Mental health nurses in Aotearoa are crying out for help, according to a recent survey outlining the struggling state of the sector.
The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) surveyed 400 mental health nurses and found 76 percent of them have been threatened and more than 40 percent assaulted within a single year.
Many mental health nurses were also feeling burnt out and on the brink of leaving, the survey found.
Mental health nurse Debbie Watson said the system is under pressure and New Zealand can't afford to lose staff.
"We do know that the system is under pressure in all areas of mental health, it's not just in prevention but also needs good funding within the community mental health sector and the hospital settings - and accommodation also links into this as well," she said in an interview with AM.
The survey showed various changes were needed, with many nurses seeking more money and better working conditions in Australia, the NZNO said.
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