Nurses and midwives start leadership journey

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick shared her vision of leadership today (Tuesday 1 September) with a group of nurses and midwives identified by the Lakes and Waikato district health boards as their emerging leaders.

And the fact Mrs Chadwick herself was in their position more than 20 years ago made the message even more relevant, said workshop co-organiser and Lakes DHB clinical nurse director Christine Payne.

“We wanted today to be very special for these nurses and midwives and when you’ve got someone like Steve who is of the faith, why would we not have her open our workshop,” she said.

Sixty nurses and midwives who were “tapped on the shoulders” as emerging leaders gathered for the workshop in the Rotorua Lakes Council chambers.

“They need opportunities now to see and hear how others have done it,” said Ms Payne.

Opening the workshop, Mrs Chadwick said leadership was “very, very hard and you’ve got to be brave.”

She talked about her early midwifery career in Rotorua, her move into management, the leaders who encouraged her into local politics and then into Parliament and her election as mayor two years ago.

People had challenged her leadership, she said.

“Leadership has vision, leaders work to a plan and they get on and deliver the vision without being distracted by the naysayers.”

But the key was to listen to the negatives because it was important to understand their views.

“How often do you put the patient at the centre of everything you do?” she asked participants.

“That’s what we are doing as a council. We are putting the community at the centre. ”

Nurses and midwives had a unique place in society, she said.

“People will always seek you out for your leadership. Respect and value that.”

Other speakers included Jane Bodkin from the Ministry of Health’s chief nurse office and Anna Mastrovich, Lakes DHB’s first nurse practitioner. Nurse practitioners are expert nurses who work within a specific area of practice incorporating advanced knowledge and skills. Ms Mastrovich is a nurse practitioner in primary health.

Motivational expert Linda Hutchings spoke on “You don’t need a title to lead” while Waikato DHB clinical midwifery leader Corli Roodt spoke about “leading from the heart”.

It was a theme Lakes DHB nursing and midwifery director Gary Lees also spoke on. “Learn to lead with your own personality,” he said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media