Reflections on Tohu Iwi Kuinga Rōpū: Decolonising a Well Child Tamariki Ora Postgraduate Nursing Programme.

Well Child Tamariki Ora (WCTO) registered nurses provide specialist nursing for children aged up to five years, their whānau, and community, in Aotearoa New Zealand. Every nurse undertakes a Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Healthcare Specialty Nursing (PGCert) soon after they enter practice. Traditionally the PGCert delivery and content was generic for all nurses regardless of employer, nursing context, or cultural needs. While the current programme prioritises providing culturally responsive teaching, tauira feedback and a growing body of research evidence reports inequitable outcomes and unmet cultural needs for Māori nurses. This indicates that nurse education requires ongoing conscious decolonisation. In response the PGCert leadership kaiako developed an additional optional teaching stream, Tohu Iwi Kuinga, for Māori tauira working in iwi and other organisations. Noho marae wānanga and additional support was offered to all eligible tauira in 2023. Tohu Iwi Kuinga was positively experienced by tauira, particularly noho marae wānanga, as it supported in-person whakawhanaungatanga and an affirming Te Ao Māori experience. A need for evaluation methods that support both tikanga and Western evaluation needs was identified. Currently Tohu Iwi Kuinga is offered as an addition to the main programme and opportunities for future development are suggested, including for kaupapa evaluation.