working collaboratively with pacific nations

Working collaboratively

with Pacific Nations

Jo Conaglen AUT New ZealandMary MacManus AUT New ZealandMichael Larui MOHMS Solomon IslandVerzilyn Isom SICHE Solomon Islands

Working with consultantsOur experience

• Solomon Island nursing issues that required a consultant– Nursing training program– Nursing staff development

• What we learned in the process– Working together– Shared Goal: to improve the standard of SI nursing– Confidence to do what we knew we had to do

Phase one:Involvement

• Coming together

• Shared goal: improve the standard of SI nursing

• Trust developed

Relationship is fundamental

• Talk-talk– Issues become clear– Direction begins to emerge

• Our expertise was valued

• Confidence to work with the emerging bigger picture

Phase 2:Collaboration

Clear vision: All nurse leaders and nurses in senior positions will have a post graduate qualification

Phase 3:Empowerment

• Competency confirmed

• Sustainable plan– Country ownership• It’s good/ it’s right/ its ours

– In-country skills and expertise to keep it going– Commitment to keep developing

Consultant brings:• New perspective

• begins conversations that critiques long held beliefs

• Be a new voice

• Able to see beyond the here and now

A long held belief that won’t be questioned even if it gets in the way of progress.

Collaboration

• Repeated visits – Review, & revise – Skill preparation for next phase– Keep up momentum

• Strengths focused

• Relationship – Within and between

Working in a Foreign Culture

• Recognising the blindness of our own cultural views

• Ensuring that understanding of situations is correct

• Partnership essential for solutions that are culturally appropriate

Shared Vision

Consultant Client

Meaningful CommunicationMutual Respect

No Shared Vision

Consultant Client

Perception Gap

Assist not run

Advise not control

Conclusions

• Relationship: from araikwao to wantok

• Collaboration –partnership based on respect for each others strengths

• Empowered to act and keep on developing