Co-designing a Fundamentals of Care Leadership Program

“Leadership programs in health are not necessarily new; but very few focus specifically on fundamental care. We know that if we don’t make fundamental care a key focus within continuing professional development, this care will be invisible and devalued. Our goal is to put fundamental care at the forefront of healthcare leadership. Our leadership program aims to equip healthcare leaders with the courage, confidence, and competence to advocate for fundamental care and effect real systems change.”

– Feo

Deficits in fundamental care are a wicked problem adversely impacting healthcare users, providers, and systems globally. These deficits stem from the minimal value placed on fundamental care and its subsequent invisibility across research, education, clinical practice, and policy. Sustainable systems change requires effective nursing and healthcare leadership; however, most leadership programs tend to address only one area of healthcare systems, typically clinical practice, and do not focus specifically on fundamental care.

Goal

Our goal was to work with the International Learning Collaborative, the foremost global organisation dedicated to fundamental care, to co-design a leadership program specifically for fundamental care. The leadership program is designed to empower nursing and healthcare leaders, across research, education, clinical practice, and policy, to challenge and change how fundamental care is valued, prioritised, and actioned within health and care systems.

Aims

Adopt a co-designed, participatory action approach to develop a Fundamentals of Care Leadership Program.
Collaborate with current and emerging healthcare leaders from around the world to create a program that is shaped by, and meets, their needs.
Work with the International Learning Collaborative to deliver the Leadership Program at local, national, and international levels.