Why is the Professional Nurse Advocate (PNA) Role important?

 Supports staff Wellbeing 

- One of the primary goals of the PNA role is to promote staff wellbeing, foster a sense of value, reduce stress and burnout, and enhance compassion, working relationships, job satisfaction, and staff retention. 

- Restorative Clinical Supervision (RCS) assists individuals in slowing down mentally and physically by engaging in discussions, reflective conversations, supportive challenges, and feedback and offers a secure space for reflection and contemplation. 

- PNAs can deliver flexible RCS sessions for individuals or groups, whether in person, over the phone, or virtually. 

- RCS enhances cognitive capacity, allowing staff members to process thoughts, explore diverse perspectives, and make informed decisions. 

- RCS can be utilized to address professional or personal matters, including clinical incidents, team dynamics, stress, burnout, bullying, career advancement, and quality initiatives. 

- PNAs promote psychological safety and situational awareness in practice and communication. 

- PNAs coach staff members through reflection on incidents they may have witnessed or been involved in, emphasizing the examination of processes and systems rather than assigning blame. 

Promotes Wellbeing Culture 

- All nurses are encouraged to participate in at least one hour of RCS per year. 

- Staff members can self-refer to PNAs, or senior nurses can refer individuals who may benefit from PNA assistance. 

- PNAs should actively encourage staff to access RCS to help address various issues and establish a culture where restorative support mitigates daily work pressures, reduces stress levels, and minimizes burnout. 

- PNAs can offer support to individuals returning from extended periods of leave, such as sickness or maternity leave.  

Supporting change and quality Improvement 

- PNAs can facilitate group or individual RCS sessions to assist staff members in adapting to change and promoting service improvement. 

- PNAs can assist staff by having career conversations, assisting with revalidation and reflective discussions.