Challenges for the personal and professional

At the end of February this year my dear friend in nursing @agencynurse Teresa Chinn wrote a blog piece about the WeGetogether2016 event, held on the 29th Feb 2016. As ever Teresa gave a thoughtful account of what happened, the build up to it and considered the consequences. One one aspect Tree asked about was "what happened?" Her response was 'nothing' and that concerned me; so I want to challenge that - gently of course. In one way I guess Tree is right - no great single change or movement emerged that sparked a revolution. 
I began to wonder however if I had missed something because I believe there were myriad outcomes, albeit small ones.

I had traveled to Salford where the University Nursing School hosted us, full of hope and expectation; not to mention carrying banners and freebies including home made cookies. 
When I look back on #WGT16 I think of the developing relationships that were bolstered by meeting in person; the thinking and sharing we were encouraged to do. From my perspective it led to a wider range of contacts and networking that influences me today. So let's remember what we experienced at #WGT16 and think of where we are now. Yes times seem to have become ever more challenging in terms of politics, the economy and the Care sector (I like to think across the health and social fault line). That has not stopped people continuing to challenge both personally and professionally. 

And then Teresa has set me thinking again about challenges; this time in her latest blog about professional challenges.  I've found nothing to argue with here; safety and safeguarding are key nursing responsibilities for nurses. It is the anticipated response of others that can block coming forward; I believe that as a senior leader and a manager I have a duty to set an example as a listener and in responding positively when concerns are raised. Likewise I have to be ready to face personal challenges and accept that I have got things wrong. Developing as a leader is about learning about oneself as much as getting to know those around us and that can be a much bigger challenge. 

Ten years on

Reflections on a learning experience 

I know I tend to hoard what I'd call resources to do with work, be it books, papers, certificates and bits of card. "It'll all be useful one day" is my internal mantra. I've been cutting down on books by allowing them to be more widely available at work; that in itself has been liberating as in recent times I've gone back to more 'hands on' hard copy reading.

Whilst preparing this week for a session on resilience I went to my cupboard and found amongst other things the workbook from the excellent St Christopher's multi professional week I attended in May 2006. I recall thinking the whole experience had been exciting and stimulating. Do they still do it? Yes, see http://www.stchristophers.org.uk/education/diary and one is coming up soon.

The attendees came from across the world and we were truly multi professional, adding further texture to the week.

The opportunity to learn from David Oliviere, Malcolm Payne, Nigel Sykes, Barbara Monroe, Nigel Hartley, Avril Jackson, amongst other talented colleagues was so invigorating.

I still remember much of what was said and done; from giving instructions on making tea, digital pebbles, spirituality, teamwork and with role play thrown in the international participants were challenged to think, act and learn.

So what's brought this all about? I'm still teaching on occasion so a dive into the resources led to me think about the workbook. I was sure there were pearls of wisdom to find and was right (on managing stress and teamwork). So ten years later I can hold the pages and how that itself has changed. Hospice UK can put entire conference abstracts, posters and videos on line - an example of the revolution in the way we communicate and produce materials. I wonder what those who will attend my session will recall of the session next week, and in 10 years time. How will they access our presentation, will a virtual channel have the same physical and intellectual resonance as my purple covered booklet? 

Maybe the physical presence of thoughts, ideas and reflections last longer in the memory? I need an educationalist to confirm that; may be though that the way that week was organised and led has left this influential mark. It's a  been a powerful experience revisiting these materials; reflection and development distilling an enervating week in one afternoon.

Perspiration, inspiration, and poetry

Once again I find myself drawn to other sources of inspiration; social media has provided the contact method, using it has been key. That's what's led to the perspiration on my part, modest though that has been.

Dr Kate Granger with her husband Chris Pointon have through their sharing of Kate's experience of advancing cancer been a source of admiration and great ideas; the ultimate being "#hello my name is..." and I was amongst the audience on the last of the roadshows they did last year spreading the word. Out of that alongside my efforts to be more creative, came a poem about Kate and the "#hello my name is..." project. I am convinced more of us should make time for exploring other avenues of expression and outlets for thoughts. Blogs themselves can be a way to say what we're thinking; as I get older I'm keener to explore creative avenues that were not so well developed when I was at school though that is a whole different story. 

Instead I'd like to leave you with the poem I wrote after meeting Kate and Chris last year. Kate has seen the poem and this was the perspiring moment for me; I know now Kate is okay with what I've written. Not only do I want to share my thoughts through this poem, I hope it may inspire readers to explore other routes of expression for themselves.

Kate’s vision – “#hello my name is …” or The Wakefield Wonder

Standing strong
Staring life in the face,
 going only half the distance
Ambition defying the gravity pull of death.

Beyond the expectations of the 
‘experts’
Her medical skills are for others, yet
So needing others now.

Hello my name is – makes us
smile though that’s not
the whole intent.

Touch and calm,
Pace is mine, and your focus
on the person.

With Messiah like drive you push
onwards, touching lives
touching, us, 
Giving the lie to dying
for living still
You make your mark.

An imprint of a modern making,
a Twitter born legacy
that Must leave us 
better people.

Philip Ball, 
24/06/15 2205 hours

Waiting times and times of waiting

This posting has been under consideration for a while. Those who know me well will know I've been looking for a new role since the redundancy word entered my life. After a varied experience regarding the employment search I am the proud possessor of a job; a quality manager with Sue Ryder only in week two as I post this. The best thing about this situation has been the reaction of my friends near and far, some of whom I've not met in person. Networking gets its detractors; without my contacts I would have found keeping positive very difficult. I've been offered opportunities to develop, to increase my exposure in social media, and generally keep busy. I count myself very fortunate to have been supported so well; thankful for all the messages long and short that have come my way, making the waiting so much easier.

There has also been another set of waiting in recent times. I'm getting older and now well onto my fifties I had to get my prostate checked as I was losing too much sleep. A rising PSA blood test resulted in a two week wait referral. The MRI scan was done promptly and the biopsy eventually took place once my blood pressure was controlled.
Today I know my biopsy results were negative, the MRI ambivalent. So its a watching brief at a sensible pace. My very nearest and dearest have known about this; sharing more widely involved waiting so I could be definite about where I'm at. Why not say anything before? False hopes and false alarms are corrosive to the spirits; in addition there has been just a little embarrassment too. I hope that being upfront now will show why life had been a little harder though not as bad as many others. I'm enjoying the inner celebration, tempered by the knowledge that were the news today different for me I have the most marvellous people who would support me, whether we've met or not. That's a real positive and worth waiting to write about.