News and updates from today's conference focusing on reflections on the characteristics and qualities required for the role, and understanding your role within quality and specifically meeting the CQC Quality Ratings at Ward level.
Speaker & Chair: Mrs Wendy Preston
Head of Nursing Practice, The Royal College of Nursing
Since qualifying as RGN in 1992 Wendy has continued studies, achieving MSc in Respiratory Care with post graduate certificates in prescribing and higher education.
Chair’s welcome & introduction - Developing your skills as an effective ward manager
On being a Ward Manager, Wendy said "Its been the best and hardest job I've ever had"
Experiences of a ward manager: lived experience
Speaker: Liam Button
Charge Nurse/Ward Manager, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
I am a registered adult nurse; I gained my registration in 2016. Graduating from the University of the West of England with a first-class honours (BSc) degree in adult nursing. I have specialised in cardiology and respiratory medicine.
Liam started his talk by saying "What is the most important aspect of your team?" "I always say you are!" "It is also about the team, the team is the most important aspect of where you work".
Liam also said "You have to lead by expample"
On helpful tips Liam said " I set myself worry time, during the pandemic I found myself waking up worring a lot, so I set myself 15 or 30 mins in a day for worry time, then I pushed things back and thought I will worry about that during my worry time later, and I can't explain how much that helped me".
EXTENDED SESSION: Developing your ward leadership skills
• 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 how to optimise your teams engagement as a ward manager
Speaker: Ali Richards
Senior Lecturer, University of Cumbria
I am a nurse, company director and consultant with expert knowledge of leadership and management development.
Ali started by saying "In a hospital setting there will be big skill mix and there will be diverse teams" , "What we need to work out is how to get them to gel".
Ali went on to say "There is no recognised leadership style, its management and leadership" she also said "being nice doesn't make difficult people easier to deal with", "What staff need isn't a friend, but someone who is fair, compassionate and firm".
Ali concluded by saying "Its important to be authentic and compassionate"
