Professional Nurse Advocate

Professional Nurse Advocates in Critical Care

CC3N have been pivotal in the roll out of Professional Nurse Advocate training for 436 Critical Care nurses, liaising wit NHSEI, HEIs and Critical Care units to ensure there is a PNA on every critical care unit in England.

Pre-Covid data showed that a third of Critical Care Nurses experienced severe burnout, with 86% experiencing one of the three classic symptoms of exhaustion, depersonalisation and reduced personal accomplishment. (Moss et al. 2016).

The pandemic has exacerbated this exponentially leading to a desperate need to prioritise the mental health and well-being of nurses and reduce emotional burnout, (Nicki Credland, Chair of the BACCN, 2021).

In response, Ruth May (Chief Nursing Officer for England) announced in March 2021 the immediate role out of the Professional Nurse Advocate Programme in England starting with 400 critical care nurses…… meaning that there will be two PNAs in every critical care unit in England. Since April 2021, the programme has been rolled out to more than 1,000 nurses from adult acute mental health, community, adult learning disabilities and children and young people. The aim is to have 5000 PNAs, across all specialties in England by April 2022.
The Professional Nurse Advocate (PNA) is a qualified practising nurse who has undertaken a Level 7 PNA accredited Programme that has been developed around the A-EQUIP model (Advocating for Education and Quality Improvement) initially introduced into Midwifery in 2017. The A-EQUIP model includes Restorative Clinical Supervision (RCS), which research shows has a direct impact on recruitment, retention, staff engagement, compassion fatigue and reducing sickness. The model also has an emphasis on Education and Development and Quality Improvement. All of which will have a positive impact on patient safety and experience.

The benefits of PNA’s are summarised by Petit et al (2015) and intend to be demonstrated by the implantation on PNA’s within critical care.

Facilitates professional resilience
Supports provision of high quality care
Identifies areas for improvement
Develops the advocacy role of nurses
Underpins strategies to develop and invest in nurses
Provides flexibility for local implementation
Supports revalidation
Improves sickness and absence rates

Improve individual well being
Decreases stress and reduce burnout
Increases enjoyment in work and job satisfaction
Increases retention and staff feel valued
Improves working relationships and team dynamics
Enhances management of work life balance
Improves working relationships and team dynamics
Enhances management of work life balance

Professional Nurse Advocate

Restorative Supervision

Click on the image above to view a video developed by the PNA’s on the Critical Care unit at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals to promote the PNA role and Restorative supervision .

Useful Resources

CC3N SOP - Professional Nurse Advocates in Critical Care

NHS PNA A-EQUIP - A Model for Clinical Supervision

NHSE/I PNA webpage links to Regional PNA Leads, National PNA updates, PNA Training and further contacts and resources.

A case study - Establishing a PNA role in Cardiothoracic Critical Care by Hannah Baker

Arise the Professional Nurse Advocate (PNA) by Helen Gadsby

PNA Framework - Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

Celebrating Success

Below is a selection of Critical Care PNA poster presentations and videos that have kindly shared by to provide a bank of resources.

Congratulations

Congratulations to the Critical Care Team (Lisa Walby, Rachel Wade, Sarah Coltman and Jennifer Hayes) at Northumbria Healthcare Foundation Trust who won Best Innovation in their Quality and Innovation Festival for their ''Development of the Professional Nurse Advocate in Critical Care' poster.