Lynda Cole

Hello, my name is Lynda.  I have been a Ward Sister in the Emergency Care Village for the last 14 months. The areas which I am responsible for within this area are comprised of a short stay medical ward and a medical clinical assessment centre. We have a focus upon reducing hospital admissions through the development and utilisation of ambulatory pathways that are safe, effective and do meet the needs of an individual.

The current global pandemic has initiated many changes for my team; finding new ways to support the emergency department meet the needs of our community. The Department of Health have also released new guidance for Emergency and Urgent Care services with Northern Ireland which will ultimately remodel and shape our service provision. I am mindful of the effects that change has on the wider team and how culture can impact on the team dynamics and productivity. Consequently, I seek to understand the culture within my team and to appreciate facilitation techniques to bring the team together to explore and achieve self-actualisation; whilst working toward a shared goal aligned with the organisational values.

I am passionate about quality improvement and professional development, however as a new leader within an evolving team I believe the Inspire Improvement Fellowship will greatly benefit my team to achieve person centredness, excellence and a caring culture. I want to create a positive culture within the team where we support each other, encourage learning and development, have freedom to recognise areas for improvement and the skills to drive change.  My role has taught me to reflect deeply on everything within my own practice, I hope to further explore leadership styles and develop my own to its full potential. I feel extremely fortunate to be able to participate in this programme, as it will likely push me beyond my comfort zone to become a more confident and skilled leader and ultimately have a positive impact upon my team.  I look forward to working along with other professionals across the United Kingdom through this journey to share learning and develop positive working and supportive relationships.