Nurses and midwives connect and blog with passion and purpose
Ahead of the NHS’s 70th anniversary, the Chief Nursing Officer for England shares an update on the #70nursebloggers and #70midwifebloggers initiative and introduces two upcoming webinars for all nursing, midwifery and care staff to learn more.
On 24 April I wrote a blog and launched our #70nursebloggers and #70midwifebloggers initiative to encourage nurses and midwives to blog about their work, share ideas and showcase best practice. I am delighted that so many of you have got involved and blogged about your work and experiences; we are already well on the way to reaching our target of 70 nurse and 70 midwife bloggers.
Since the launch, just three weeks ago, almost 70 nurses and 50 midwives have blogged about their working lives. From personal journeys to the sharing of knowledge, skill and expertise, the blogs have provided an amazing insight into nursing and midwifery today. I have read blogs written by student nurses and midwives, researchers, retired practitioners, educators, general practice nurses, end of life care specialists, professors, health visitors and school nurses from across the UK and as far afield as America and Nigeria!
The main aim of the #70nursebloggers and #70midwifebloggers initiative is to inspire at least 70 nurses and 70 midwives to blog about their work and in doing so, share ideas and spark debate that can help shape the NHS of the future. Many nurses and midwives have stepped up to the challenge already – we now need to see this replicated across each of the four regions of the country! Teresa Chinn of @WeNurses has collated the blogs into two Twitter moments that can be found online at #70nursebloggers and #70midwifebloggers.
Blogging provides a platform to showcase the fantastic contribution that our professions have made to healthcare over the years and is also a great opportunity for nurse and midwife to demonstrate how they are implementing Leading Change, Adding Value, by identifying and reducing unwarranted variation and delivering the triple aim outcomes of better outcomes, experiences and use of resources.
I’m sure you will have heard of the fantastic work that Teresa Chinn leads. She is a registered nurse and social media expert, having started her Twitter account @WeNurses to connect and network with other nurses. WeNurses now has 74,000 Twitter followers and Teresa provides social media services to the healthcare industry. I’m pleased to say that Teresa is working in partnership with us on our country wide blogging initiative and has agreed to deliver two webinars to help nurses and midwives blog.
Teresa says, “I have a passion for developing online nurse communities and firmly believe that social media is a forum which allows nurses to connect and share information, ideas, resources and innovations. By blogging, nurses and midwives can connect and network with other like-minded professionals. And blogging is not as difficult as you may think and can be quick to set up. To show just how easy blogging can be and to help those of you who would like to be involved, but unsure how to start, the two webinars coming up will help. Please sign up for the webinars and get involved, write and publish your first blog and inspire the next generation of nurses.”
You can help us reach the magic number of #70nursebloggers and #70midwifebloggers in each region and even exceed it.
Details of the webinars are as follows:
Webinar 1 – Why nurses and midwives should blog – Wednesday 13 June 8.oopm
This webinar will encompass:
- What is a blog?
- What we need to consider as nurses and midwives who blog including, NMC Social Media Guidance and professionalism
- What blogging can do for nursing
- What blogging can do for you and your career
- Being brave and everybody has something interesting to say
- Some good blogs to inspire you
Webinar 2 – Blogging: How to get started – Wednesday 20 June 8.00pm
This webinar will cover:
- What makes a good blog?
- How to structure your blog
- Where to put your blog – including a look at the blogging platform WordPress
- Being a new blogger
- Thinking differently about blogging – vlogs and podcasts
- Promoting your blog once it has been written and published
- Encouraging conversation
- Keeping up momentum
I look forward to reading more of your blogs over the next few weeks.
- Follow Professor Jane Cummings on Twitter – @JaneMCummings
Professor Jane Cummings
Professor Jane Cummings is the Chief Nursing Officer for England and Executive Director at NHS England.
Jane specialised in emergency care and has held a wide variety of roles across the NHS including Director of Commissioning, Director of Nursing and Deputy Chief Executive.
In February 2004, she became the national lead for emergency care agreeing and implementing the 98% operational standard. She has also worked as the nursing advisor for emergency care. In January 2005, she was appointed as the National Implementation Director for ‘Choice’ and ‘Choose and Book’.
Jane moved to NHS North West in November 2007 where she held executive responsibility for the professional leadership of nursing, quality, performance as well as QIPP, commissioning and for a time Deputy Chief Executive Officer. In October 2011, she was appointed to the role of Chief Nurse for the North of England SHA Cluster.
She was appointed as Chief Nursing Officer for England in March 2012 and started full time in June 2012. Jane is the professional lead for all nurses and midwives in England (with the exception of public health) and published the ‘6Cs’ and ‘Compassion in Practice’ in December 2012, followed by publishing the ‘Leading Change, Adding Value’ framework in May 2016.
Jane has executive oversight of maternity, patient experience, learning disability and, in January 2016, became executive lead for Patient and Public Participation.
She was awarded Doctorates by Edge Hill University and by Bucks New University, and she is a visiting professor at Kingston University and St George’s University, London.
She is also Director and trustee for Macmillan Cancer Support and a clinical Ambassador for the Over the Wall Children’s Charity where she volunteers as a nurse providing care for children affected by serious illnesses.
Follow Jane on Twitter: @JaneMCummings.