The expectations of two New Zealand health services of the role of Clinical Chairs in nursing and midwifery

Abstract

Clinical Professoriate positions within nursing or midwifery in New Zealand are a relatively recent development. One New Zealand University worked collaboratively to establish two joint clinical Professorial appointments with different District Health Boards. Each position had unique mandates around research platforms, and differing operational responsibilities. This paper reports on the qualitative component of a larger study that aimed to examine the research culture, and the role of Clinical Chairs, within the two District Health Boards. This phase of the research involved semi-structured interviews with senior staff from the DHB to explore their experiences of working with the Clinical Professor. Themes that emerged revolved around expectations of the role during its development, and the subsequent perceived outcomes. The need for objective measures of the roles' impact on clinical outcomes emerged as a key impression from the participants. Future research that focuses on measurements of outcomes attributable to the roles will ensure their sustainability over time.

Interventions to support and develop clinician-researcher leadership in one health district

“…A professorial chair role co-located within a health district can be an integral strategy for the development of a culture of clinical inquiry. Notwithstanding the benefits of enhancing broader issues such as postgraduate level study rate, and research and grant application rates (Duke et al, 2009). Targeted workforce-building solutions can strengthen team leadership, management and engagement with stakeholders to better support and influence collaboration, self-awareness, practice inquiry and self-confidence.…”

“…Professorial clinical nursing chair positions based within a health district are a valuable and key strategy, which can assist to build staff capacity and bridge the clinician-researcher gap (Darbyshire, 2010;Duke et al, 2009). Bringing clinically relevant research academics into the hospital setting can provide opportunity for nursing and midwifery staff to be exposed to a scholarly program of research with significant research leadership and output evidence (Duke et al, 2009). These positions can facilitate the creation of an environment from which practice can be challenged in a safe, empowering and scholarly way.…”

Joint or clinical chairs in nursing: from cup of plenty to poisoned chalice?

“…Similar data for Directors of Nursing or Midwifery would be interesting. In an excellent review and study of clinical chairs, Duke et al. (2009) acknowledge this issue and rightly propose that the joint chair and their unit be part of the service organization but simultaneously beyond the control of the organization’s line management and thus protected against the vicissitudes of ever‐shifting executive structures, personnel and agendas:…”

Psychodynamic perspectives on organizational change and their relevance to Transformational Practice Development

“…Transformational Practice Development is a systematic approach to creating effective person‐centred cultures in health services 1,2 . This approach is being adopted by an increasing number of health services in Australia and New Zealand in order to bring about improvements in patient care 3–7 . One noteworthy example is the Essentials of Care Program currently sponsored by the Nursing and Midwifery Office, within the New South Wales Department of Health.…”