Opinion
Let’s get together I WAS once advised: ‘Get to as many events as you can; you never know who you’ll be sitting next to and what opportunities may arise as a result.’ These words ring as true to me now as they did then. Senior nurses’ roles are often high profile and highly responsible, but may also be isolating, so there is a need to create opportunities for senior nurses to meet and network with other professionals. In response to this need, the RCN established its Executive Nurse Network. One of the elements of its design I feel particularly passionate about is that it includes senior nurses from all sectors of employment and working anywhere in the UK. Often the language used to describe senior nurses has fallen behind the changing architecture of healthcare delivery, and I am keen that we look at the health and social care economy that supports NHS patients, rather than the traditional outlook that assumes all care is delivered by NHS organisations. For this reason, our network now has more than 160 members from all four UK nations, and they come from all employment sectors. Network infrastructure The term ‘network’ is used so often that itis easy to forget that creating a successful one requires specific skills and resources. A recent document exploring leading networks in health care (Health Foundation 2013) illustrates different types of networks and suggests factors that contribute to their success or failure. An important element of success is having a reliable infrastructure. The RCN Executive Nurse Network has dedicated administration, an email address and password-protected web pages. We also have an overview group comprising internal staff and network members who are directors of nursing, and they comment on network strategy and governance. NURSING MANAGEMENT
Alamy
The RCN Executive Nurse Network enables senior nurses to share knowledge with peers, says Naomi Chapman
A challenge for network organisers is to describe what success looks like. Certainly, success can be considered in terms of membership numbers and member retention, but I suggest it should go beyond these to include the links that our members make, how they use network resources, and their feedback and involvement in events. However, to feel part of a respected, valued network of senior professionals has benefits in terms of reputation and esteem that can be explored only qualitatively. We therefore assess each of our quarterly meetings using anonymously completed evaluation forms. Comments so far include: ■■ ‘Informal and safe environment which was supportive’. ■■ ‘Thought provoking and good to have time to think’. ■■ ‘Useful networking with local and more distant colleagues’.
Our initial network strategy was evaluated last year and the next phase of development, for this year and next, has been set out. This is what we want to do: ■■ Ensure we have strategic partners across important UK organisations involved in government, commissioning and social care. ■■ Encourage membership that reflects the independent, charity, voluntary and public sectors, and all four UK nations. ■■ Grow the membership of our groups of common interest, such as those concerning commissioning, integration and being ‘new to post’, and link them to the RCN by identifying a mentor for each from the college fellows. ■■ Explore and, where appropriate, establish international links. ■■ Develop the members’ informal mentoring role with ‘light touch’ tracking of their connections and mentorship outcomes. The network’s membership continues to grow and, as our strategy suggests, we aim to raise our profile to ensure that members have access to a range of current information and opportunities. As network lead, I hope to continue supporting individual members while developing the network in the UK and internationally. Naomi Chapman is RCN Executive Nurse Network lead
Reference Health Foundation (2013) Leading Networks in Healthcare. www.health.org.uk/publications/leading-networks-in-healthcare
Find out more Membership is open to senior nurses across all sectors who work at board level or are assistant or deputy directors. To find out more or to join, email [email protected] Chatham House events, at which those who attend are free to quote from the discussion but forbidden from saying who made any comment, are scheduled for July 4, October 10 and November 11, and we are planning a wider leadership event for September. April 2014 | Volume 21 | Number 1 19
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Let’s get together I WAS once advised: ‘Get to as many events as you can; you never know who you’ll be sitting next to and what opportunities may arise as a result.’ These words ring as true to me now as they did then. Senior nurses’ roles are often high profile and highly responsible, but may also be isolating, so there is a need to create opportunities for senior nurses to meet and network with other professionals. In response to this need, the RCN established its Executive Nurse Network. One of the elements of its design I feel particularly passionate about is that it includes senior nurses from all sectors of employment and working anywhere in the UK. Often the language used to describe senior nurses has fallen behind the changing architecture of healthcare delivery, and I am keen that we look at the health and social care economy that supports NHS patients, rather than the traditional outlook that assumes all care is delivered by NHS organisations. For this reason, our network now has more than 160 members from all four UK nations, and they come from all employment sectors. Network infrastructure The term ‘network’ is used so often that itis easy to forget that creating a successful one requires specific skills and resources. A recent document exploring leading networks in health care (Health Foundation 2013) illustrates different types of networks and suggests factors that contribute to their success or failure. An important element of success is having a reliable infrastructure. The RCN Executive Nurse Network has dedicated administration, an email address and password-protected web pages. We also have an overview group comprising internal staff and network members who are directors of nursing, and they comment on network strategy and governance. NURSING MANAGEMENT
Alamy
The RCN Executive Nurse Network enables senior nurses to share knowledge with peers, says Naomi Chapman
A challenge for network organisers is to describe what success looks like. Certainly, success can be considered in terms of membership numbers and member retention, but I suggest it should go beyond these to include the links that our members make, how they use network resources, and their feedback and involvement in events. However, to feel part of a respected, valued network of senior professionals has benefits in terms of reputation and esteem that can be explored only qualitatively. We therefore assess each of our quarterly meetings using anonymously completed evaluation forms. Comments so far include: ■■ ‘Informal and safe environment which was supportive’. ■■ ‘Thought provoking and good to have time to think’. ■■ ‘Useful networking with local and more distant colleagues’.
Our initial network strategy was evaluated last year and the next phase of development, for this year and next, has been set out. This is what we want to do: ■■ Ensure we have strategic partners across important UK organisations involved in government, commissioning and social care. ■■ Encourage membership that reflects the independent, charity, voluntary and public sectors, and all four UK nations. ■■ Grow the membership of our groups of common interest, such as those concerning commissioning, integration and being ‘new to post’, and link them to the RCN by identifying a mentor for each from the college fellows. ■■ Explore and, where appropriate, establish international links. ■■ Develop the members’ informal mentoring role with ‘light touch’ tracking of their connections and mentorship outcomes. The network’s membership continues to grow and, as our strategy suggests, we aim to raise our profile to ensure that members have access to a range of current information and opportunities. As network lead, I hope to continue supporting individual members while developing the network in the UK and internationally. Naomi Chapman is RCN Executive Nurse Network lead
Reference Health Foundation (2013) Leading Networks in Healthcare. www.health.org.uk/publications/leading-networks-in-healthcare
Find out more Membership is open to senior nurses across all sectors who work at board level or are assistant or deputy directors. To find out more or to join, email [email protected] Chatham House events, at which those who attend are free to quote from the discussion but forbidden from saying who made any comment, are scheduled for July 4, October 10 and November 11, and we are planning a wider leadership event for September. April 2014 | Volume 21 | Number 1 19
Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Dec 02, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
