Innovative workshop held for emerging nurse leaders

A three-day workshop was held in Milan last week with the aim of introducing 28 emerging nurse leaders in practice, management, education and research to global health and policy-making.

The International Council of Nurses supported the initiative, which was led by the Consociazione Nazionale Associazioni Infermiere/i (CNAI) – the Italian National Nurses Association and ICN member – and was co-funded by the Milano Bicocca University and the University of Milan.

With topics ranging from the impact of globalisation to shaping policy at local and international levels, the programme gave participants the opportunity to develop concrete strategies and projects to bring their vision to action.

The workshop was co-facilitated by Cecilia Sironi, Past President, CNAI, and Jane Salvage, Progamme Director, Global Nursing Leadership Institute (GNLI), ICN’s flagship leadership programme.

Howard Catton, ICN’S Policy and Programme Director, spoke about ICN’s strategic priorities, ICN’s work with stakeholders, including WHO, and addressed key global nursing and health policy issues.

“When we look at the major health challenges around the world from lifestyle related diseases to health emergencies it is the work of nurses that will be central to addressing these. ICN is committed to supporting both our current and future leaders to ensure that Nursing is at the forefront of how health services are planned and delivered”, he said.

Faculty also included the two deans from the Milan universities, as well as other high-profile experts. The programme used ICN documents and tools including the ICN Leadership Assessment Tool and the International Nurses Day tool kits.

“It was exciting and inspiring to work with these emerging Italian nursing leaders, encouraging them to think globally and act locally. We adopted the interactive, participant-centred approach of GNLI that enables everyone to assess and develop their own leadership competences and shape a specific project to continue back at their workplaces. My co-facilitator Cecilia Sironi is a previous GNLI scholar and had dreamed ever since of using a similar approach with her colleagues in Italy, as few Italian nurses have opportunities for leadership development. Congratulations to her for making this ground-breaking workshop happen!”, said Jane Salvage.