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