Giving back to the community, Bachelor of Nursing Pacific students and the Cook Islands Red Cross Society hosted Te Are Pa Metua elderly group last week.

Mirella Simpson, who has been nursing for 10 years, is the Academic Nursing Lead for the 14 students in the bachelor nursing programme.

Simpson said they hosted the group as part of their health promotion project, which would run for the next two weeks.

“It’s about our students being able to plan, organise, and communicate with different stakeholders and non-governmental organisations (NGOs),” Simpson said. “To go out and give back some of the knowledge they have learned in the last two years.”

The student nurses facilitated several activities for the pa metua, including making ei, playing bingo, singing island songs, and dancing.

The student nurses started their bachelor programme last year in May, and next year they will all move to New Zealand for nine months to gain experience there.

Simpson said when they return, they will sit their final exam and become New Zealand-registered nurses.

Cook Islands Red Cross Society staff presented personal development and first aid training for the caregivers.

Fine Tu'itupou-Arnold, the secretary general at Red Cross, said this was their first time hosting the pa metua at the headquarters.

“This was a perfect opportunity to do so and to partner with the nursing students to promote health.”

The day ended with the pa metua being treated to an entertaining lunch at Tamarind House, with the Red Cross president Lisa Iro and vice president (Southern Group), Mii Estelle, joining in the singing and dancing for the mamas and papas.