Development Practices in Senior Nursing and Midwifery Leadership: Pathways to Improvement in South Pacific Health Policy

Abstract

The Pacific Islands countries consist of thousands of isolated islands with a combined population of over 10 million people. It is a heterogeneous and diverse region culturally, linguistically economically and politically. Health challenges are considerable and healthcare systems are often overstretched. Framed in the context of the World Health Organisation's strategic directions and policy priorities, this paper describes an account of collaboration across these countries to develop leadership skills in the nursing and midwifery professions. It outlines lessons for nursing leadership, healthcare policy development and the valuable role of Government Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers. The South Pacific Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers Alliance (SPCNMOA) is a cooperative partnership, which was formed to improve the quality of healthcare in the region. It acts as an enabler to promote leadership skills and provide a safe space for learning, developing policy and the sharing of good practice. Through mentorship programs, international meetings and strong relationship-building, the SPCNMOA has strengthened partnerships within the region and improved community health services in even the most remote areas. By strengthening leadership and collaboration, these health professionals are now recognised by key policy makers as knowledgeable experts who have a legitimate role in guiding policy development, changing practice and delivering health policy improvements at local, country and international levels.

Development of PARcific Approach: Participatory Action Research Methodology for Collectivist Health Research

“…The projects developed by the PLP fellows were varied and needs-focused, ranging from strengthening palliative care services in the Cook Islands; triaging patients in Niue; developing code of ethics for Tongan Nurses and Midwives; addressing severe malnutrition in infants in Samoa; reducing diabetes in Kiribati; increasing supervised childbirth deliveries in PNG; succession planning in Fiji to increasing immunisation cover in Vanuatu (Rumsey et al, 2022a). In line with PAR and its aim to research ‘with’ research participants partly setting the agenda, the fellows and mentors set the agenda for their projects, with the Australian team providing the technical expertise and relevant resources.…”

“…Major issues for many Pacific Island nations include shortages of qualified health workers, inequitable distribution and retention of workers, inefficient skill mix poorly matched to population needs and financial constraints (Rumsey, 2011;(WHO, 2019(WHO, , 2021b. To address those issues and help strengthen the health workforce, it is crucial to invest in leadership skills development so nurses and midwives can become involved in health policy decision-making (Rumsey, 2022a, WHO, 2020, 2021a).…”

Evaluation of a Culturally Adapted Online Basic Psychosocial Skills Training Program for International Frontline Workers in Under-Resourced Contexts During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…6 However, research indicates that psychosocial skills training programs tend to be oriented towards the needs of first responders in the Global North and do not meet the requirements of frontline workers in low-to-middle income countries where health resources, contextually relevant information, and psychological support are often scarce. 4,7,8 This paper reports on the evaluation of a culturally adapted psychosocial skills program that sought to address this training gap for frontline workers in under-resourced countries across the Western Pacific Region and other international contexts. 7…”

“…4,7,8 This paper reports on the evaluation of a culturally adapted psychosocial skills program that sought to address this training gap for frontline workers in under-resourced countries across the Western Pacific Region and other international contexts. 7…”

On the Nth Roots of –1 and Complex Basin Boundaries: Fractals from Newton–Raphson

“…There are global and regional calls to strengthen midwifery leadership (Rumsey et al, 2022;UNFPA, 2021). Indeed, the scaling up of midwifery and strong midwifery leadership has been identified as a "global priority", and evidence demonstrates that the provision of high-quality care delivered and led by midwives can avert the majority of perinatal deaths worldwide (Renfrew, 2021;WHO, 2021).…”