Nurse leadership, interprofessionalism and the modernization agenda

As part of the drive to deliver effective health and social care, the Government's modernization agenda focuses on strengthening nursing leadership and developing interprofessional collaboration. Senior nurses are well placed to promote the latter by supporting substantive change in NHS culture. Findings from a research study, conducted by the Faculty of Health and Social Care, University of the West of England, Bristol, as part of a research programme evaluating its interprofessional curriculum, have highlighted senior nurses' potential contribution to implementing and maintaining effective interprofessional collaboration. The authors argue that senior nurses are particularly well placed to help students across disciplines gain the experience needed to develop the requisite skills for delivering care within interprofessional services; and that the implementation of roles and initiatives which support senior nurses in developing appropriate leadership skills is a key component underpinning the modernization agenda.