Denise Kivell

Jocelyn Peach
Aug 17
2 min read

Nurse Leader

Registered & Obstetric Nurse, B.Sc., Master of Health Sciences [MHSc.]

Denise Kivell prepared as a nurse in Palmerston North 1975-1978. Two years after registration she travelled overseas, working as an agency nurse in London to supplement her ‘travel bug’. She returned to New Zealand and worked at the Hastings Memorial Hospital before travelling back to London for two years to work and study at Great Ormond Street. She undertook a Paediatric Course at Great Ormand Street and worked at the hospital until 1986. The study at Great Ormond Street made her see what was possible in paediatric nursing. After a year back at Hastings, where she helped two children and their amazing families undertake the inaugural home TPN (total parenteral nutrition) management, before shifting up to Auckland to work in the Princess Mary paediatric intensive observation unit.

Denise started her career at Counties Manukau District Health Board in 1991. She was appointed to the role as charge nurse manager overseeing the development of New Zealand’s first 24-hour paediatric assessment unit and medical ward at Middlemore Hospital. Five years later, she was involved in setting up the Kidz First paediatric homecare service. Denise was then appointed to the Clinical Nurse Director for Kidz First and Intermediary Care. Denise completed a Master of Health Sciences [MHSc.] with the University of Auckland in 2004. Then in 2005-2007 followed a joint role as Primary Health Care Leader at Counties and Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Auckland University, where she coordinated the inaugural Chronic Care programme. She was then appointed to the position of Director of Nursing in April 2007 to February 2018 with an initial focus on wider hospital and primary health care services. She focused on recognition of the value and increase of advanced practice roles across the health system, supporting projects for nurses receiving coaching and mentoring as part of their leadership development; and the spread of dedicated education units (DEUs) focused on providing a learning environment for the wider health team, with a strong focus on the nursing workforce pipeline. A keen passion was the enablement of the Patient Experience Unit and Board enabling the strengthening of the consumer voice.

She was a contributor to several professional activities, as Chairperson of the Nurse Executives of New Zealand (2 terms), a member of the National Nurses Leadership group and advisory group of the Safer Nursing 24/7 research project.

After resigning from Middlemore Hospital, she worked as a Nurse Contractor April 2018 to October 2019, then as Programme Manager for Vanuatu and Technical Advisor Nursing for the NZ Medical Treatment Scheme, Pacific Regional Health Team based at Middlemore, October 2019 to January 2023, using her expertise to help and assist the Pacific Countries maximise the NZ Aid allocated budget for medical treatment and support.

Denise has demonstrated the values of integrity, being authentic, caring about people. She has worked to develop and guide others to maximise their leadership potential.