Why Rotary for Nurses & Midwives?
Why indeed?
A very special podcast this time – with the exciting news that a new Rotary Club being formed for a very special group. Announcing the new Provisional Global Nurses and Midwives Rotary Club.
Episode #31: Dr Wendy McIntosh on Rotary for Nurses & Midwives
Sue Walker (of Nurses for Nurses Network and Nursing CPD Institutex) and Charter Member of Provisional Global Nurses and Midwives Rotary Club poses the question: “… why is our nursing and midwifery voice not being heard where decisions about how health and community services are delivered?” So, why ARE our nursing and midwifery voices not being heard? How do we even start to get people to listen and truly hear what is being said? Wendy has a solution.
In the first half of the podcast, Sue talks to Wendy about her role as a Rotarian. What is involved in becoming a Rotarian? Wendy describes her role, experiences and contribution as a ‘newbie’ Rotarian (joined 2011) who is ‘humbled by being a citizen of the world’. ‘Is there a place for nurses and nursing skills in Rotary’? Wendy takes us on her 30-year journey of nursing & 9 years of Rotary, meeting like-minded enthusiast Sue Walker along the way and together with the leadership group, putting their heads together to form the Global Nursing & Midwives Rotary Club (GNMRC).
In the second half of the podcast, in the discussion between Sue and Nic, the listener learns that 50% of the global health workforce are nurses and midwives, yet the profession’s representation in policymaking, at the political level or in the boardroom is at best… scant. Through volunteering, fundraising, grants, exchange programs, sponsorship – Sue and Nic talk about a perfect platform for lasting change; understanding others’ needs, getting involved and making an impact both locally and internationally.
It IS indeed exciting times. As we come towards the end of the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife the chartering of a Rotary Club specifically for Nurses and Midwives is a great initiative – a global opportunity to join a tribe.
Working together as a team, Sue, Wendy & Nicole Nash-Arnold (Nurse Manager HQ) … you couldn’t find a more interesting and formable combination of passion and experience to introduce this exciting new concept to the world. There’s that ‘e’ word again … exciting. When listening to this episode you can feel the enthusiasm, and yes, again, excitement, our speakers share with their listeners.
As Wendy asked … what’s possible? Let’s be challenged and let’s figure out a way to meet those challenges.
2020 International Year of the Nurse and Midwife … “This is our Time”.
Read MorePodcast Special Guest Appearances
Special Guest Appearances: Dr Wendy McIntosh
Nursing and Midwifery Education is a platform put together by Nicole Nash-Arnold (of Nurse Manage HQ) and Sue Walker (of Nurses for Nurses Network and Nursing CPD Institute) to give nurses the information, resources and stories that they need to live their best nursing life. Nursing + Midwifery Emporium was born for exactly that reason. Sue and Nic’s vision was to create a place where nurses could access a variety of non-clinical information about their careers and the lifestyle of being a nurse.
Wendy has appeared on the NMEmporium Podcast twice so far in 2020, and we thought it might be helpful for our podcast listeners to include links here for those appearances, so without further ado:
Episode #21: Dr Wendy McIntosh on Nursing Professional Boundaries
Episode #21: Dr Wendy McIntosh on Nursing Professional Boundaries
Episode #26: Wendy McIntosh on Clinical Supervision
Dr Wendy McIntosh PhD shares insights and strategies about developing and maintaining professional boundaries. Professional Boundaries are not limited to the clinical or therapeutic arena. If you are in a professional role – a nurse, a teacher, support worker, doctor, police officer, a prison officer, a council worker, healthcare worker, or hairdresser. If you are a volunteer or belong to a theatre group, a choir, a sports club, there will be something in this podcast for you and the relationships you have with others. Setting boundaries in our life is necessary for our emotional, psychological, spiritual and physical well being. Setting boundaries is about our safety.
Since 2005 Wendy has been developing her knowledge and interest in the area of professional boundaries. Wendy delivers workshops on boundaries in Australia (where she now lives) and Internationally when invited to do so. She is continually integrating learning and insights she gains from the work she does in professional boundaries. Wendy comes from a nursing, and predominately psychiatric nursing, background.
Wendy consistently receives feedback on her passion, knowledge, and creativity as a presenter and facilitator. Enjoy exploring boundaries in these podcast episodes as Wendy takes you on your own reflective journey on your professional boundaries, and clinical supervision.
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Reason to Thrive
Reason to Thrive – Equine Assisted Learning Programs
Debb @ Davaar – August 2020
Nearly 2 years ago I had the fortune of meeting the lovely ladies from Reason To Thrive. Their organisation offers “… equine Assisted Learning programs for skills development and personal growth. Equine Assisted Learning is a ‘hands-on’ innovative approach to learning where the participant learns through interaction with a horse.”
A fantastic initiative that supports at-risk children and youth, offers a special needs school program and women’s empowerment for survivors of domestic violence. Visit their website … https://www.reasontothrive.org/
I was asked to represent Davaar Consultancy at the opening of their Thrift & Thrive Shop at Kenmore. A great turnout with a local councilman and staff present, cutting the ribbon. Coffee & beautiful cakes … it was very enjoyable and I felt honoured to be there. Dr. Wendy, on behalf of Davaar, supports their cause, so when the lovely ladies were thinking about team 
building workshops we were the first ‘guinea pigs’ to be contacted.
We needed to organise 6 people. Easy enough. We were then presented with three options and Dr. Wendy with her wonderful sense of humour and adventure chose ‘Brainiac’ !! We’re in trouble already.
So, what was Brainiac all about? We were given our briefing and put in teams of three and allotted a horse per team. In hindsight, these magnificent creatures were the true ‘brains’ of the team! And I don’t mean that lightly. As a team of three, we linked arms.
The person in the middle was the ‘brains’ (obviously me – tongue in cheek); the person on the left was the ‘left arm’ and the person on the right ‘right arm’. One of those ‘arms’ held the horse’s reigns. Around the arena, there were ‘tasks’ to achieve. For example, there was a set of upstanding poles. ‘Brains’ had to instruct her ‘hands’ to direct them around the poles, or put a halter on our horse. Oh and did I mention, that only the ‘Brains’ could talk – neither the ‘hands’ NOR the horse were allowed to speak.
There was also a row of logs that the ‘Brains’ had to instruct her team to walk over, and a piece of cloth in a semi-circle. ‘Brain’s had to instruct her ‘hands’ to gently guide the horse to stand on that cloth. That one was a doozy – and, thankfully, in our case, our might steed knew exactly WHAT to do. He was either frustrated with our pathetic attempts or he was getting bored and wanted to get back to some feed as soon as possible. ‘Enough of this silliness human person! There is some real food to be had over yonder.’
It’s all about teamwork.
We finished by brushing down our exhausted steeds, thanking them for their patience and reassembling for a debrief … not to mention some yummy wraps & cake.
A fabulous day of learning was had by all.
Starting out with Davaar
Starting out with Davaar
Debb @ Davaar – July 2020
I’ve been with Dr. Wendy for a couple of years now. Before Dr. W, I was admin in the education system. Two years later, employment nursing courses went online, so staff were made redundant. Dr. W offered me a job with Davaar, and as the saying goes, the rest is history!
So what’s it like working for Dr. Wendy and Davaar Consultancy? Well, it’s been the best thing to have happened to me since … oh gosh, ok well, I can’t remember that far back but it’s been oh-so-good! Don’t get me wrong, I’m still ‘a work in progress’ when it comes to the Scottish accent and terminology – or as I call it ‘Wendy-Speak’ – but I hope I am slowly ‘getting there’. With my hand on my heart, there’s never been a dull moment I can tell you. She is certainly one very resilient lady! (a workshop participant called her a ‘pocket rocket’) – and with ‘proven consistency’, as per our Instagram posts. In between podcasts, workshops (face to face), online training, Rotary (Past President), supervising, one-on-one sessions, being hassled by me – she still makes time for her own mental health by throwing in a game of golf!
Starting backwards – Covid-19 has certainly brought a ‘what are we going to do?’ question to the drawing board. Here I was panicking, very concerned about my own welfare, at the same time trying to think outside the box. Well, surprise surprise, Dr. Wendy was already outside that box … waiting for me to catch up! She and IT guru Nikki had already set up online training and published the first 6 podcast episodes ‘Professional Boundaries‘ – something to relax and listen to while self-isolating, and/ or working from home. Add into that organised mix came ‘You Supporting You … Your Sentence, Your Story, Your Week’ … and gently stir. We had such a positive response that it is now on our website for one and all to download.
Check out the booklet for yourself … it’s really cool … and yes, I am blowing my own horn! I loved designing thisbooklet especially using Japanese influenced illustrations from Pixabay (thank you Pixabay).
Click on the cover to learn more.
One of our customers loved the book so much she gave us this testimonial to use:
“The best part for me is the title ‘YOU Supporting YOU during this time’. I am a strong advocate of people helping themselves. I often talk about the three-prong approach to recovery with my clients: doctors and medicine, counselling therapies, and most important ‘what can you do to help yourself??’ This fits perfectly in with that model!”
Without carrying on too much, that’s what I love about this diverse ‘job’ (dare I call it a ‘job’?) – the love of design – webinar PowerPoints, training flyers, workbooks, documents, booklets, and everything in between – like I said ‘never a dull moment’ with this talented woman.
Dr. Wendy also completed a very successful VIRTUAL workshop, this July month, with Linguistpd in the UK via Zoom. Over the past couple of years, Wendy would take the opportunity to catch up with friends and relatives when these workshops were scheduled; however, this time around the workshop was facilitated virtually. Will it work? Will anyone turn up? Will it be successful? Well, yes indeed, the feedback was very positive and humbling. Another exciting chapter to add to the memoir!
I will fill you in on more amazing feats blitzed by Dr. W in the next month’s blog. Stay well, stay safe.
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