The world is facing a global shortage of nurses. According to the World Health Organization, the world will need an additional nine million nurses and midwives by 2030, with the largest needs to be found in South-East Asia and Africa1.
While there is no silver bullet that can close the nursing workforce gap, we at IHH Healthcare recognise the importance of employing a range of short- and long-term measures, starting with investing in the development of our nursing leaders.
Developed in partnership with the IHH Healthcare Nursing core team and the Group Learning and Development team, the IHH Nursing I-LEAD programme seeks to improve people management practices and increase the engagement and performance of our nurses, ultimately empowering them to provide improved patient care.
The programme, deployed over two half-day virtual workshops, utilised a ‘Moments-Based Simulation’ methodology to help participants experience the pivotal moments of being a nursing leader through realistic storylines that enable participants to practice what ‘great’ looks like in those moments that matter.
Feedback is provided to participants as they progressed in the simulation, helping them to see the cause and effect of their decisions and behaviour. Participants also have the opportunity to learn on the job through a series of practical ‘Go-Do’ activities, such as encouraging nursing leaders to practice listening skills or mentor a team member.
The I-LEAD programme is highly received by nursing leaders, with over 90% of participants rating the programme 9.5 out of 10 and recommending it for other participants.
1 Nursing and midwifery. World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/nursing-and-midwifery. Published 2022. Accessed February 18, 2023.