Modern nursing emphasizes the nurses’ qualitative evidence and technical skills when interacting with a patient. One of the qualities of good nurses is the willingness to put in the hard work it takes to meet their goals. Fuelled by their passion and desire to help others, exceptional nurses put in the necessary effort.
In addition, they exert the energy required to ensure that their patients are comfortable and that their needs do not go unmet. Ultimately, they value the job satisfaction that rewards their commitment and unsparing effort to do their work well.
Moreover, Beyond simply offering a solution, they express their compassion for patients and their families. This allows them to form meaningful relationships with their patients.
Kate Hoffmann—the Chief Nursing Officer at NMC Healthcare—is committed to instilling hope of a healthy and happy life within communities by paying attention to compassion and care, as healthcare is not all about detecting, diagnosing, or treating an individual.
At NMC Healthcare, Kate practices care in a way that patients are assured of receiving personalized care with the highest standards of quality at affordable prices. Through her ability to provide compassionate care, she recognizes the needs and expectations of the patient and enables a respectful relationship with the patient.
Kate’s contribution has served the company in attaining its mission, earning the trust of millions, and becoming the largest private healthcare company in UAE.
In an interview with Insights Care, Kate shared valuable facts that showcase her professional tenure in the healthcare niche.
Below are the excerpts from the interview:
Kindly tell us the source of inspiration. What led you to serve the healthcare industry?
During my early teens, I used to adore my grandmother who was suffering from Alzheimer’s. Looking after her for several weeks gave me a sense of empowerment, as I added value to her care. That is when I decided to pursue the field of nursing.
As my grandfather worked in the Houses of Parliament, training at St Thomas’ Hospital London, which overlooked Big Ben, seemed like a perfect place to begin my nurse training. From the very moment I stepped foot inside the wards, I felt proud to be a nurse.
Brief us about yourself and shed some light on your journey and studies as a Chief Nursing Officer over the years.
I have never really sought a promotion in my nursing career. I have simply enjoyed my roles. The more nurses that I manage, the more I feel responsible for supporting them to reach their potential, strive towards the highest quality care, and enjoy what they do.
What role do compassion and nurse-patient communication play in providing quality care for patients?
When I speak to young nurses today, I am often called to give them simple tips on what it takes to be a good nurse. Of course, you need to be well trained and competent in what you do, but with kindness and common sense added in, you are bound to make a huge difference to the quality of care of the patients you serve.
Considering that you are an enthusiast in the nursing field, what nursing initiatives are you actively involved in?
Develop a learning culture; Use nurse-process reviews to learn from serious incidents and near misses; Introduce Every Ready Governance, Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Programme, Pathway to Excellence, and Work towards Magnet.
What are some of the challenges you face when conducting nursing operations, and how do you turn them into opportunities for growth?
We have a global challenge regarding nurse recruitment and retention. This is a widely held concern for healthcare providers all over the world.
To meet the needs of our future patients, we need to remodel the way nursing care is delivered. Instead of calculating the number of nurses to patients in a ratio setting, we need to turn this upside down and consider what every individual needs and who is best placed to provide this care.
This cannot only mean registered and licensed nurses – there are not enough of us – but this could include other trained and competent healthcare workers.
Share with us some nursing insights that you would like other nurses to know.
Being a nurse is a privilege. We are honored to be invited into the most personal and private world of our patients and allowed to offer what we can to make life easier, comforted and less painful.
How do you envision scaling your services and operations in 2023 and beyond?
Every patient has the right to expect safe, caring, and high-quality care. We are here to meet the needs of our patients and will stop at nothing to be able to deliver this.
NMC Healthcare at a Glance
At NMC Healthcare, we are committed to providing clinical excellence through safe, compassionate, and individualized nursing care to every patient, every time.
Our mission is to exemplify clinical excellence, and every NMC nurse seeks to:
- Do the right thing, every time
- Be the patient’s advocate
- Be open and transparent
- Deliver safe, compassionate care while blending the Art and Science of Nursing
- Recognize the uniqueness of each patient and their family by providing care with a personalized and unprejudiced approach
- Contribute to an outstanding patient experience that meets the “family test”
- Engage with and contribute to a culture that seeks to learn from incidents and speak up for safety
- Lead and influence any change which supports better patient health and advanced nursing practices
- Manage all situations with calm confidence
- Be resilient with a positive attitude
- Embody the NMC mission and vision and practice ethically
- Always acts as the patient advocate, putting the needs and safety of patients above all else
- Create a supportive, positive work culture
NMC NURSING VALUES
We achieve this through our core values:
- Professionalism
- Respect
- Integrity
- Diversity
- Excellence
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Compassion
RESPECT:
- Show great attention to the presence of all people
- Establish a special connection with patients’ families and other team members
- Always takes the feelings of others into account
- Feel supported and empowered to speak up, in the interest of patient and staff safety
INTEGRITY:
- Exhibit authenticity and reliability at all times
- Be trustworthy and true to their word
- Be someone who is known for their credibility and honesty
- Provide exceptional quality at all times and uphold the principles of a just culture
DIVERSITY:
- Demonstrate significant sensitivity to and understanding of the individuality of all people, with unconditional positive regard
- Respect differences, especially regarding disadvantage, vulnerability, religion, ethnicity, gender, age, social background, and cultural values
- Be a role model of tolerance with an exceptional ability to connect with people from all cultures, faiths, and especially those who are disadvantaged
EXCELLENCE:
- Demonstrate extraordinary clinical skills: proficient to expert
- Regularly update clinical skills and knowledge to ensure innovative and well-informed care is provided
- Have a continuous drive to improve clinical care and clinical outcomes within a learning culture, sharing “lessons learned” in a safe environment
- Consistently focus on meeting and exceeding the needs of patients and families
- Demonstrate good critical thinking skills to ensure patient safety and implement quick actions when the patient’s situation strays outside acceptable boundaries
- Establish and elevate the standards of NMC nursing practice by holding oneself and one’s colleagues accountable at all times
TEAMWORK:
- Demonstrate superior communication skills
- Work positively and collaboratively with all members of the multi-professional team
- Work with patients and their families to promote and support the health and well-being of the whole community
- Understand the capacity, capability and context of colleagues and their work
- Develop constructive and supportive relationships to benefit the whole team
- Encourage a safe work culture to provide support, build resilience and offer debriefing opportunities
COMMUNICATION:
- Be active listeners who are receptive to others and who listen with their heart
- Be skilled at mediation in demanding situations–be the “go-to” person when others are struggling with communication in challenging situations of potential or actual conflict
- Communicate clearly and concisely with patients, families and colleagues, employing unambiguous terminology
COMPASSION:
- Be open, warm, kind, caring, and gentle
- Model empathy and demonstrate a caring attitude to all patients and their families
- Connect sensitively with a good understanding of patients’ and families’ needs
- Assure the comfort and confidence of patients and families
- Demonstrate a deep understanding of an individualized patient experience
- Remain sensitive to the needs of others in all circumstances
- Provide a nurturing and caring atmosphere for all professional colleagues.
