Nurse managers face many challenges every day

The shortage of nurses in the Estonian health care system has deepened over the years, and now that the health care sector is working at full capacity, the situation is particularly critical. All this puts pressure on nurse managers, who must, on one hand, maintain the motivation of the nurses and, on the other, ensure that patients receive high-quality services. To contribute to the development of nursing and nursing management in Estonia, the Estonian Nurse Directors Association and the Department of Nursing Science of the University of Tartu organise an international conference “Creating a Comprehensive View on Nursing Leadership” on 21 and 22 April.

Tiina Freimann, Chair of the Estonian Nurse Directors Association, said that the role of nursing staff in society has become increasingly important and people’s expectations for nurses are growing. “The Covid‑19-related global health crisis shows this more clearly than ever. At the same time, many countries, including Estonia, are facing a serious shortage of nurses. Nurse managers have the challenge to meet the needs of the population and ensure the sustainability of services in a situation of scarce resources. An equally important daily task is to improve the working conditions of nurses and to maintain their work motivation.”

This suggests that the daily work of nurses calls for a comprehensive approach. Therefore, the first edition of the conference combines the perspectives of science, practice and education and provides an integrated overview of the most topical issues of nursing leadership by discussing its various aspects. “The conference offers the opportunity to keep abreast of recent developments and research results, as well as to take time off for a moment and discuss daily work with colleagues from a slightly different angle,” said Freimann.

To contribute to the development of nursing and nursing leadership in Estonia, the conference will bring international lecturers to Estonian nurses. The conference will be opened by Iris Meyenburg-Altwarg, President of the European Nurse Directors Association, who will discuss whether technology could support day-to-day nursing activities.

Key lecturers include several renowned and experienced specialists in the field. Professor Lisbeth Fagerström will focus on evidence-based nursing management; Liiri Oja, head of human rights activities at the Office of the Chancellor of Justice, will discuss the importance of human-centred health care also during a crisis; and Mary Gobbi, visiting professor of Tartu Health Care College, will discuss the professional knowledge and interdisciplinary approach in nursing management.

Kirsi Sillanpää, President of the Finnish Union of Health and Social Care Professionals (TEHY), will speak about leadership, and Laura Viilep from Mindvalley about how an organisation can get to know and inspire its teams better. In addition, current and future nursing managers, lecturers and researchers from Estonia and abroad will deliver oral and poster presentations.

Read the programme and register for the online conference on www.estnda2021.ee.