Nursing scholarship recipient Shauna Power says she always knew she wanted to be a nurse and is keen to pursue a career supporting tamariki.
Power is a second-year nursing student at NorthTec Whangārei and the 2024 recipient of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Whānau Āwhina Plunket’s scholarship.
The scholarship provides financial support of $3,000 to a full-time nursing student of Ngāi Tahu descent.
She says she’s honoured to be selected for the scholarship, which is named after two highly respected Māori midwives and healers from Karitāne.
“It is such a privilege to receive this award commemorating these two wāhine toa. It means so much to have the financial support contributing to my nursing fees too, I’m truly grateful,” she says.
Power also got into nursing because of her grandfather who has been in and out of hospital over the years. She has seen him receive the best care there is to offer and other times when care could have been better.
“As a Māori nurse I hope to be in a position to improve health outcomes for Māori to thrive now and for generations to come,” Power says.
Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu oranga general manager Trevor McGlinchey says he’s delighted to be working with Whānau Āwhina Plunket through this shared initiative.
“Improving and protecting the oranga of our whānau is one of our prime concerns as an iwi and supporting more students of Ngāi Tahu descent to enter the health workforce is one of a variety of positive actions we are taking to assist with this goal.”
Whānau Āwhina Plunket charity is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest health and wellbeing support service for tamariki. About 80% of newborns are enrolled with Whānau Āwhina Plunket each year.
Whānau Āwhina Plunket chief executive Fiona Kingsford says it is an absolute pleasure to support students like Power.
“This scholarship is an opportunity to celebrate our incredibly special history, while also helping to equip the next generation of Māori nurses with the skills, tools and knowledge to support those who need it most,” Kingsford says.
“We congratulate Shauna on her hard work to date and look forward to seeing her starting her nursing career.”