Category: Blogs

Abigail Spragg shares her experiences of the Student Leadership Programme having been selected in 2017, returning as a speaker in 2018 and celebrating with all #150Leaders last month in London:

I had the pleasure of being a successful applicant for Cohort 2 of the Student Leadership Programme in 2017. The programme came at an interesting time for me; I was coming to the end of year one of my training, unsure what direction I was heading in and feeling very deflated by ‘burn out’ and uncertain of the direction of my future as a mental health nurse. I had applied for the programme because leadership was something I seemed to naturally enjoy, as well as seeing in my first placement that strong leadership was at the centre of brilliant team work and effective patient care. I did not know what to expect on the first day of the SLP; me and a colleague (now good friend) travelled from Plymouth to Birmingham, excited and apprehensive of what to expect from the next two days.

I can whole heartedly say that I was not expecting to enjoy and learn as much as I did from the two-day event. We had the opportunity to meet some incredible speakers such as Joanne Bosanquet and Brendan McCormack who eloquently spoke to us about their experiences of becoming leaders and over coming the many challenges to get to where they are today. Talking with and getting to know like minded students from across the UK was possibly the highlight of the programme; I met so many amazing students and was astounded by the compassion and knowledge they had in their area of healthcare. The third and fourth days of the programme took place in London a few months after, and I was filled with such pride and enthusiasm to be reunited with fellow student leaders again and learn more about what they had been doing since the first time we met. Professionally, I was now a few months into year two of my training and was feeling the common pressure of stepping up another study level. I felt confident and supported in sharing my experiences of overcoming my own struggles with fellow leaders and found the true meaning of emotional resilience. Learning more about what it means to be emotionally resilient was personally the most important skill I learnt from the programme, that I have utilised every day since. After the four days of the programme, I felt closer to carving my own student nurse journey and defining what I wanted to get out of my training. I felt motivated, empowered and ready to be the difference I wanted to see in mental health care.

Jumping forward further into second year, a lot has changed for me. I’ve utilised every skill learnt during the student leadership programme into being the best version of myself I can be. I’m part of a fantastic group of colleagues running the first Mental Health Nursing Society at my University, promoting and advocating for good mental health among students. I’m also now a trained PALS leader, one of the highlights of my degree so far, using my leadership skills to work with the first-year students to help their learning. Plus, for the first time during my third placement I was able to practice with confidence and recognise the difference I am making to patients’ lives. I continue to work on not being so self-critical and take any criticism received from placement teams as a vital component to improving my practice.

I had the privilege of returning to the student leadership programme this year in March, to talk to Cohort Four about what I learnt on the programme last year and my own leadership journey. Being able to present and talk about my journey has made me realise how far I have come since the first day of the programme and where I was in my training at that time. It has also made me realise how far I have still to go, but this no longer worries or scares me, it excites me. It also excites me that the incredible students I had the pleasure to meet in March and at cohort two are future leaders in healthcare. They are a creative, inspiring and resilient bunch of people who taught me more about leadership and myself than I could have ever imagined.

Moving Forward A Year – July 2018

I was very excited to receive an email from Nadia and the Council of Deans inviting us 150 Leaders to a summer conference in London. Re-connecting with the friends and professional links that I had made from Cohort Two and Four seemed like a perfect way to end my second year of being a Mental Health Nursing Student. I was also looking forward to discussing some difficulties I am having on my current placement and seek advice from some friendly faces on how they would use their leadership skills to succeed and get through it. As always, I felt apprehensive on the 10^th July when travelling up to London; could I compare with the brilliant work my fellow leaders have achieved?

My anxiety was soon diminished by seeing my friends and fellow colleagues from around the UK and the Council of Deans. Katerina began by celebrating our achievements advertised on Twitter and how we had all used what we have learnt in the Programme to positively influence our professional and personal lives, as well as the lives of fellow students and patients. We then had a stimulating talk from Professor Brian Webster-Henderson, who discussed with us the importance of Political Astuteness and how adopting this as a leader is a vital component to practicing effectively and to the best of our abilities. This was the first time I had the opportunity to reflect on being political astuteness in practice and I left the day keen to learn more and further my understanding on how I can improve this aspect of my leadership journey. Now, I clearly recognise the vitality of political astuteness and how I can impact practice by adopting this leadership style.

Next, Dr Peter Shaw shared his ‘100 Tips for Leadership’ and I found reading through his book and listening to him an invaluable source of information. I particularly liked the parts about not seeking the approval from others and being able to reflect on where you are and where you want to be. Peter emphasised again the importance of reflection in practice and believing in yourself, your morals and your strengths. I also thoroughly enjoyed Professor Aisha Holloway’s presentation on the importance of Networking and the positive impact it can have on our professional lives and since this talk I have encouraged myself and other student nurses to seek out new networks via Twitter, University and beyond.

As I finish reflecting on the programme I have just come to the end of my second year as a Mental Health Nursing student. In my final weeks I have organised a student clinical supervision group for myself and fellow colleagues who also study Mental Health Nursing, after recognising the dire need for this and having discovered the value of peer-led support through being a part of the Student Leadership Programme. I have graduated as a ‘Wellbeing Champion’ for the University, meaning I get to promote good mental health throughout campus and beyond, working with students and staff to change the way we think about mental wellbeing and making vital improvements to university life. Without the Student Leadership Programme, I doubt I would have the confidence and leadership skills to seize these opportunities and seek them out myself. I look very much forward to the final year of my degree as a healthcare student and hope to continue coming up with innovative ideas and sinking my teeth into more leadership roles.

I cannot thank the Council of Deans and the Burdett Trust for providing students with this experience. It has been invaluable and precious to me and I know so many others feel the same. I hope in the future the student leadership programme can be adapted and shaped to be a part of every healthcare students journey, as I know so many others would benefit from what the incredible programme has to offer.

Blog from Carmen Neagu

On Saturday 30 June 2018 I attended the ‘Perioperative Leadership; Developing Leaders, Improving Care’ study day, organised by the Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP), held at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS trust.

The day was opened by Dezita Taylor (@DezitaODP9), who is AfPP West Midlands Regional Lead, registered Operating Department Practitioner (ODP) and Senior Lecturer at Birmingham City University. Her session made us look inwards at what motivates us and what is important for each of us, through a variety of reflective and group activities. We were asked to pick the leadership quote that most resonated with us. Mine was the following, because I don’t think you can expect others to respect you as a leader if you are not prepared to work alongside them for a common goal.

Dezita also provided us with a list of values, and challenged us to pick out 5 that most resonate with us. After selecting way too many, I narrowed down my 5 leadership values to:

Integrity, because I think it encompasses being honest, taking responsibility for your actions and staying true to your values. Happiness, because life is too short to be unhappy, so live happily, work happily, play happily and lead happily. Kindness is not only fundamental for a career as a healthcare professional, but also vital for building meaningful relationships and gaining people’s respect. In a world where you can be anything, be kind! Challenge, beause I do like a good challenge. It tests and builds my curiosity, creativity, hard-work and adaptability. Last, but not least, excellence, because, for better or worse, I always strive to be the best I can be and do the best work I can do, whether academically or in clinical practice.

Another quote by Dezita which struck a chord within me was: “Take responsibility for the energy you bring into the room”. It made me reflect on how powerful our attitude is and how it can impact (positively or negatively) everyone around you, and how it can ultimately affect patient care. Thus, I pledge to bring positive energy in the rooms I enter.

The next speaker was Dawn Stott (@AfPPCEO), the CEO of AfPP. She took us through a brief history of leadership, and discussed why some of the leadership styles are no longer applicable to the world that we currently live in. In addition, she introduced to us the four colour leadership personality types: red, yellow, green and blue. The picture below depicts the traits of each them, both on a good day and on a bad day. What I found interesting was that although the majority of delegates could identify with a colour quite easily, I struggled to pick one, as I seem to have characteristics from all types, both on good days and bad days. Would that make me a white?

Dawn discussed the 4 colour personality types first from a self-awareness point of view. Knowing what you can achieve when you have a good day, and knowing how to emphasise your strengths. Also, being aware of your bad day characteristics is equally important, in order to understand and manage the impact your bad day is having on everyone around you. In addition, Dawn considered the different personality types in the context of team work. For an effective team you need all four personality types. You also need to understand that others are not necessarily like you, and that what’s obvious to you might not necessarily be obvious to them, because they see things through a different lens to yours. Thus, key for effective teams is understanding, respect and communication.

The third speaker was Alison Wells (@AWatSmartwork), who is a consultant for Smart Work Consulting, as well as a Practice Education Facilitator at The Royal Wolverhampton Trust. Her session focused on emotional intelligence and its importance in clinical practice. Alison also discussed the 4 personality types in regard to emotional intelligence, which flowed nicely from Dawn’s session.

Alison also discussed team cohesion and attributes of successful teams. In doing so, she introduced us to the accountability ladder and to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs applied to employee engagement (both pictured below). Effective teams are highly accountable, recognising that a challenge exists, thinking up ideas to solve it and putting the ideas in practice. Similarly, highly engaged teams are composed of individuals who love their job, understand how their role has a positive impact in the team’s work and are highly motivated. She then challenged us to honestly reflect on where our teams are placed in both scales.

As research has found that employees working in cohesive teams are happier and less affected by stress, if we found that our teams were towards the lower end of the scales, it would be a good idea to take action to improve team working.

Alison then touched on how to implement change, by exploring the Eagles, Sheep and Mules analogy. Eagles are the individuals who embrace change, who have the vision and the plan and who are not afraid of risks. The Sheep are not worried either way, they can see the benefit of change, but also think the current way works. The Mules on the other hand are resistant to change, and think all change is detrimental. They are often very vocal in expressing their opinions. Generally, in organisations there are not many Eagles or many Mules, majority of individuals are Sheep, and the key to implementing change is to not let the Sheep be drawn towards the Mules, but inspiring them and getting them on the Eagle’s side.

On a similar note, after lunch, Helen Bevan (@helenbevan), who is the Chief Transformation Officer for NHS England, discussed how to implement change, regardless of your position in an organisation, emphasising that you do not have to be a manager to implement change. She first set the scene by highlighting some of the unpredictable changes that have happened in recent years, such as Brexit or the Human Genome Project and which can potentially have a huge impact on the future. In doing so, she then emphasised that in the current world the same historical hierarchical structures and styles of leadership are not going to be very successful or well received. Helen then introduced us to Jeremy Heimens and Henry Timms’ New Power and contrasted it with the Old Power as per the image below. The concepts behind the new power is that it is peer-driven, transparent, based on strong interpersonal relationships and focused on creative gain, as opposed to the old power who is profit-driven and held by few individuals, who are setting targets without being aware what happens below them. For more (and better) information on New Power, check out Heimens and Timms Harvard Business Review article: https://hbr.org/2014/12/understanding-new-power

In a new power fashion, Helen discussed how research has shown that only 3% of people in an organisation have the power to influence 85% of the workforce. She also emphasised that these 3% are not always necessarily in leadership positions, but they are the individuals with the most and strongest social connections within the organisation. Thus, Helen’s advice for implementing change was “Find your 3%, get them on your side and then the ideas will reach everyone else”.

Helen also advised that in order to make change, you have to ACE it. Make sure your idea is Actionable, Connected and Extensible, meaning that it is easy to implement, it promotes a close connection with others, making them feel like they are part of a community, and anyone can take the idea and personalise it. Helen then spoke about a good example of an ACE idea: the #TheatreCapChallenge, which is an initiative to improve patient safety in theatres by ensuring that everyone knows everyone’s name and role. It was started by Rob Hackett, an anaesthetist in Australia, and it has now spread across the world. For further information on the #TheatreCapChallenge, you can follow this link: https://www.psnetwork.org/theatrecapchallenge-wheres-the-evidence/

Last, but not least, Kat Topley, Clinical Efficiency Manager at 3M, got us to focus on our own goals and opportunities. In preparation for her session, she asked us to conduct a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) of ourselves. Her session reinforced much of the learning throughout the day, whilst bringing the focus on our own clinical practice environments and the actions we can take forward from the day.

Kat also showed us the following video, which I found to be a very powerful way of portraying how important courage is in leadership. Additionally, it highlights the importance of the first follower, as well as the recognition the follower deserves. The learning I took from the video is that in order to be a leader, you need a vision, you need the courage to stand alone, and you need to appreciate your first follower and make them an equal in a shared vision.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW8amMCVAJQ

To wrap it up, it was a very enjoyable day, full of learning and left me with lots to reflect on. I shall leave you with Simon Sinek who is discussing love, relationships and leadership. It is a slightly lengthy video, but very much worth the time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsQPhVwXcuc&feature=share

2nd Year Child Nursing Student – University of Worcester

Even though we are only at the beginning of this programme I have already gained so much from the experience; so far I have attended the two day conference in Reading (March 5th /6th ), where we got to enjoy a variety of speakers and workshops that enhanced our understanding of how leadership is a golden thread which will be woven throughout our careers and is integrated into every role, regardless of post for  Allied Health and Nursing professionals; we got to hear how some of the key leaders have developed themselves, ,and how they have met challenges along the way. Speakers also kindly shared their knowledge and techniques of survival and reinvention.

Following the initial conference we were allocated our mentors; I am lucky to have been allocated two mentors  Matthew Fowler: Advanced Nurse Practitioner at Heart of England NHSFT; and Linda Ward: Deputy Director of Nursing, Quality and Safety at NHS England. I could not have asked for more apt mentors, I am delighted.

Having already met with Matt I have developed a progress plan to enhance my understanding of roles and pathways of development for the nursing profession; and, with a date set for mid-April, I am really looking forward to meeting Linda, and I cant wait for the opportunity to ask her questions and seek advice about how, as an individual, I can move forward and enhance my skills, whilst keeping myself in-line with the needs of a rapidly changing and tirelessly demanding working environment.

Additional to the mentoring programme I, as one of the #150leaders, with Megan Cam (University of Worcester midwifery student and fellow #150leaders delegate) was fortunate to travel up to London on 26th March, for the official launch of the online E-learning platform that engages health and care staff of all levels with knowledge, understanding and a tool for assessment in relation to the Leading Change Adding Value framework.
Here we had a full briefing of the function, intention and reasons for implementing the tool and were given opportunities to log-on and set up our free user profiles there and then; Megan and I are now looking at opportunities to share this information amongst our peers in all relevant health and care cohorts as it is a framework that is applicable to all future nursing, midwifery and care staff.

Student @victoriavickyr1 tells us how she became attracted to a course in child nursing after working at @Bham_Childrens. #150Leaders #ThisCouldBeYou @WeStudentNurse @WeNurses @linward @mattfowler751 pic.twitter.com/E3mlwWIqYM

— Council of Deans (@councilofdeans) May 11, 2018

I have been delighted with the depth and breadth of information and learning I have been able to yield from this experience in such a short time, and all of it has been transferable to my current learning and application in my academic work at university;I am looking forward to applying myself, as a result of this programme and my development,  more efficiently and effectively when I go out on placement in May.

Moving forward; over the next three months I will work with my mentors to continue my personal development, seeking to understand what I need to do in order to set relevant goals and develop skills to proceed with achieving set targets.

The programme will conclude with a gathering in July of all 2018 cohorts; here we will be able to present and share our experiences with each other formally and informally. I am confident that this will be an opportunity that will highlight how beneficial the Leadership Programme has been on an individual basis and for the workforce of the future.

Abby, a mental health nursing student from Plymouth University, was on the Student Leadership Programme in 2017, and presented to students at the 2018 conference.

I had the pleasure of being a successful applicant for cohort 2 of the Student Leadership Programme in 2017. The programme came at an interesting time for me; I was coming to the end of year one of my training, unsure what direction I was heading in and feeling very deflated by ‘burn out’ and uncertain of the direction of my future as a mental health nurse. I had applied for the programme because leadership was something I seemed to naturally enjoy, as well as seeing in my first placement that strong leadership was at the centre of brilliant team work and effective patient care. I did not know what to expect on the first day of the SLP; me and a colleague (now good friend) travelled from Plymouth to Birmingham, excited and apprehensive of what to expect from the next two days.

I can whole heartedly say that I was not expecting to enjoy and learn as much as I did from the two-day event. We had the opportunity to meet some incredible speakers such as Joanne Bosanquet and Brendan McCormack who eloquently spoke to us about their experiences of becoming leaders and over coming the many challenges to get to where they are today. Talking with and getting to know like minded students from across the UK was possibly the highlight of the programme; I met so many amazing students and was astounded by the compassion and knowledge they had in their area of healthcare. The third and fourth days of the programme took place in London a few months after, and I was filled with such pride and enthusiasm to be reunited with fellow student leaders again and learn more about what they had been doing since the first time we met. Professionally, I was now a few months into year two of my training and was feeling the common pressure of stepping up another study level. I felt confident and supported in sharing my experiences of overcoming my own struggles with fellow leaders and found the true meaning of emotional resilience. Learning more about what it means to be emotionally resilient was personally the most important skill I learnt from the programme, that I have utilised every day since. After the four days of the programme, I felt closer to carving my own student nurse journey and defining what I wanted to get out of my training. I felt motivated, empowered and ready to be the difference I wanted to see in mental health care.

Jumping forward further into second year, a lot has changed for me. I’ve utilised every skill learnt during the student leadership programme into being the best version of myself I can be. I’m part of a fantastic group of colleagues running the first Mental Health Nursing Society at my University, promoting and advocating for good mental health among students. I’m also now a trained PALS leader, one of the highlights of my degree so far, using my leadership skills to work with the first-year students to help their learning. Plus, for the first time during my third placement I was able to practice with confidence and recognise the difference I am making to patients’ lives. I continue to work on not being so self-critical and take any criticism received from placement teams as a vital component to improving my practice.

I had the privilege of returning to the student leadership programme this year in March, to talk to cohort four about what I learnt on the programme last year and my own leadership journey. Being able to present and talk about my journey has made me realise how far I have come since the first day of the programme and where I was in my training at that time. It has also made me realise how far I have still to go, but this no longer worries or scares me, it excites me. It also excites me that the incredible students I had the pleasure to meet in March and at cohort two are future leaders in healthcare. They are a creative, inspiring and resilient bunch of people who taught me more about leadership and myself than I could have ever imagined.

I cannot thank the Council of Deans and the Burdett Trust for providing students with this experience. It has been invaluable and precious to me and I know so many others feel the same. I hope in the future the student leadership programme can be adapted and shaped to be a part of every healthcare students journey, as I know so many others would benefit from what the incredible programme has to offer.

Guest Blog from Lucy Elliot, 2nd Year Adult Nursing Student – Bangor University.

Born and raised in Llandudno and I have always had a passion and interest in nursing. I thoroughly enjoy studying at Bangor University, the enthusiastic and knowledgeable lecturers, supportive peers and of course, the beautiful and incredible scenery which surrounds Bangor (which doesn’t make it as bad when you have an early lecture!).

When I began my theory lectures, I was introduced to the phrase ‘evidence-based practice’. I became very intrigued how, through research by colleagues, we can essentially implement new practice but also de-implement practices which have been used for several years. After being out in clinical practice, I have noticed and realised, that as professionals we know practices need to change, as times and society change. The beauty of research is to use evidence to see what works and to enhance the quality of care we provide to patients.

So why should students should get involved in research? Well, recently I was very fortunate to gain a place on the Student Leadership programme (#150Leaders) which I thoroughly enjoyed. Having discussions with other student nurses, midwives and other allied health professionals, really gave me a broader view as to how research is vital across all professions in guiding their practice too. I also found what sort of research was interesting for different students, some liked research which proved links in condition progression, others about evidence proven in baby and mother bonds. I felt like it was important to discuss and compare ideas as it’s interesting to explore, and as much as we deny it, sometimes we get stuck in our little bubble of ideas around us. It’s always good to break it and to explore new themes, who knows when we could need these when out in practice? In my time as a student, I’m finding that it is so important and wise to gain experience in research whilst we are students.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council actually specifies the need for nurses to be able to understand and appraise research. In the NMC Standards, 2010, ‘Competencies for entry to the register (Adult Nursing)’ it states that: ‘All nurses must appreciate the value of evidence in practice, be able to understand and appraise research, apply relevant theory and research findings to their work and identify areas for further investigation’. So, what have I been doing to gain some experience in research? Well, I have been lucky to sit in on a meeting with Dr Lynne Williams about an infection prevention study. The findings clearly linked some theory into practice for me, and I began realising how important research and continually developing our own practice is. I am hoping to be able to see more research at work within our School this year. I am also planning to attend an international research summer school this July at Bangor.

The masterclasses on implementation and language awareness really take my interest so hopefully I will gain much more insight into these topics! Lastly, I have been paired up with an incredibly inspirational mentor, within the Student Leadership programme, with whom I hope to discuss research in relation to emergency care nursing as this is hopefully where I would like to be when I register.

To my fellow students, I would say, I understand that this degree is hard work and challenging but so fulfilling at the same time, but take time to read the research around your area of interest. Investing time to read or attend research meetings will develop your practice, thus benefiting your patients and yourself professionally.

Remember: ‘An investment in knowledge pays the best interest’ – Benjamin Franklin.

MSc 2nd Year Child Nursing Student – Edge Hill University

On 7^th March I boarded the train at Liverpool Lime Street and headed off to Reading, unsure, but excited, about what the next two days would bring. As soon as I arrived at the event I realised I needn’t have worried at all. Everyone was so friendly and I immediately got chatting to people and we started sharing our stories. It was so interesting to connect with students from a range of healthcare backgrounds, such as physios, midwives, and radiographers. One OT student commented to me that when he asked the nursing students what they were studying, they often just replied with their field, such as child. It showed me that when you study nursing you can get stuck in a bit of a nursing bubble, which can be confusing for other healthcare students!

Over the course of the two days we had many talks from senior leaders in healthcare. I found it really interesting to listen to their career journeys, especially how they have learnt just as much from their failures as from their successes. I found this really inspiring and motivating, and it re-emphasised to me that a career in healthcare requires determination and hard work throughout.

We watched a TED talk video titled ‘Transparency, Compassion and Truth in Medical Errors’. The speaker’s son had died after a series of medical mistakes. It really brought home to me the responsibility we have as healthcare professionals to always be open and honest with our patients and their families, and to admit and learn from our mistakes, which we will inevitably make at some point in our career.

The theme of resilience also ran strongly throughout the event. The student reflections from Abigail Spragg and Ruth Rodgers stressed how important it is to look after yourself whilst studying, and how making time to do the things you enjoy outside of the course is beneficial for both your personal and professional life. Similarly, Beryl Mansel’s talk on confidence highlighted the importance of making time for self-caring activities. Ultimately, if we want to care for others successfully we must first care for ourselves.

As the two days drew to a close I was amazed at how much information and ambition I had acquired in such a short space of time. The Student Leadership Programme has given me the drive to aim for great things in my career and to have the confidence and resilience to know that I can and will bounce back from difficulties. However, the best thing about the programme was connecting with like-minded and passionate students. It confirmed to me that despite the current pressures of the NHS, we all aspire to provide the best care for our patients, no matter what, and that filled me with hope. I am very proud to be one the #150leaders.

MSc Adult Nursing – University of Central Lancashire

The Student Leadership Programme (SLP) is a partnership between the Council of Deans of Health and Burdett Trust for nursing aimed at students with leadership potential to develop skills through a four-month programme. Due to the high volume of applicants, I did not build my hopes up too high, so I was thrilled when I received an email informing me that I was invited to embark on a journey towards becoming 1 of 150 leaders.

As I began my journey to Reading, I felt a mixture of excitement and nerves, as I didn’t know what to expect. Upon arrival into the meeting room, there was an assortment of sandwiches and the buzz of enthusiastic students. After our lunch, we were directed into the conference room and welcomed by Dr Katerina Kolyva, Executive Director of Council of Deans of Health. When sitting in the conference rooms at the round tables alongside influential, intellectual and charismatic students and professionals, I was in disbelief that I was selected! However, I soon realised that we all shared an immense passion for healthcare.

The first lesson I learnt on the programme was BE AUTHENTIC. This session inspired me to embrace who I am and any idiosyncrasies by expressing these into strengths to encourage fresh ideas and promote diversity. Every single individual shared their unique insights and it was empowering to know that regardless of the diversity in the room, passion for optimal healthcare and the desire to make a genuine difference caring for others beamed through each and every single person in the room. Various experiences of healthcare were discussed and it really enabled a sense of creativity and authenticity, which underpinned the message of the leadership programme.

The second lesson was BE CONFIDENT AND BOLD. Before embarking on my leadership journey, I rated my confidence at around 50%. The group exercise challenged my confidence as it involved a roundtable discussion on scenario building, and then we presented our scenario to our peers in the conference room. Afterwards, we were treated to the three-course meal and Ismalia De Sousa shared her journey of leadership progression as a Clinical Nurse specialist in stroke. Following dinner we had free time to network, and it was enlightening to interact with students from various backgrounds and disciplines of healthcare. At the end of the course, my confidence leaped from 50% to an astounding 80%.

The third lesson was BE COURAGEOUS. The inspirational Joanne Bosanquet, Deputy Chief Director at Public Health England, shared her journey of leadership on day 2. I was moved by her great dedication, passion and achievements, one of many was an MBE. Joanne was extremely empowering and stressed the importance of advocacy, which isn’t just about ‘wishing patient’s well’, it is about taking risks and actively standing up for what is right. A week after the leadership programme, I was delighted to discover that Joanne was my allocated my mentor. Later that day, Felicity Allman, Student Mental Health Nurse reflected on her experience of the SLP from last year and what she had learnt, achieved and her aspirations.  She encouraged us to realise how all the little things that we do in our career can make a big difference.

The fourth lesson was BE AS TENACIOUS AS A TENNIS BALL! Yes, a tennis ball. Adele Nightingale, Senior Lecturer in Healthcare Leadership Practice (UCLan) presented a session on emotional intelligence. Adele emphasised that resilience was a key component of emotional intelligence, in which she symbolised resilience as ‘sports balls’. The first, a ping-pong ball which had the ability to bounce back and fourth, but once crushed, it no longer had resilience. Secondly, a cricket ball, which although was robust, it was resistant to change. Lastly, a tennis ball, which was the perfect example of resilience as it had the ability in the face of adversity to bounce back and leap forward, and constantly re-energise.

The last lesson was SAY YES. Say yes to every opportunity as stressed by Nigel Harrison, Executive Dean and Education Impact Lead (Council of Deans of Health). Nigel stressed the importance of striving for the best you can possibly be and cease opportunities as they arise. Be proud of daily achievements no matter how big or small they may be and always have a solution focused, CAN DO attitude.

The next steps of the programme involve mentorship and a networking event in London. It is an absolute privilege to be part of the leadership programme and I am excited to build stronger networks and relationships across the sector and achieve my ambition of becoming a leader. This invaluable opportunity being surrounded by captivating students and professionals has created a sense of reassurance for the future culture of nursing, and will prospectively play a key role in the adaptation and evolution of the NHS.

2nd year Radiotherapy student – Sheffield Hallam University

From the very beginning of the residential welcome event it was clear that no one needed to be worried about not getting along with people or feeling excluded. Everyone wanted to talk to everyone. We couldn’t help ourselves. We all wanted to talk about our professions, share our experiences and ask questions of each other. I sensed a feeling of belonging amongst us all – being with like-minded people who would all speak up for the better of healthcare.

After our arrival, check-in and some lunch we were welcomed by Dr Katerina Kolyva, Executive Director of the CoDH, and discussed how you have to ‘be yourself’ when it comes to leadership. We discussed how leadership is situational and that you’re never a leader on your own, support from peers is essential. For me, the take home message from this initial discussion was that to be a leader you have to ask the ‘why?’ questions and sometimes it’s alright to feel uncomfortable because you need to push yourself. We then went on to talk about what makes each one of us unique and although the words ‘creative’, ‘resilient’ and ‘persistent’ came up most frequently, the stories behind each word for each individual were all very different. To round off the discussions it was highlighted that maintaining good and effective leadership is down to our own behaviour and that to be an authentic leader you need to have an awareness of yourself as well as having a whole system awareness that looks at the bigger picture.

We participated in many group activities, however the one that stood out for me was a scenario-based group exercise during the first day which we then presented back to the rest of the room. Despite us all being from different professions it was so evident that we shared the same values and because we were all from different backgrounds and locations, as well as varying in ages, it meant that collectively we had a great wealth of experience to use to our advantage when tackling tricky situations. This just shows that by working collaboratively many more obstacles can be overcome. I initially thought that I wouldn’t be able to help my group much as the scenario that we had was not something that I had or was like to ever come across in my profession, but that was not the case at all. I asked questions of my peers to better understand the scenario and used my own experiences to suggest ways in which our given issue could be overcome.

Before dinner we heard from our key note speaker Ismalia De Sousa, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Stroke at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. What I took away from her story and the experiences she shared was that it comes down to passion, determination and self-belief in order to be successful. Her approach was so reflective and self-aware that it really made me think about how I reflect on my own practice. I don’t find reflection easy at all, but she really emphasised that being able to make note of a certain situation and how you handled it while it’s still fresh in your mind is a must. It was really great to then get to sit and eat with a new group of people yet again and learn about each other, I really appreciated being able to answer questions about my profession and highlight what we do as therapy radiographers.

As day two kicked off we got to hear from Joanne Bosanquet MBE, Deputy Chief Nurse of Public Health England and she was so very inspiring. We discussed advocacy – showing courage, empowering service users and giving them control to make informed decisions, challenging the norm and thinking about quality of life. All of these aspects are something that I see daily in the radiotherapy department and we have to be able to advocate for our patients effectively. We highlighted that the backbone of advocacy is empathy, as therapeutic radiographers we see our patients everyday and build relationships with them and so we are perfectly placed to challenge things that might not be working as we can see it from the patient’s perspective.

The important and often tough topics of emotional intelligence and resilience were next on the agenda, delivered by Adele Nightingale, Senior Lecturer in Healthcare Leadership Practice at the University of Central Lancashire. Resilience is made up from your adaptability, confidence, purposefulness and having social support and emotional intelligence comes from having social and self awareness, self management and relationship management. Both of these combine to create leadership – authentic, effective leadership. From my notes of this discussion I have written in capital letters and underlined: ‘the greatest asset you have is you!’ It became clear that if we don’t look after ourselves then we cannot look after our patients and their needs. This can be a real issue in radiotherapy in terms of emotional burn-out and so we need to be able to reflect on experiences in a healthy and meaningful way in order to prevent this from happening as much as possible. We also talked about the power of ‘yet’, so adding the word ‘yet’ to the end of statements – I am not a qualified therapeutic radiographer versus I am not a qualified therapeutic radiographer YET. But one day soon I will be! This was very motivational and really shifts your perspective onto a more positive front.

The final speaker of the event was Nigel Harrison, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Central Lancashire, and he shared his personal story of overcoming challenges to get where he is today. It highlighted to me that leaders are those who have the determination to be the very best they can be for the sake of others, they are the people who see the world and want to make a change. Nigel also shared how he copes with the pressures of his job, and by having something to look forward to (like a holiday or some such event) it keeps him moving forward and looking up. I feel that as a student we could all relate to this as we are always counting down to the next holiday or small amount of free time after a deadline and this is what keeps us moving forwards right now and that’s OK.

I applied for the CoDH Student Leadership Programme primarily because I want to make a difference, I want to be able to inspire others to make a difference and I want to promote the amazing profession that I am going into. I wanted to learn about other professions and share in their experiences in order to make myself a better collaborator. I was greatly encouraged by my then course leader (Laura Pattinson) to apply and this really boosted my confidence to have her backing.

During my journey home I had plenty of time to reflect upon the experience and I have to admit I was scared. I was excited for sure, but I was scared. I was worried that I would have gained all these amazing experiences but not be able to do anything with it. I felt pressure to be more than what I am. But then I opened my feedback box (we all had a feedback box at the back of the conference room with out name on it for the other participants to leave anonymous feedback in) and it made me feel a million times better. People had written about my passion, my enthusiasm, my ability to articulate, my willingness to throw myself into everything, my empathy and most importantly to me numerous people had said they now knew what a therapeutic radiographer was! That’s when I realised that I don’t need to be anymore than what I am – I earned my place at this table and I wanted to use it to learn from others but also to teach others and that is exactly what I did and what I hope to continue to do.

In the weeks following the welcome event I have been assigned a mentor by the CoDH who is influential within healthcare and healthcare education and I cannot wait to meet with my mentor – Joanne Lymn, Head of School of Health Sciences at the University of Nottingham as I am sure she will be able to guide me between now and July extremely well in creating an attainable goal that will push me to be the very best I can be. I have been much more active on Twitter as this is such a great platform in which to engage with healthcare professionals across the country and I feel more confident in myself. This is evident in that I have put myself forward more already – myself and 3 of my fellow #150leaders have been in touch with the WeAHPs Twitter and are going to become actively involved with doing tweetchats and student take-overs and hopefully one day start a WeStudentAHPs account. I am very much looking forward to the next #150leaders event in London in July so that I can catch up with all the new friends I have made and see what incredible things we have all been up to. The programme really has created options for me that I never knew I could have and I am so grateful for being selected to be a part of this amazing community.

2nd Year Learning Disability Nursing Student – University of Wolverhampton

In November 2017 I applied for a place on the Student Leadership Programme which is a partnership between the Council of Deans of Health and the Burdett Trust for Nursing aimed at developing and promoting leadership qualities in healthcare students. The programme runs over two years and involves 150 students from all over the United Kingdom and from a multitude of healthcare professions. The application involved submitting a written piece explaining why I thought I should be offered a place – I went in to detail explaining my route in to Learning Disability Nursing, my passion for the field and my hopes for the future.

Due to the limited places and high demand for places on the programme I was not optimistic of being selected and was surprised and very proud when I received an email offering me a place. The email outlined the schedule of the programme which included a two-day residential programme that involved workshops, scenario-building activities and self-reflection exercises; a personalised three-month mentorship scheme; and the formation of an online community to support and develop our future leadership journeys (Council of Deans of Health and Burdett Trust for Nursing, 2018)

On Wednesday 07^th March 2018 my leadership journey began, I was invited to attend the two-day welcome event at the Penta Hotel in Reading. I was extremely nervous before hand and unsure of what to expect. My main concerns were that I would be a little out of my depth and that the other students involved may be more intelligent, unfriendly or completely uninterested in Learning Disability Nursing. My fears were unfounded and the members of my cohort (cohort 4) were approachable, friendly, engaging, knowledgeable and interested in getting to know people and their particular fields of healthcare. Students of many healthcare fields were present including: Adult and Paediatric Nurses, Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Midwives, Paramedics, Mental Health Nurses, and Radiographers; I was the only student Learning Disability Nurse present.

Over the two-days I feel as though I have learned so much from the workshops, guest speakers and the other members of my cohort, and feel that my confidence has increased as a result of being actively involved with a group of such inspiring and forwardly thinking individuals. Networking with such a diverse group not only allowed me to increase my understanding of different roles and the way healthcare professions link together, but it also allowed me to promote my field of Learning Disability Nursing as many of the people that I spoke to were unsure of what Learning Disability Nurses do, and where we fit in with the rest of the healthcare professions. Being able to raise the profile of Learning Disability Nursing was one of the highlights for me and it felt good that people were asking me questions and showing a genuine interest in to the field and also in the people we support. I was very happy to not only answer questions but also to steer many of the discussions that the programme raised to the perspective of people with learning disabilities. I also liked to remind students from other fields that people with learning disabilities were ‘not exclusively our clients’ and that people with learning disabilities accessed healthcare services and consulted various healthcare professionals just like everybody else.

Another massive highlight for me was the quality of the guest speakers and the issues and questions that they addressed. Many of the points raised really made me think about myself, my profession and my career in general. For example, Adele Nightingale a Senior Lecturer in ‘healthcare leadership in practice’ spoke about ‘imposter syndrome’ which is the feeling of being secretly inadequate, out of your depth and being underserving of any success or achievement (Lake, 2013). This certainly struck a chord with me and it was liberating to discover that this was a ‘real thing’ felt by other people as well as myself. I truly believe that this knowledge will help me in the future when I am feeling nervous or inadequate in both professional and personal situations and will also help me to recognise this feeling in others as my career progresses. Day-Calder (2017) states that the feeling of being an ‘imposter’ is perfectly natural for nursing students and usually fades as your career develops; ceasing to compare yourself to others and changing the way you think about yourself can also help to break the cycle of negativity.

Adele also spoke about ‘The Power of Yet” which I found to be equally inspiring. Apparently, this is something that was broadcast on the children’s show ‘Sesame Street’ and involves putting the word ‘yet’ at the end of a negative statement. For example, the statement “I am not very good at research” could be changed to “I am not very good at research yet” transforming a negative in to a much more positive statement. Davies (2017) states that the word ‘yet’ helps us to understand that we are on a learning curve and that it’s not what you can’t do but what you can’t do yet’.

There were many more inspirational moments over the two days, and discussions with Carmel Lloyd (Head of Education and Learning, RCM), Naomi McVey (Head of Programmes for the Chief Allied Health Professions Officer – NHS England; NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) Fellow), Linda Hindle (Lead Allied Health Professional – Public Health England; National Engagement Lead for Police, Fire and Ambulance services) and Beryl Mansell (Senior Lecturer, Mental Health Nursing – Swansea University) were all eye-opening and powerful. It was incredibly interesting listening to the leadership journeys that these inspiring and successful people had undertaken, and it really did make me stop and think about the future and the possibilities that it may hold. Some of the top tips for a successful career were: believe in yourself; measure your impact; keep learning; take opportunities; give back and help others; develop relationships; look to the future; and develop your profile (Hindle, 2018).

I feel that this experience has been entirely positive and would go as far as saying that it has been the highlight of the three and a half years that I have been studying at University. I feel empowered and grateful that I have been given the opportunity to be involved in a programme as prestigious and inspiring as the Student Leadership Programme.

From a personal point of view, I aim to build upon my leadership qualities and to seek out opportunities that may be useful for my professional development and my future career. I have found that due to the workload of my nursing degree and also the trials and tribulations of everyday life, it has been very easy to say ‘no’ to opportunities that may have helped with my ongoing development. One thing that the programme has taught me, is that although the academic side of nursing is important, it is equally important to grow both personally and professionally, to make the most of the opportunities that present themselves and to strive to be the best that you can possibly be.

2nd Year Children’s Nursing Student – University of Hertfordshire.

Reflecting back on my first experiences of the Student Leadership Programme I cannot express how fantastic the two day event was.  On arrival at the hotel my nerves soon vanished after meeting some of my fellow students on the fabulous cohort four!  Everyone, including Nadia and the team, was friendly and welcoming which really put me at ease.

Once the programme began and over the subsequent two days, it soon became clear to me that this programme was going to inspire and motivate me more than I ever imagined.  The guest speakers came from a multitude of backgrounds and each shared their journey alongside top tips they have learnt along the way.  Their honesty made it incredibly easy to relate to aspects of their journeys and appreciate every difficult decision, failure and success.  Each speaker instilled in me the belief that I can achieve my goals, even if the road there is a winding one.

The key messages which I have taken away from the speakers are the importance of self-care – something which I have neglected and pledge to change – and how resilience and emotional intelligence are essential within the healthcare environment.

This brings me on nicely to my fellow students, what a wonderful bunch you are!  To be in a room full of students who share the same passion and motivation as myself and hearing about the amazing things you have achieved so far has ignited a spark inside me to see what ideas I can come up with too.

The fact that I have already gained invaluable experience and knowledge in such a short period of time excites me for what lies ahead in this programme and beyond.