As HMC continues to grow and develop as a diverse and multi-faceted health care organization, it is essential that nurse leaders drive excellence in practice through an inter-professional approach with a focus on family centered care. This message was the foundation for the 2nd Annual Nursing Leadership Symposium which took place on the 18 and 19 June 2013. Building on the leadership principles from the 1st Symposium for Pediatric Nurse Leader in 2012, this year’s event aimed to provide practical leadership tools to further develop leadership competencies.
Above: The Symposium in progress
Nurse leaders who attended the symposium reflected on their strengths, challenges and the impact they have on their team. Breakout sessions led by SickKids nurse leaders discussed collaborative practice, communication strategies, effective role modeling, building capacity within teams, empowerment of staff, enhancing staff performance, management of staff conflict and alignment of staff values. The day also included three key note speeches by Dr. Irmajean Bajnok, Director of Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, Ms. Pam Hubley, Chief of Professional Practice and Nursing at SickKids and Ms. Karen Kinnear, Executive Director of Critical Care Services at SickKids. The symposium provided each pediatric nurse leader with an individual action plan and toolkit. Mentorship will be provided for the next year by Senior Nurse Leaders within HMC and Sidra who will support the participants in achieving their leadership competencies.
Above: Dr. Abdulla Al Kaabi, Director of HMC/SickKids Partnership, giving his welcoming speech
Children First met four delegates who were in attendance at the symposium; two attendees and two mentors.
Mentors, Sally Brown, Nurse Manager of PICU at Sidra, and Renee Benny, Director of Nursing for OPD at Al Wakra Hospital, both highlighted the importance of strong nursing leadership for pediatrics at HMC. Sally stated "Being a strong leader means having the ability to provide staff with confidence and draw on their knowledge and skills on a day to day basis to encourage potential of one day becoming a nursing leader themselves. It is about providing sustainable support and staff empowerment to nursing workforces that will effectively improve clinical outcomes and recognize inter-professional practice."
Above: Ms. Sally Brown Above: Ms. Renee Benny
Renee stated that, "The symposium highlighted the benefits of transformation in nursing leadership at HMC, and that change is good and healthy for departments, such as pediatrics, to grow and become stronger."
Having both been approached by HMC/SickKids Partnership Project Team to be mentors, Sally and Renee were more than happy to be involved in the initiative. Renee said, "I have worked at HMC for 11 years and during this time have been involved in being a preceptor developing critical thinking skills for clinical nurse specialists and head nurses. I enjoy mentoring and I believe teaching brings out the best in people; you can encourage challenges in the work place and overcoming them allows staff to grow and discover their own potential."
Speaking to ‘Children First’, delegates Khulud Maghreby, Clinical Instructor at Al Wakra Hospital, and Badriya Al-Shamiri, Director of Nursing for Al Maha 1 and 2, provided some very positive feedback with regards to their symposium experiences and expectations. Ms. Khulud explained, "The Pediatric Nursing Leadership Symposium boosted my confidence to be a strong leader and provided me with valuable skills I can use in my working environment on a daily basis. I would like to humbly thank the HMC/SickKids Partnership Project for organizing such a successful event. The speeches from Dr. Irma Jean, Ms. Pam and Ms. Karen were inspiring and interactive due to the sharing of real life stories and challenges with regards to nursing leadership – this was something I feel all delegates could relate to in some way or another."
Ms. Badriya Al-Shamiri said, "The symposium was well organized and systematic. It gave me an opportunity to work with leaders from HMC’s other hospitals and encouraged participation and collaboration. I am proud to be part of a new generation of nursing leaders at HMC who are dedicated to improving leadership skills. The mentoring initiative is exciting and I believe the knowledge and experience of our mentors will help us as nursing leaders achieve our goals in producing outstanding nursing workforces."
Above: During one of the break out sessions
In the face of leadership change within Qatar as a whole, it is clear that transformation and outcomes of the symposium will continue to develop leadership for pediatrics at HMC. ‘Children First’ are positive that the messages the delegates took away with them from the event will be maintained. Ms. Badriya has been concentrating on staff recognition by creating a 'Nurse of the Month' initiative within her wards and Ms. Khulud is dedicated to work collaboratively with her counterpart nursing leaders in improving her evidence based leadership skills.
Ms. Sally concluded our talk saying, "Building a sustainable workforce for future generations is integral for breeding positive healthcare environments. Successful nursing leadership is pivotal for reflecting strong clinical outcomes and an even stronger work force; we must not forget that hospitals need nurses – they are the eyes and ears of the patients."
