Alanna Geary
Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Australia
Title: Building leadership capacity and capability via an opportunist approach
Biography
Biography: Alanna Geary
Abstract
In a system driven by rapidly evolving technology, shorter lengths of stay and efficiency measure the role of Nurse Executives is often operational. While there is an aspiration to be strategic, lead change, provide direction and intent, the stark reality is budget, workforce management, and human resource issues take precedence. However, clinical governance, leadership, and transfer of knowledge are pivotal drivers in the achievement of strategic priorities and outcomes influencing nursing actions and interactions. Nursing and midwifery executive within a metropolitan health service, employing more than 8000 nurses and midwives, made a pragmatic decision to offer ongoing educational leadership initiatives to all staff with the intent to provide positive educational opportunities, and assist in reframing the perspective of leadership capacity and capability to achieve improved patient outcomes through an appropriately empowered, engaged, and educated workforce. Executive collaborated with nursing education to offer a series of workshops and a suite of other resources to assist the workforce to continue to gain capacity and capability to manage complex high-pressure work environments. As such, this leadership development coupled with other lifelong learning strategies invests in achieving continuity and consistency of workforce behaviours. This unique approach targeting leadership in action for all classifications of the nursing and midwifery workforce afforded opportunities to share experiences, increase engagement, interaction, leadership capacity, and meaningful team building strategies to cultivate effective relationships within a positive work environment. Leadership workshops, education, mentorship, and support were provided to approximately 4000 staff. These opportunities afforded interaction with the Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery Services, and another executive. Additionally, career pathways and orientation to role resources have further enhanced this approach. Outcomes have resulted in a collective appreciation of leadership imperatives, and a shared interpretation of excellence for nursing/midwifery within the health service coupled with engendering momentum to continue a trajectory focussing on professional standards, strategic priorities, and other deliverables. Momentum is continuing with leadership now considered everyone’s responsibility, and other professions have sought assistance in meeting similar challenges.