Deborah L Harris

Deborah Harris, New Zealand’s first registered Nurse Practitioner, has been a trailblazer in advanced nursing practice for four decades. As an Associate Professor and Deputy Director of the School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Health Practice at Te Herenga Waka, she champions innovative pedagogy, evidence-based practice, and the integration of mātauranga Māori into healthcare education. Her leadership has been crucial in developing culturally responsive and academically rigorous nursing programmes.

Internationally recognised for her contributions to neonatal research, Deborah led the Sugar Babies study, a randomised controlled trial that has transformed clinical practice globally, reducing the separation of mothers and babies and saving millions in healthcare costs. She also spearheaded the GLOW study, an observational study describing the glucose concentrations of healthy babies over the first five days following birth. In recognition of her impact, the Nurse Practitioners of New Zealand have named the Deborah Harris Award for Education and Research after her. Deborah is a respected advocate for the nurse practitioner model and improving access to health care delivery and improving patient and whānau outcomes.