Programme

  

Tue 24 April 2012

Breakfast debate: This house believes that caring can and should be measured

Chair:

  • Janet Davies, Executive Director of Nursing and Service Delivery, Royal College of Nursing, UK

Speaking for the motion:

  • Professor Carol Haigh. Professor of Nursing, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
  • Professor Tanya McCance, The Mona Grey Professor of Nursing Research and Development, School of Nursing, University of Ulster, Belfast, UK

Speaking against the motion:

  • Dr Ann Bradshaw, Senior Lecturer in Adult Nursing, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford
    Brookes University, Oxford, UK
  • John Paley, Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK

Delegates enjoyed a lively debate with their coffee and croissants. Carol used humour to make some serious points, arguing that whilst caring is subjective, it has elements (feeling safe, secure, loved) applicable to everbody, which would make measurement understandable. Ann suggested that caring is about virtue, a quality of character, and therefore not measurable. She referenced the literature that says patient satisfaction is now considered to be a poor indicator of quality. Tanya spoke of how the patient is able to measure and articulate their own patient experience, and that if we don't measure it, we can't improve it. Finally, John argued that whilst he was fine with measurement, he disputed the ability to define caring, arguing that it is a jumble of definitions that are functionally nothing more than soundbites. Whilst an initial vote of the audience produced a strong +30 vote in favour of the motion, delegates were obviously struck at the opposition speeches, so the final vote was a much closer affair, with only a +9 vote in favour. 


Social event: evening drinks reception

The Florence Nightingale School of Nursing & Midwifery hosted an evening drinks reception, following day two of the RCN Annual International Nursing Research Conference, on Tuesday 24 April 2012. Drinks and canapés were served in the Florence Nightingale Museum, between 18:00 and 19:30.

Current Head of the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing & Midwifery, Professor Helen McCutheon, welcomed delegates to the Florence Nightingale Museum, before introducing Peter Carter, General Secretary and Chief Executive for the RCN, and Visting Professor at King's College London.