Latest News 29 June 2020 | This week, 24-30 May is Samoan Language week. A few of our Pacific staff have come together to share their stories, teach others about their Samoan language and stories and help celebrate the occasion with other staff.
Harriet Tagaloa-Pauga, an accredited diabetes nurse specialist here at Counties Manukau Health (CM Health), shares why she enjoys working at Counties and how she is supported with honouring her Samoan culture:
I have worked in the Counties Manukau catchment for 16 years and have been with the Diabetes Services for over three years.
I enjoy working in Counties because of the diversity in its people, culture and its unique strategies that are individualised and cater for its differing and unique population. CM Health strives for equity by addressing the disparities that exists within our Pacific and Maaori communities by each one of us making a difference; one patient and one family at the time.
Counties Manukau has the highest Pacific population in New Zealand. Being a Pacific, Samoan woman working in Counties makes it even more vital for me to serve and continue to provide for the people in this area. The complexity of the Pacific social realm plus the complexity of their health, requires Pacific social understanding that I believe can sometimes only be understood by lived experience. This makes the nurturing of my Samoan and Pacific culture imperative in embodying a Pacific holistic approach to address the needs of my Pacific community.
The core values in Counties is embedded in my practice as a Pacific nurse, and are witnessed in the culture of all those who work at CM Health. Values of fa'atauaina o tagata uma (valuing everyone/make everyone feel welcome and valued), agalelei ma tausia faalelei tagata uma ( be kind/care for others wellbeing), lotogatasi, ia fa'aaofia tagata uma ia autasi ose au (together - include everyone as part of the team), ia faia mea uma e sili lona lelei ina ia saogalemu, polofesa, ma alualu fa'alelei atili i luma tagata uma i CMDHB (excellence - safe, professional, always improving) - these are foundational values. Diversity in culture and the colouful people in Counties makes working at CM Health enjoyable and fulfilling for me.