Posted 08 December 2023 - 10:50
Posted 08 December 2023 - 10:50
News
‘Compassionate nursing leadership creates high-quality care’
NMC campaign asks nurses what qualities they expect from nurse leaders – which include being a good listener and advocating for patients – and provides resources to improve leadership
NMC campaign asks nurses what qualities they expect from nurse leaders – which include being a good listener and advocating for patients – and provides resources to improve leadership
The ability to listen to staff and stand up for patients are key qualities for nursing leaders, according to nurses who shared their thoughts as part of a new Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) campaign.
The ‘Good leadership means better care’ campaign highlights the important role of senior nurses in promoting high quality patient care and staff well-being – especially in a challenging work environment.
It provides a range of resources to help nursing leaders in their role, covering topics such as supporting teams working under pressure, raising concerns and managing newly qualified staff.
The campaign also includes a series of case studies where nurses and midwives reflect on what good leadership means to them.
‘A leader creates opportunities for others’
Those featured include learning disability nurse Lincoln Gombedza who emphasises the importance of listening to front-line staff.
‘A good leader is a good listener who allows their team members to be themselves, to express their ideas and opinions,’ he says. ‘A leader is someone who creates opportunities for others.’
Leaders at all levels also play a key role in advocating for patients, adds Martyn Davey, who was one of the first wave of trainee nursing associates and now works in general practice.
‘It can take courage to speak up for what you know is right for the patient or for your team, particularly if you’re not in a senior role – but speaking up is real leadership,’ he says.
Leaders key to tackling discrimination
Deputy head of nursing Fortune Mhlanga talks about the need to create inclusive working environments, combat discrimination and support overseas-trained nursing staff.
‘Anti-racism should be a priority for leaders today,’ she says. ‘They need to be more proactive, stand up and make it count.’
Leaders should act as ‘behavioural role models’
The NMC said the campaign was designed to encourage nurses, midwives and nursing associates in leadership positions to consider how they met the regulator’s professional standards and practised in line with the NMC code of conduct.
NMC executive director of professional practice Sam Foster said: ‘Compassionate leadership is critical to create practice environments that enable the delivery of safe, high-quality care.
‘Leaders acting as behavioural role models create psychological safety, a learning culture and the ability for individuals to raise concerns, ensuring that person-centred care is always the priority.’
Read more about the NMC campaign
Good leadership means better care
In other news