Professor Annette Huntington, acting head of the School of Nursing.
One of New Zealand’s most experienced nurse academics has been appointed as the acting head of Massey University’s School of Nursing.
Professor Annette Huntington, who led the nursing programmes from 2008–16 first as director of nursing and then as head of school, has stepped into the interim role, while a search is conducted for a new head.
Recruitment of new School of Nursing staff is also proceeding well, including a professor of nursing, an associate professor of nursing, an associate professor of health sciences and two highly-experienced clinical lecturers. Interviews have been conducted for new lecturer and senior lecturer positions.
Professor Huntington has conducted internationally-recognised research into nursing, particularly into the nursing workforce. In 2012, she was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to nursing research.
She was the New Zealand director of both the Nurses and Midwives e-Cohort Study and the Graduate Nurses Study, in collaboration with institutions in Australia, Canada, Ireland and Britain. She has published and presented extensively nationally and internationally on aspects of the nursing workforce and also prepares comprehensive nursing workforce data reports for the Nursing Council of New Zealand.
She has been actively involved in the strategic development of nursing nationally and internationally, and has led policy development to implement change in nursing regulation, education and research. She is on the editorial boards of several international journals, is a fellow of the College of Nurses Aotearoa, and is a member of the Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery, Australia and New Zealand and was previously deputy chair.
“The School of Nursing has made a strong start this year, with an increase in undergraduate student enrolments, up from 202 last year to 210 this year. Postgraduate enrolment numbers are also projected to be up on last year following mid-year entry,” she says.
“The school will continue to revise its qualifications in order to ensure the best possible use of teaching staff resources and technologies that provide high-quality, accessible, contemporary programmes designed to provide an excellent student experience. Students, staff and external stakeholders will continue to be consulted about any proposed changes.”