Page 7 - QARANC Vol 15 No 1 2017

Update on the Chief Nursing Officer (Army) 2016 Study Days
Introduction
Col Karen Irvine RRC QHN, the Chief Nursing Officer (Army) (CNO (A)), hosted two study days in 2016. Despite the best of intentions the proposed 2017 symposium had to be cancelled and this short article reflects on those study days and takes a look forward to 2017.
Senior Nurse Clinical Leadership Workshop 28 July 2016
The first event was held in Keogh Barracks for 30 senior nursing staff and focused on clinical leadership and recognising and managing performance issues. The day included a mixture of PowerPoint presentations and interactive group work. The workshop was well received and the opportunity to network, share ideas and offer impromptu clinical supervision was, as always, well received.
Feedback on the application process, administration and content was very good or excellent across the board. The small group work proved extremely popular and there was clearly an appetite for more of this type of focused study day.
All Ranks Study Day 18 November 2016
After the success of the July event a slightly more ambitious project was planned for November 2016 involving all Ranks. Although planned as a study day this event soon grew into something resembling a symposium in both size and complexity! Held at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the South Atlantic Theatre the event proved more popular than had been anticipated. With a seating capacity of 156 a further 100 nurses and HCAs regrettably had to be turned away.
The morning focused on the major Army policy changes which had taken place and the afternoon switched to a clinical focus with the Glover Lecture by Dr Geraldine Walters of the NMC. There were also sessions on advancing clinical practice for nurses and healthcare assistants plus an update from CNO (A).
Royal Visit
To add to a packed day, a Royal visit was also planned to unveil the painting ‘What Matters Most’ by Mr Stuart Brown, a renowned military artist who was commissioned to produce a painting depicting a bedside scene of an Ebola patient
receiving care during the Op GRITROCK deployment. Prior to the unveiling, three members of the Op GRITROCK nursing team spoke eloquently and emotionally of their personal experience of nursing in Sierra Leone in the ‘Hot Zone’. Her Royal Highness the Countess of Wessex graciously stayed for the unveiling and then had refreshments with veterans of Op GRITROCK.
The day was rounded off with a Ceilidh dance in Robertson House (formally AMD) which even challenged the fitness and agility of some younger members of the Corps!
Feedback
In general, feedback on the day was excellent and, noting feedback from last year’s DANS Symposium, was free to attend. Comments included:
‘Great day, really informative and relevant to all QAs; best symposium I’ve been to.
‘Good to put the Glover lecture in the midst of it to place wider NHS/NMC issues into context.’
‘Really excellent to hear the passion and enthusiasm for nursing. It was really refreshing and exciting to hear the progress being made and plans for our future career progression.‘
‘This has been an inspirational and well put together conference day..... The speakers were excellent, at times funny, and at times emotional.’
As ever, it is not always possible to please everyone all of the time and there was also some critical and constructive feedback. Key amongst the feedback was a plea not to hold a study day on a Friday and then finish late afternoon. Availability of lecture halls and diaries meant this was unavoidable on this occasion but future events will aim to avoid Friday afternoons!
Looking ahead to 2017
2017 looks to be an exciting and challenging time for military nurses and military nursing. The CNO (A) comments at the introduction of this issue will have given some a hint of the challenges ahead. Keeping informed, networking, influencing, supporting colleagues and speaking with one voice will be important factors in sustaining the Corps through 2017.
In addition to the CNO (A) Symposium on 4 – 5 May 17 other study days/workshops are planned for 2017. See below:
4/5 May 2017 CNO(A) Symposium Nov 17 (TBC) CNO(A) Study Period
THE GAZETTE QARANC 5
Where are they now?
Charlie Walker of Llanelli, is seeking the whereabouts of Lynne Donnelly, who was a midwife and worked in outpatients at the Duchess of Kent Military Hospital in the early 1990s. Please contact RHQ for more information.
Ian Kenney of Edinburgh, is seeking the whereabouts of an old friend, Vanessa Marsden, who joined QARANC in 1982.
Please contact RHQ for more information.
Date
Focus
24 March 2017
Jnr Officer Study Period
12 October 2017
HCA Conference
TBC
Advanced Nurse Practitioner Study Period