nurse.org.nz)or admin@nurse.org.nz (admin@nurse.org.nz)for a copy of this

Question 11

Can I request a temporary suspension of my College membership?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you are welcome to suspend your membership temporarily at any time.  All membership fees must be paid up until your temporary suspension date. Please email us if you are wanting to do this.

Question 12

If my membership is suspended for non payment how long do I have to re-instate my membership and pay the outstanding fees.

Accepted Answer

As per College Rules - your membership will be suspended if your membership fees are (or equate to) 3 months overdue. You will have had several reminders sent within this time and we do make every attempt to ensure that you are aware suspension is pending to allow for payment of fees. If your College membership is suspended you are not covered for Indemnity Insurance and all other membership benefits will cease.

Suspended members can re-instate their membership by reapplying to the College via the "Join Today" tab under memberships.  Members who have been suspended cannot backdate an Insurance claim to the period between the suspension date and their reinstatement date. Indemnity insurance will not cover you for this period.

To avoid suspension, please keep the office informed of any change of address or contact details, and pay your fees by the due date.

Question 13

What do I do if I am experiencing serious financial difficulties?

Accepted Answer

The College of Nurses is here to support Nurses in New Zealand. If you find that you are experiencing financial difficulties please contact the College Administrator or Executive Director as soon as possible admin@nurse.org.nz (mailto:admin@nurse.org.nz)or phone (06) 358 6000. Your information and situation will be kept confidential and we can arrange membership and Insurance cover to suit your situation. Current members - please advise ASAP on receiving your invoice for fees - please don't wait until your membership is suspended.

Question 14

I am on a discounted rate but have increased my hours, is my membership cover affected, what do I do?

Accepted Answer

Members working over 20 hrs per week are required to pay full membership rates. The onus is on the individual member to update the College office with any change in hours that would require a change in membership fees. Insurance cover is seriously affected if you are not paying the correct fees for your employment situation. Annual employer verification is required for all discounted memberships.

Question 15

I'm going on Maternity Leave or overseas, what do I do?

Accepted Answer

Members who are taking time out from working in NZ can choose to have their membership discounted or temporarily suspended. We do recommend that all nurses residing in NZ still have Indemnity Insurance cover regardless of their work situation. Your Insurance covers you at any time whilst in NZ and even if you help at the scene of an accident you are using your professional skills and as such should be covered. If you are not sure, please call the College office.

Question 16

How do I resign (or cancel) my College of Nurses membership?

Accepted Answer

Resignations must be made in writing with an effective date by email. We cannot accept formal resignations over the phone, we are required to maintain a paper trail. All membership fees are required to be paid up until the date we receive your resignation. (see College rules)(https://www.nurse.org.nz/college-rules.html)

Question 17

I'm retiring, can I still remain a member of the College?

Accepted Answer

Yes we fully encourage retired nurses to continue as members of the College. We value your experience, expertise and involvement in the College. There is a discounted membership rate for retired members and apart from Indemnity Insurance Cover you will still receive all the benefits you receive as a member of the College.

Question 18

I've changed my name or contact details, do I need to do anything?

Accepted Answer

Yes, please contact the office via email to admin@nurse.org.nz (admin@nurse.org.nz)or member@nurse.org.nz (member@nurse.org.nz)to let us know.

Question 19

How do I log onto the member only area of the College website?

Accepted Answer

Navigate to the log in button on the front page.

Another option is to reset your password.

If you have any issues, please contact the office.

Membership benefits & FAQ