Nursing staff from Walsall Manor Hospital and community services have been working with patients and volunteers to develop a Nursing Strategy.
They shared experiences and ideas at a special event organised by Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust’s Director of Nursing Karen Dunderdale which featured guest speaker Tommy Whitelaw, Dementia Carers Voices-UK project lead, who spoke about his experience of caring for his mother Joan who had dementia.
At this event staff were also asked to make a pledge to make a difference and a host of ideas have been implemented including “What Matters To Me” boards on Ward 2 where patients are able to record the things that mean the most to them such as breakfast routines, favourite pastimes and important people in their lives.
Karen said: “In all the hustle and bustle of a busy shift it can be difficult to find the headspace to stop and reflect on where we need to focus our energy to drive improvements.
“That’s why it was so important for us to hold this event and work with patients and volunteers to ensure all voices were heard.
“I believe our vision for nursing should combine passion, dignity, and respect with some of the most advanced technologies which together provide the cornerstone of our commitment to patients and their families. It should also be true to the trust’s values of Respect, Compassion, Professionalism and Teamwork.
“Our Nursing Strategy is underpinned by four principles:
Enhance and maintain patient safety
Positive patient experience
Enhanced professionalism
Clinical leadership closest to the patient
“We want to develop a culture that places quality at the heart of everything that we do, where we develop a positive patient experience and improve outcomes. I am proud that we have collectively developed our Nursing Strategy which is applicable to all Registered Nurses, care support workers and ward support staff.
“We will now work together to ensure it is implemented for every patient all of the time in every area.”
The strategy will be reviewed annually and work will get underway soon to develop a Maternity Strategy and Allied Health Professionals Strategy.