Inappropriate message for Australian nurses

we need to establish and sustain dialogue on nursing matters and nursing leadership. For this reason a public dialogue on issues allecting nursing will be supported a n d l a c i l i t a t c d by i.olletjian.

We have

established a forum to bring the ideas and opinions ol nursing leaders to the attention and c o n s i d e r a t i o n of nurses.

We

have titled this iorum Leadimj Opinions and plan lo run it as a regular feature. We welc o m e y o u r l e t t e r s a n d c o m m e n t s in response lo each issue of Leading Opinions. We welcome your suggestions for topics, and suggestions on voices you may want to hear. ! trust you will gain from this initiative and engage in vigorous and beneficial dialogue on nursing and health care issues.

Reference Leading from within

care institutions is a matter that has con-

Fedoruk M, Pincombe J 2000 I he nurse

1 recently came across a paper on leader-

cerned many nurses over the past decade.

executive: challenges for the 2 I si century.

ship a n d nurse e x e c u t i v e s ( F e d o r u k &

It s e e m s i n c r e d i b l e t h a t e d u c a t e d a n d

Journal of Nursinif Manatjivmil 8:1 3-20

Pincombe 2000) that gave some theoreti-

experienced nurse executives, w h o repre-

cal s u b s t a n c e lo my e x p e r i e n c e s a n d

sent t h e largest p r o f e s s i o n a l g r o u p in

observations in health service and nursing

health service, arc often not key players

The a u t h o r s of t h i s p a p e r

at executive levels of decision making.

argue that the traditional leadership role

T h e point that is often missed in this 'new

and attributes of the nurse executive have

managerialism' is that what is g o o d lor

academia.

1 he ideological focus ol

nursing is usually good for the health care

management theories, which are studied

system and the health of the community.

a n d a d o p t e d by c o n t e m p o r a r y

T h e r e l o r e decisions about health service

been e r o d e d .

nurse

e x e c u t i v e s , results in a r e p l a c e m e n t ol

that arc not informed by a nursing per-

notions of leadership by the imperatives

spective often sacrifice long term gains

ol management. T h a t is, the theories that

for short term solutions.

inform p r a c t i c e in this area of nursing

However, despite the current rational-

jhtiite leadership in terms of management.

ist milieu influencing health service and

T h e authors further argue that nurse

a c a d e m i a , t h e r e are leaders in nursing

executives have been

w h o are w o r k i n g in t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l ,

systematically power and

industrial, academic and clinical environ-

Consequently,

ments. T h e y take up positions in nursing

e d g e d o u t of p o s i t i o n s of influence in the system.

those w h o want to retain a voice in the

associations and colleges,- they head up

decision-making environment weaken

clinical departments and services, acade-

their association with nurses, hence

mic schools and nursing divisions,- they

e s c h e w i n g professional leadership, and

p r o m o t e the d e v e l o p m e n t of their col-

align themselves with the dominant cul-

leagues, they are intelligent, creative and

ture of management.

generous. T h e work and beliefs of these

T h e exclusion ol senior nurses from

leaders however, are not necessarily

decision-making roles in Australian health

evident to other nurses. To overcome this

Glenn Gardner RN, PhD, FRCNA EDITOR

Inappropriate message for A u s t r a l i a n nurses Dear Professor Gardner, I enjoy reading the Colktjian and would like to comment on your recent publication. I have concerns about the photograph, featured on the front cover and page 14 of the Collegian (2001)Vol 8(3), which portrays an inappropriate message for Australian nurses. T h e wearing ol surgical masks, long nails and uncovered hair, as displayed in the photograph, directly contravenes the N S W Department of Health Infection Control Policy 99/87 and the Australian College of Operating Room Nurses ( A C O R N ) Standards for Operating Suite attire (1995, p. A-7). This photograph neither promotes nor enhances a credible professional image for nurses. Yours sincerely

Maggie Campbell RN BHSc(Nurs) MEd MRCNA MCN(NSW)

Reply: This is an excellent point and we iiriil be ensuring appropriate images are used in (be future. — Ed Collegian Vol 8 N o 4 2001 5