Investing in cardiac nurses

Published: 29 September 2022

Cardiac Cath Lab nurse, Maxine Rhodes, is set to undertake her Master of Nursing with Ara Institute of Canterbury, thanks to a Nurse Practitioner Training Fellowship awarded by the Heart Foundation.

The Nurse Practitioner Training Fellowship was first awarded in 2020 to support nurses, registered with the Nursing Council of New Zealand, to complete an approved clinical master’s degree programme in the field of heart disease.

Maxine has worked in cardiology for 27 years in New Zealand, the UK and Canada. 

She says heart disease has such a profound impact on patients and their whānau. The best part of her job is the interaction and relationships that are formed when you support people through the process of recovering from a heart attack or diagnosis of heart disease. 

“I am passionate about education and passionate about providing my patients with the information and tools to empower themselves to live with heart disease,” says Maxine.

“I’m looking forward to bringing knowledge and research together and applying it to my study in nurse prescribing, becoming a nurse practitioner and caring for patients and the community to the best of my ability.

“Without the support of the Heart Foundation, cardiology would not be at the forefront of research, which not only benefits our patients but enables our health professionals to take advantage of domestic and overseas research and academic opportunities.”  

Learn more about 2022 research grants