News and presentations from todays conference reflecting on the characteristics and qualities of an effective Ward Manager, and understanding your role within quality and specifically meeting the CQC Quality Ratings at Ward level. We will include a look at the challenges and issues as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic for Ward Managers.
Chairs Welcome & Introduction: Developing your skills as an effective Ward Manager
Wendy Preston
Head of Nursing Practice
The Royal College of Nursing
• characteristics of an effective Ward Manager
• the Ward Manager role
• ward Leadership during and beyond Covid-19 including managing redeployment
• the 2021 RCN Nursing Workforce Standards - implications for Ward Managers
• what support do Ward Managers need?
Wendy started her talk by discussing her time as a Ward Manager, she said “Being a Ward Manager has been the best job I’ve done, but also the hardest”.
On describing the role she said “You have to juggle a lot of balls, and you have to look after yourself to make sure you are strong enough to look after your team”
Wendy shared The Nursing Workforce Standards and focused on point 5 and 6 which she said are key to the role of Ward Manager –
Standard 5 is Each Nursing service has a registered nurse lead. Standard 6 is Nurse leaders receive dedicated workforce planning time.
Wendy concluded her talk by saying “I found talking to the board very empowering, letting them know the reality of what is happening on the wards” “In my role as Ward Manager I was learning every day, it’s so important to share your stories of what works and what doesn’t work”
EXTENDED SESSION: Developing your Ward Leadership skill
Sally Bassett
Chair, RCN Nursing, Management and Leadership Forum and Senior Lecturer in Leadership
Oxford Brookes University
• understanding and developing your leadership skills
• developing leadership qualities and behaviours against a framework
• the role of coaching and mentoring
• ensuring a wider understanding of the whole organisation/system in which ward managers work
Sally started her talk by saying her role as Ward Manager was the foundation of everything she has done, she said “I would agree with Wendy that it’s the best and also hardest job I have done”.
She then asked the delegates to go into breakout rooms to discuss – “What is this thing called leadership? What's your image of leadership? And what's your definition you are working to?”
Sally said “Leadership is not about a job title, it’s setting a direction and giving a vision and plan of how to get there”
She went on to say – “What does a leader do? A leader produces change, A direction and taking people with you. Management is concerned with delivery and your job as a Ward Manager is to do both”.
On what it’s like to be on the receiving end of us as a Ward Manager? – Sally said “It’s so important to think about this”
Sally concluded her session by saying “Reflect as soon as you can – and carry on throughout your career – your leadership practice will depend on it!” Ask Who do I need to be? What do I need to do? And What do I want to achieve”