Identifying the learning needs of senior nurses.

There has been a drive to encourage nurses into positions of leadership but, despite the importance of considering how the senior nurse role should be developed and the needs of senior nurses, little literature exists on the subject. To explore senior nurse development, one health. board in Scotland invited senior nurses to participate in a "development conversation".

Improving the quality of the NHS workforce through values and competency-based selection.

Robust selection processes are essential to ensure the best and most appropriate candidates for nursing, midwifery and allied health professional (NMAHP) positions are appointed, and subsequently enhance patient care. This article reports on a study that explored interviewers' and interviewees' experiences of using values and competency-based interview (VCBI) methods for NMAHPs. Results suggest that this resource could have a positive effect on the quality of the NMAHP workforce, and therefore on patient care.

Improving staff selection processes.

This article, the second in a series of articles on Leading Better Care, describes the actions undertaken in recent years in NHS Lanarkshire to improve selection processes for nursing, midwifery and allied health professional (NMAHP) posts. This is an area of significant interest to these professions, management colleagues and patients given the pivotal importance of NMAHPs to patient care and experience. In recent times the importance of selecting staff not only with the right qualifications but also with the right attributes has been highlighted to ensure patients are well cared for in a safe, effective and compassionate manner.

Practice nurse appraisal: evaluation report.

Background: As general practice nurses (GPNs) now perform many activities formerly undertaken by general practitioners (GPs), the paperwork and process of the Scottish GP appraisal scheme may be usefully replicated for GPN appraisal.

Method: Eight GPNs adapted paperwork. Ten GP appraisers in NHS Lanarkshire were invited to interview their GPN(s) using the adapted paperwork.

Advanced practice in nursing: from concept to reality.

This article provides an overview of an advanced practice initiative developed at NHS Lanarkshire. The criteria that must be met when determining advanced practice roles are discussed, and the management and leadership challenges inherent in defining and implementing advanced practice in nursing are explored. The article concludes with an outline of future activities in this field.

The role of relationships in effective clinical supervision.

Aim: To investigate the nature of clinical supervision.

Method: Within the four-cycle action research approach qualitative data was collected using a range of methods and analyses.

Results: Several insights were gained into the nature of clinical supervision and the nature of change required to support its introduction.