Celebrating nursing leadership: The impact of nurses on the profession

Nikki Johnston OAM MACN — 2019 Trailblazer Winner

Trailblazing female nurses have been advocating for our profession by forging new paths to better care, for centuries. The nursing model allows us to be creative and adaptable, resulting in better patient outcomes that are person-centred. Healthcare provision is not a one-size-fits-all endeavour. Trailblazing nurses recognise this and change the system so that people do not fall through the cracks by increasing equitable access to care. This has been challenging over the years as nurses, being female dominated, we have been viewed as less than our medical colleagues, who are male dominated. Female nurses have however risen to the challenge and an example of this is throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, nursing became more visible and influential. Trailblazing female nurses have shown leadership in this space and that has resulted in nursing being represented at a state and commonwealth level when important decisions are being made.

As the co-founder of Palliative Care Needs Rounds, I am very proud to say that this intervention has impacted on nurses working in Residential Aged Care and Specialist Palliative Care across Australia. I initiated and was the clinical lead of firstly a pilot project and then a randomised controlled trial that increased access to specialist palliative care for older Australians living in residential aged care. The success of the intervention Palliative Care Needs Rounds pilot influenced a decision by the Commonwealth Government to invest in palliative care in the 2018 budget. This investment funded a partnership agreement named the Comprehensive Palliative Care in Aged Care measure.

The 2018-19 Commonwealth Budget final total included $57.2 million over six years through cost-sharing with state and territory governments. All states and territories signed up to the agreement. Palliative Care Needs Rounds increase access to specialist palliative care for people living in Residential Aged Care Facilities, increase dying in preferred place of death, increase the confidence of nurses to care for their residents at end of life and increase the quality of dying. This work was recognised in 2019 and I was awarded an Order of Australia OAM for my contribution to nursing in Australia. In 2019 I was also recognised and awarded the inaugural winner of the Australian College of Nursing Health Minister’s Award for Nursing Trailblazers. I received this national award for innovation in nursing research and practice that increased access to specialist palliative care for older Australians living in Residential Aged Care Facilities. Later that year, I was invited as an expert witness to give solution-focused evidence to the Aged Care Royal Commission Quality and Safety. In August 2021 I was appointed as a member of the Professional Services Review Panel, a judicial appointment, by the then Minister for Health, The Hon Greg Hunt. Currently I am working on my first case.

Shannon Wallis MACN — 2020 Trailblazer Winner

In 2022, West Moreton Health was fortunate to receive some Connected Community Pathways funding (as part of the Queensland Government’s commitment to improving clinical care) and I have been fortunate to be involved in commissioning a new innovative model of care called the Preventative Integrated Care Service (PICS). PICS provides rapid access (within 24-48 hours) to intensive specialised medical management intervention for patients, that is delivered by a multidisciplinary/interprofessional team including medical, nursing, and allied health clinicians to adults living with high-risk chronic conditions, with a particular focus on respiratory, diabetes, and cardiology patients. The service aims are to improve quality of life, reduce length of stay, avoid unplanned hospital presentations, and reduce potentially preventable hospitalisations. The model of care is for a 14–16-day timeframe and care is delivered through a variety of modalities, including home visits, face-to-face clinic appointments, telehealth, and remote patient monitoring depending on individual care requirements.

As part of this new PICS opportunity, it was decided that the existing MeCare patients’ care was best transitioned either to this new larger sub-acute PICS service or they could be referred on to the Queensland Statewide Self-Management of Chronic Condition – SmoCC service. Many of the former MeCare staff have had opportunities to join this larger multidisciplinary PICS team and continue to support the complex chronic condition patients in our community.

As a nurse leader, I feel privileged to serve, collaborate, and influence the staff in the services I lead. I am passionate about developing models of care that have the patient at the centre and creating a safe culture where the staff feel valued. This enables staff to be innovative, flexible and practice top of scope. I feel creating a workforce structure that encourages nurses at all layers of leadership to join the team and be provided with support, opportunities to learn, contribute and grow is important and, personally, I find it very rewarding.

Claire Lane MACN — 2022 Trailblazer Winner

Winning the Trailblazer Award has been an excellent opportunity to promote nursing to the public. Bringing attention to the work that nurses perform helps to shed light on how essential these roles are not just for hospitals but for the broader community. As a largely female-dominated profession, nurses are too often the silent heroes, and the Trailblazer Award has meant that I’ve been able to actively talk about the contribution of nurses to a range of audiences, including at a recent TED talk. The award has also, of course, allowed me to talk about my own work and the commitment to the environment and medical access issues Save Our Supplies (SOS) was designed to address.

Establishing SOS has been an incredible journey and has involved many dedicated people. As CEO I am working to expand the charity to provide medical support and assistance to as many communities as possible in real need. It’s wonderful to know that whenever I am asked to speak about the charity, I’m able to draw a bit of attention to the nursing profession and just how much can be accomplished with some determination – including reframing the way we see medical waste in this country. SOS actively repurposes medical supplies seen as waste in Australia, which is not only great for the environment but also indispensable to the communities we service, both globally and locally.

Lauren Barber MACN — 2023 Trailblazer Winner

Trailblazing female nurses play a crucial role in advocating for the nursing profession through their leadership, innovation, and dedication to excellence. They challenge stereotypes, break barriers, and inspire future generations of nurses. These remarkable individuals use their platform and influence to raise awareness about important issues in health care, advocate for better working conditions and resources for nurses, promote diversity and inclusion within the profession, and drive forward advancements in patient care.

By leveraging their expertise and experience, trailblazing female nurses often spearhead initiatives that address systemic challenges within the healthcare system, such as advocating for better nurse-patient ratios, pushing for policy changes that benefit both patients and healthcare professionals, and promoting the recognition of nursing as a vital and respected profession. Their advocacy extends beyond the walls of hospitals and clinics, reaching communities, governments, and international platforms to amplify the voice of nurses and champion the wellbeing of all.

NeedleCalm has been a transformative force in improving the patient experience and revolutionising the administration of needle procedures. Through innovative technology and user-centred design, NeedleCalm incorporates new methods of nursing care, encouraging a positive relationship between patients and clinicians to shape a different future where compassionate care is at the forefront of every patient interaction.