A Global Palliative Nursing Network (GPNN) was launched on Friday 12th May – International Nurses Day #IND2023 – at the conference “Reviving and Advancing Palliative Nursing Through Action and Advocacy” organised by St Christopher’s CARE in London. The conference was originally planned to take place at St Christopher’s Hospice, but was held virtually due to the rail strikes in the UK.
The theme for #IND2023 is ‘Our Nurses, Our Future’ aims at shining a light on a brighter future for nursing, but recognises the toll that the pandemic has had on nurses around the world. Alongside this, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) Charter for Change sets out what is required to be able to address global health challenges and improve quality health for all. Howard Catton, Chief Executive Officer of the ICN said at the conference ‘A Celebration of Nursing Around the World: Sustaining progress against the odds’ on the 11th May that, ‘the Charter sets out 10 policy actions that governments and employers must take to create and sustain health care systems that are safe, affordable, accessible and responsive and shift nurses from being invisible to invaluable.’
The launch of the GPNN recognises the value of palliative nurses around the world and has been set up in response to the recognition of the need for bringing nurses together, so that they can learn from each other, provide peer support, develop as leaders and create shared learning and discovery. The importance of the work that palliative nurses do, their commitment, their courage, and their compassion is recognised, however many palliative nurses are working in isolation, many experience professional loneliness, they want to hear from others nurses working in palliative care, they want a voice at the table and to be able to use that voice when they get it – they want there to be a shift from being invisible to invaluable.
The aim of setting up the GPNN is to establish a worldwide network to provide peer support and professional development for all nurses working in palliative care – wherever they are. It will draw nurses together from around the world who have a shared interest to promote palliative nursing and to strengthen their enactment of this offer. It is designed to complement other networks already in existence, for example global palliative care organisations such as the International Children’s Palliative Care Network (ICPCN), the Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA), the International Association of Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) and Palliative Care in Humanitarian Aid Situations and Emergencies (PallCHASE) or networks supporting nurses working with particular groups of patients for example oncology, such as the International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care (ISNCC), or the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) to name but a few.
The network offers a home and peer support for any nurses that identify themselves as delivering palliative care for children., adults or both. They may be working in dedicated settings such as hospice and palliative care teams, or in care homes or primary care and settings where palliative care is only one area of skill and attention. They may see themselves as specialist within palliative care or as a generalist with an interest in palliative care. It is a network for and led by palliative nurses, and is reflective of what nurses have already asked for and told us provides benefit to them. The work of the network is still be formulated, and we are on a journey in its development. You can read more about the GPNN and register your interest on the St Christopher’s Hospice website, and we encourage nurses to come on a journey with us as we develop the network to support and empower palliative nurses globally.
Prof Heather Richardson (St Christopher’s CARE)
Marie Cooper (St Christopher’s CARE)
Prof Julia Downing (ICPCN)
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