Nursing is a broad church
Right now is International Nurses Day and, whereas many exterior the caring professions have a tendency to think about nursing in a purely medical context, for these of us working within the grownup social care sector, we all know it’s so a lot broader in scope, complexity and provision.
This yr’s theme is all about management, respecting skilled abilities and rights, and empowering nurses in all places to ship improved international well being. It’s a spotlight I absolutely endorse.
In my position as Chief Nurse for Grownup Social Care, I’d be failing in my responsibility if I didn’t emphasise, encourage and in any other case extol the advantage of social care nurses as skilled leaders. We’re each bit the equal of our sensible NHS counterparts, with the broadest of talent units, lived {and professional} expertise, and a tireless drive to do the perfect for individuals in our care.
There stays, nevertheless, a cultural and institutional hole between notion and actuality – a niche I’m decided to shut. The current authorities funding in coaching, steady skilled improvement and the opening up of recent profession pathways (together with making it simpler for nurses to maneuver between NHS and care service roles) may be very welcome, however we want a wholesale cultural shift to benefit from this funding.
Likewise, the momentum constructing round social care reform and the first driver of nearer integration between well being and care companies, makes me extra hopeful that social care nurses might be accorded the respect they deserve as voices of experience {and professional} problem.
Now we have at all times been leaders in care
It may be argued that registered nurses already reveal the sort of management I’m speaking about, the type that not solely motivates their colleagues to be the perfect, but in addition provides piece of thoughts to residents, sufferers, buddies and households. I wish to go additional. I wish to see your complete social care nursing career obtain registration – and make our worth to the well being and care system official in any respect ranges.
There’s, in fact, multiple strategy to obtain this parity of esteem. The Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Champions Network, which I launched final yr in affiliation with the Queens Nursing Institute, is an ideal instance.
It demonstrates our experience in a important space of nursing, and one not unique to our equally expert NHS colleagues. Decreasing an infection dangers, limiting or stopping illness outbreaks – not simply coronavirus – is an actual benchmark of our effectiveness. Certainly, by creating champions inside particular person care settings, that is one other means we reveal management, share studying and evolve IPC observe to maintain everybody secure.
Credit score the place it has lengthy been due
Analysis and recognition are two additional areas the place our management abilities and abilities might be authenticated and celebrated. I’ve lengthy advocated for a robust proof base to reveal the worth social care nursing brings to the sector – we have to show what works to advocate its adoption elsewhere within the system.
Likewise, the Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care Awards, shine a light-weight on distinctive colleagues main the best way in person-centred, empathic care. Management, on this sense, is just not about management, however about inspiring others. It’s additionally my means of proving to award recipients – and people round them – that what they do actually issues. One of the best care colleagues remodel lives for the higher and, within the case of their colleagues, unlock their potential to remodel many extra.
On Worldwide Nurses Day, let’s keep in mind we carry out the perfect in our career once we nurture, recognise and have a good time who we’re. That’s how we empower our nursing leaders to encourage others to ship even better well being outcomes – at residence and overseas.
