How will I shape the year of the nurse and midwife?

It’s New Year’s Day and I’ve seen a challenge to take up. Set by @BloggersNurse as we start the Year of the Nurse and Midwife I am planning on trying to write at least once or twice a month in 2020 on the themes suggested. 

January 1st and I’m thinking about how I will shape the year of the nurse (and midwife, please note I mean to be inclusive). 

It’s 41 years since I entered nurse training; my shape and that of nursing and midwifery have altered. Overall, the two professions have fared better shape-wise than me.

I trained to become a State Registered Nurse (SRN) in England, moving into a profession held in high regard. 

There’s been the transition to degree based learning, and recently apprenticeship programs. All routes opening to a career of varied opportunity. 

What shaping influence can I have? The immediate one as a senior and experienced nurse is as an example of being open, kind and flexible. 

I have to be open about how I work, and be prepared to let others lead where they have ideas and strengths that I don’t possess. Be ready to adapt and adopt fresh thinking and take risks to make gains in service improvement.

I want to be kind and even kinder, to all those in my care. This will be patients as well as my team colleagues, and those in the wider care community in which I work and have a social media presence. In particular it’s those who are exploring the possibility of nursing as a career, or already in training, to whom I should be an example. Showing enjoyment and enthusiasm for our work, and giving such people time will help them be great nurses of the future.

I need to be flexible; my career has had twists and turns; some hoped for and some unexpected. This has helped me appreciate the opportunity of being ready to try something new; to allow me to be trusted by people such as team members when they require some wriggle room - flexible working to allow for family issues for example.

Applying this to shaping the year of Nurse and Midwife? 

Being an example, supporting those I come into contact with and reaching out through social media. 

Embracing and getting involved in events to celebrate nursing, and show the value of nursing work to those who question what nursing is.

Supporting those I work with to look at what we do, and see how the work can be done differently. Getting them to speak up, in person, in blogs and engage in further education so they can be shaping too.

Change happens; being prepared to influence the outcome is a way I can contribute to the year of the nurse and midwife in 2020 and beyond.