At the end of last year, an interesting opportunity came my way.
The collaboration project called 'Follow Your Compassion' run by the RCN foundation, the RCN and The Kings Fund were seeking to find the perspectives of 24 newly qualified midwives and nurses. The groups were first divided into midwifery and nursing for the journaling part, and then both groups were brought together for getting the messages out there.
A subsequent conference at The Kings Fund also followed on from this. Its core message was 'Challenge, Change and Hope'.
This blog will set out what the project found and how it slotted perfectly into the second conference, thus allowing the original project to get more attention and media.
Challenge
What was it about?
We got to journal across three shifts, using whatever method we wanted. The aim being to identify themes and gain insight into the perspectives of 24 participants from both midwives and nursing staff who were all newly qualified. We could use photography, video, poetry, voice notes, written words; whatever way we wanted to bring people along with us for 3 shifts.
What did it achieve?
Following the journaling process, clear and concise messages were identified and explored further. The amazing technical team at The Kings Fund then turned these journals into Zing's, videos and a website to show the work done.
Findings
Most of the 24 participants discovered that their counterparts were all saying the same things as them. Despite being from all parts of the UK, and so many varying roles.
Key themes identified:
- Newly qualified staff often feel unsupported.
- Staff shortages are having a detrimental impact on the support staff receive.
- Chronic underfunding left staff feeling that the patients care was being compromised.
- Newly qualified staff wanted psychological safety within their workplace.
- Newly qualified staff felt that students shouldn't be mentored by newly qualified staff. It is not only doing a disservice to the staff but our next generation of staff.
Change
Why is it relevant?
The Kings Fund and the RCN were then able to bring the 24 participants together and put them in a room with leaders within healthcare who were in a position to make changes.
This was one of the first examples of what happens when you bring the voices of those on the ground, directly to the voices and ears of those who can deliver change.
This study really challenged a lot of people. It shocked; but importantly the leaders listened.
We even got it in front of parliament when an MP directly quoted the projects work.
Hope
The leaders wanted to see things change.
Each left with thoughts and feelings on how to change things at their level.
The newly qualified staff felt heard, felt respected and felt valued as a result of the leaders listening.
The project has filtered down into other conferences, such as The Kings Fund #KFANNUAL conference which focused on 'Challenge, Change and Hope'. I was invited to join this conference as a speaker on a panel of five, which examined the lived experiences of those facing these key issues. This allowed me to further get the messages felt by newly qualified staff, out to those who need to hear our voices. Word has it our Prime Minister was even in attendance at the conference, and you don't get an opportunity better than that to promote the value of healthcare to the government.
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