A charity is platforming female nursing and midwifery leaders this week to mark International Women’s Day.
Cavell has been using its website and social media pages to celebrate women in the professions and share their messages of encouragement for other female nurses and midwives.
“I did not let those setbacks, those rejections stop me from achieving my dreams”
Mayflor Bernal
Among those taking part in the campaign is Dame Christine Beasley, former chief nursing officer (CNO) for England.
In her video, she noted how, early in her nursing career, she was working as a sister in a busy surgical ward when she was getting married.
At that time, it was assumed that she would only be returning to nursing part-time and to a less busy setting because she would need to be home to cook her husband’s dinner.
“They truly were different times,” she said.
However, after a short break, Dame Christine returned as a district nurse and progressed in her career.
In 2004, she was appointed England CNO – a post she had unsuccessfully applied for five years earlier.
“It’s very easy, when you see barriers in the way put there perhaps by other people, by the system, even by yourself, to see them as blocks that can’t be moved, rather than hurdles that you can get over and dismantle,” she added.
“Make sure you don’t listen to other people or even to yourself [when they] say you can’t achieve your goals, [or] your ambitions are too high.
“Take every opportunity, create every opportunity, and make sure you see obstacles as hurdles rather than barriers.”
Also featured is Filipino matron Mayflor Bernal, who said she had faced different types of challenges during her almost 24 years in the UK.
However, she added: “I did not let those setbacks, those rejections stop me from achieving my dreams, but instead I used them to become a better and stronger version of myself.
“My message for all internationally educated nurses is to have the courage to work towards your dreams, be persistent and keep that resilience.”
She urged other female nurses to be “proud of who you are” and to “celebrate big or small achievements”.
Cavell, a charity focused on supporting UK nurses, midwives, and healthcare assistants experiencing financial or personal hardship, has been sharing the messages during the week of International Women’s Day.
International Women’s Day takes place on 8 March and this year holds a theme of #AccelatrateAction, which calls for urgent steps to achieve gender equality.
Lewis Allett, chief executive at Cavell, noted how women made up 88.8% of the registered nursing and midwifery workforce but that male nurse and midwife leaders were often better paid than women in those roles.
“There is often a disconnect in the perception of these roles being ‘woman’s work’ versus the discourse around women in leadership,” he said.
“It was reported by the [Royal College of Nursing] last year that there was a 17% salary gap between men and women in similar nursing leadership roles, in favour of men.
“At Cavell we’re keen to give a voice to the inspirational women working in nursing and midwifery and hear what they have to say about leadership, solidarity and excellence as they continue to encourage the next generation of nurses and midwives to flourish into future leaders.”
