As the World Health Organization announced 2020 the year of the nurse and midwife, many influential organisations are rallying round to showcase the achievements of the professions and give a platform to celebrate those who have dedicated their careers to caring and empowering others.
In a climate whereby polar opposite political parties have been campaigning for change in the UK, one clear message has united them all; the value the public hold in nurses and midwives as the backbone of our community and healthcare services. This, in turn, is reflective of popular electorate opinion—nursing has been consistently polled as the UK's most trusted profession ahead of doctors and teachers, where conversely our politicians and media outlets have seen a downturn (Ipsos MORI, 2019). This leads us to consider ‘why’ this consistency remains; is it actually who we are as nurses and midwives that makes us so trustworthy?
‘As an assistant professor and admission tutor for adult nursing, I have the privilege of being part of the journey for our future workforce and a passionate advocate for nursing careers. In my role, I safeguard the profession for generations to come. Using ‘Values-based recruitment’ admission, tutors look beyond academic prowess and towards a system that emphasises the importance of values underpinned by the Nursing and Midwifery Code (2018) and the 6Cs (Cummings and Bennett, 2012). In looking for transferable skills and desirable characteristics, such as emotional intelligence and resilience, we can also appreciate core values such as trustworthiness, honesty, care and compassion, as well as lead by example. It is likely that these key aspects enable both new recruits and our professions to be propelled upwards onto the revered pedestal which the public has traditionally bestowed upon us.’
‘As an academic midwife focussing on research, mentoring and teaching, I am consistently challenged to dismantle the traditional image of nurses and midwives being stereotypically restricted only to clinical practice. Yet campaigns celebrating 70 years of the NHS in 2018 have already looked to emphasise the importance of the diversity in nursing and midwifery, with calls to encourage thousands of people to seek out more information about the diversity of careers available (NHS England, 2019).’
Earlier this year, Ruth May again reinforced the need for the workforce to speak out in pride of our professions; to challenge nursing and midwifery stereotypes, and inspire the next generation (NHS England, 2019). Evidently, while we have the public's trust, their perceptions of nursing and midwifery needs to adapt, as our roles are now ever-expanding and ever-changing. It is this that could encourage a modernised, fully realised, and true recognition of our worth and potential in delivering the NHS Long Term Plan.
The workforce shortages and challenges faced by our professions often feel outside of our control. However, we now have the power, backing and influence to play a key role in securing the future of our NHS services, away from political statements and ambitious promises.
We are often particularly humbled by the passion of new nursing and midwifery candidates as they demonstrate such respect for our professions. This respect has often grown as a direct result of their lived experiences, where the impact of engaging with valued and respected healthcare professionals has led to a decision to join our profession. Consequently, we believe that the value and trust the public place in nurses and midwives is borne from a time-honoured cycle of inspiration, aspiration and respect.
As we look towards the year of the nurse and midwife and new pledges to develop a 5 000 strong team of nursing and midwifery ambassadors to work with our schools and teachers to inspire our younger generations (NHS England, 2019), we urge you all to firstly consider yourselves and your potential to make a difference. Consider the invaluable contribution you make as a nurse or midwife; you touch lives when people are often at their most vulnerable. Amongst the difficulties our respective professions face, remember the importance of your values; stand tall, stand proud and inspire the next generation to ‘take up the call’.