Dame Donna Kinnair graciously gave her time to discuss the pressing concerns regarding nursing practices in 2020, especially amid a post-Covid recession. Via a sold out webinar, the esteemed Dame gave a captivating and articulate talk into the anticipatory changes we can expect with the pandemic.
Professor Dame Donna Kinnair is the Chief Executive and General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing. Few people, then, are as qualified to talk about the profession in 2020. We've distilled the key takeaways from her talk, which you can explore below.
National Heroes...or Just Humans?
2020 has brought nursing starkly into the public’s consciousness. But, while nurses are appreciative of the outpouring of support––the "Clap for Carers" weekly observance has kept them going through these tough times––Dame Donna doesn’t believe the word “heroes” should be used.
“[This phrase] moves us away from being ordinary men and women with children, husbands, wives and families that depend on us.”
What’s more, it gives those in government the license to shirk their responsibilities.
“We depend on our bosses and the people who run the service and government to provide safety equipment and to keep us safe. Holding us up as superheroes and lifesavers in this crisis may detract from the need to ensure we are given the right safety equipment.”
Mental Health Support is as Important as PPE
Dame Donna admits she was terrified on her first day at Nightingale Hospital. The pandemic was in swing and lives were being lost. She only got through it thanks to the camaraderie of the nurses she was working alongside.
“I think it’s important, as we ease out of lockdown, to take charge [of nurse’s] mental health."
There is no shame, she says, in needing help.
“One of the things we’ve done at the Royal College of Nursing is prioritise psychological support. We ourselves may need the very things we are often recommending to our patients to get through this time. For me, psychological support is as important as PPE.”
Lives Come First
When times are tough, such as during the pandemic, natural disasters or war, there’s an understandable interest in public safety. But when times are rosier, more "normal," it’s easy to label healthcare as a luxury that’s deemed too expensive. Dame Donna wants to guard against this.
“We as a community need to put lives before other things.”
The alternative is that you begin to balance the cost of a life against value-chains that hold different weight to different individuals in society. The solution is simple: lives should come first.
Incentivising Nurses to Stay
Pay freezes and caps have hurt the spending power of professionals in the public domain––nurses included. All this has done, Dame Donna believes, is incentivise good people to leave to other, more lucrative vocations.
Why would you stay in nursing, she asks, if you could earn the same in a supermarket without the worries of the profession?
Furthermore, knowing your work is not duly compensated dents your sense of pride. Many nurses struggle to feel valued and moving to another career--even if they love their job.
The Knock-On Effect of Workforce Shortages
Dame Donna admits the global pandemic is an unprecedented situation, but it’s also one that has highlighted on-going issues in the system.
“We shouldn’t be in a position where we have to call people out of retirement or students out of training in order to support the workforce.” This is a responsibility that falls squarely on the shoulders of the Health Secretary.
“We need a sustained and long-term solution to workforce planning.”
Education is Key
“Education is so very essential to the trajectory and success of our nurses.” The goal should be a sustainable and successful NHS, backed by the abolishment of funded tuition fees.
“Learning has to be flexible, affordable and agile, allowing nurses to attend courses in their chosen specialism.”
A United Voice
The Black Lives Matter movement is one that Dame Donna understands. However, she believes the focus should not solely rest on the US as there are inequalities in the UK system too.
"We’ve had a rise year-on-year of BAME nurses that feel they have had worse outcomes in terms of promotions and raises compared to the majority of the population. There is a job for us to do, as healthcare professionals, in shining a spotlight on this [inequality].”
Ultimately, Dame Donna believes it’s about giving people a voice and standing together against injustice. When we ignore the issue, we do people a disservice. When we stand united, we are powerful. In the end, a lone voice is “easy to dismiss.”
A Better Life, A Better Future
"It's about making lives better for every single nurse in this country."
Dame Donna is dedicated to speaking the truth: she voices nurses' concerns and aims to improve their quality of work life. She sees her role as a platform to communicate with governmental and professional bodies the concerns of all nurses. She voices their concerns, so long as nurses "put it on the table."
For more information about reaching out to Dame Donna, please visit the Royal College of Nursing website or simply fill in the RCN Online form. A big thank you to Dame Donna Kinnair for joining us and giving us detailed insight into the future of nursing.