Three Cardiff and Vale UHB colleagues awarded Florence Nightingale Foundation Leadership Scholarships
With International Day of the Midwife last Monday and International Nurses Day approaching we are delighted that three Cardiff and Vale UHB colleagues have secured Florence Nightingale Foundation Leadership Scholarships.
Following a competitive UK-wide application process, Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) Sarah Finch, Lead Nurse Suzanne Rees and Senior Midwife Manager Sarah Davies were awarded scholarships for the 18-month programme beginning Thursday 8 May.
Lead Cancer Nurse Annette Beasley, who leads Cardiff and Vale UHB’s engagement with the Florence Nightingale Foundation (FNF) and mentored the three applicants, said: “I am absolutely delighted that Sarah, Suzanne, and Sarah have been awarded places on the prestigious FNF Leadership Scholarship programme. As a FNF Alumni and FNF Champion, I can personally attest to the profound personal and professional impact this leadership experience and development provides. I look forward to supporting and following your FNF journey. Huge congratulations to you all!”
The scholarships, supported by Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) and the General Nursing Council Trust, are designed to empower nurses and midwives to build confidence, access a network of professional support and lead a quality improvement (QI) project. The programme also includes a three-day residential course, with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), to develop personal presence and impact.
Adult Heart Congenital Disease CNS Sarah Finch said: “I sit on clinical boards and in stakeholder meetings and often lack the confidence to speak up. I'd like to grow my nursing voice to have greater impact and influence. I think the RADA training will be instrumental in that.”
Sarah Davies hopes to increase her ability to inspire other midwives to see their potential. She said: “People always say that ‘I'm just a nurse’ or ‘I'm just a band 6 midwife’, but you’re not ‘just’… there's more. I want to be able to empower other people to be future leaders and be that positive person in the workplace.”
As part of the programme, each scholar undertakes a Quality Improvement Project. Suzanne is focussing her project on improving menopause support within the health board. She said: “10 years ago, people in my age group would be winding down their career. Whereas now we're all working much longer. Statistically a third of our workforce is menopausal or perimenopausal. My QI project seeks to improve people’s wellbeing so they don't get burned out and leave, but are encouraged to stay and retain their expertise.”
Sarah Davies’ project will work on improving the accessibility of translated healthcare information for non-English speaking patients and Sarah Finch will be implementing a walking group to connect people, get them moving and reduce loneliness supplemented by a digital hub.
Deputy Executive Director of Nursing Natasha Goswell said: “As a Florence Nightingale Foundation Alumni and previous leadership scholar, I am absolutely delighted to hear that three of our Cardiff and Vale colleagues have been awarded places on the FNF leadership scholar programme. Congratulation and well done in getting through such a competitive process. These programmes are life and career changing and the networks that develop from it are truly exceptional.”
The programme officially begins on Thursday 8 May with a Scholar Welcome Day in London