Creating a Community of Caring
The Nurses Christian Fellowship New Zealand / Te Kotahitanga Tapuhi Karaitiana o Aotearoa (Incorporated) (NCFNZ) is a national organisation providing support and advice to Christian nurses and outreach to those keen to investigate the many benefits of a life with God! NCFNZ brings the Christian perspective to national, regional, and local policy development, so ensuring the nursing profession is underpinned with sound ethical principles and that our service users have access to the best possible spiritual and bodily care.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
The fundamental beliefs underpinning NCFNZ are:
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There is one true God, one being in three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and through Him all things were created
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The Bible is our foundation text book, inspired by God, possessing His authority, believable and trustworthy as a guide to our life and work
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Our way to gain eternal life with God in Heaven is by believing that Jesus Christ came to earth as the Son of God, died for us, came back to life, and that our sins will be forgiven if we ask and repent in His name
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All people were made equal in the image of God and deserve our full respect and the highest quality of care we can provide
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God, as the Holy Spirit, lives within us supporting our living in a way that honours and pleases the Father. He is with us as a guide, mentor, and teacher as we go about our lives and provide care in our workplace
OUR HISTORY
NCFNZ was re-born on International Nurses Day 2015, the birthday of Florence Nightingale. Our background is rooted in a history going back to that day, a history and genealogy appropriately and best described as our whakapapa. We all know most of Florence’s story but the key thing her writings tell us is that on February 7th 1837, at 17 years old, she heard God’s voice calling her into ‘service’, eventually leading her into nursing. Our profession has never been the same since.
Whilst the contribution of other nurse leaders was significant, nursing in Aotearoa NZ, as with many nations around the world, was strongly influenced by Florence. Early last century, our nurse leaders were facing challenges of conflict abroad and in making their contribution to the development of the country, including our profession. They stood on their commitment to Christ in doing so.
Part of this commitment was to carry on Nightingale’s Christian mission by establishing in 1924 a national organisation to support Christian nurses in their work – the Nurses Christian Union (NCU). Eventually the ‘Union’ became the ‘Fellowship’ to effectively link with similar organisations worldwide as part of Nurses Christian Fellowship International. In time just about every hospital in NZ had a branch of NCF with meetings packed out on a regular basis.
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WHAT WE DO
Provide a network for nurses throughout New Zealand that:
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Encourages and supports Christian nurses in living out their faith in compassionate and competent professional practice
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Empowers Christian nurses to examine, understand, and apply scripture as it relates to their work
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Promotes friendship, collegiality, and communication amongst Christian nurses nationwide
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Equips and supports Christian nurse leaders across the country
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Represents Christian nurses and Christian values in the national nursing and health care arena
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Reaches out to colleagues through practically demonstrating Gods love and grace, helping them to recognise Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour and invite Him into their lives
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Works with, learns from, and encourages those sharing similar purpose around the world, playing an active role as a national member of Nurses Christian Fellowship International (NCFI) and the NCF Pacific and East Asia region (PACEA)