I must begin this editorial by saying how proud I am of our profession. Who could have imagined what the world has experienced over the past 18 months? Or the response and sacrifice of all healthcare workers, some of whom have made the ultimate, unimaginable sacrifice? We have supported our patients and each other while many of us have been redeployed to support colleagues in unfamiliar clinical areas. During the peak of COVID-19, I spent a mere 6 weeks working on an intensive critical care unit, where I felt completely out of my comfort zone. I constantly questioned my capability to perform the required level of care while also worrying about my own service and remaining team left behind to provide care and support to an unrelenting tide of anxious and frightened patients.
It now seems that we are emerging from the depths of the pandemic and facing the daunting task of recovery. Recovery of our services and the backlog from the impact of COVID-19 is an immense task in itself and this certainly won't be achieved overnight. We have to recognise, however, that the past year has also given us the opportunity to reflect on our way of working and make significant changes which, in many cases, have proved to be beneficial in terms of improved service delivery and patient satisfaction. It must also be acknowledged just how physically and psychologically challenging this continues to be. It is as important now, as it was during the height of the pandemic, that nurses recognise the importance of their own personal health, wellbeing and self-care.
I feel very privileged, in my role as President of the British Association of Urological Nurses (BAUN), to witness the ongoing resilience of specialist nurses within urology and their enthusiasm to contribute towards excellence in standards of care. I recognised early in my nursing career how diverse and vibrant our specialty is. Because of this, I will take any opportunity to promote the immense potential within urology for the expansion of nursing roles, and opportunities for specialist nurses to adapt, lead and share new patient-focused initiatives. My personal passion is to see nurses develop and take on the skills that will enable them to improve the patient experience, as well as to further their own career and achievement. BAUN is here to encourage and support its members to challenge themselves. These challenges include everything from opportunities to be part of the BAUN association itself to opportunities to influence national projects and, ultimately, use their skill and passion to make a real impact on the future of urological nursing.
BAUN's core values are:
- B: business efficiency (continuous improvement)
- A: accountability (transparency/trustees)
- U: urological nursing 20:20 vision (holistic needs of all members from novice to expert)
- N: national representation/networking (raising the profile).
The value that specialist nurses contribute to clinical services is well-documented and it is nationally recognised that there is a shortage of this level of nursing expertise. A significant proportion of urology specialist nurses will retire within the next decade, further depleting this pool. The Getting It Right First Time report on urology (Harrison, 2018) highlighted the importance of the specialist urology nurse role, recommending efficient job planning and the need for an educational framework for specialist nursing. BAUN continues to work with the European and the Australian and New Zealand urological nursing associations to develop an educational framework for urology nurses.
This innovation will identify and promote the acquisition of skills and knowledge in order to assist the progression of novice to expert practitioners. This project will lay the foundation for a consistent career path for nurses wishing to enter the field of urology. I feel excited to be part of this work. The positive aspects of nursing professionalism should be recognised and implemented to retain those valuable experienced nurses and inspire the nurses new to urology to reach their potential. This is how we will help to sustain our workforce of the future.
It is my ultimate goal to see all urology nurses grow as part of our association and recognise the value of their contribution, no matter their level of experience. Being part of our annual conference enables nurses to immerse themselves in a stimulating educational environment with informative, high-quality speakers. The BAUN eConference 2021 will take place on 29–30 November, and I challenge any delegate to come away without an enthusiasm for making some change or improvement to their practice. Every urology nurse can make a difference and drive forward excellence in nursing care.