At ACN, we value the insights and experiences of our Affiliate Members. Being an ACN Affiliate Member is more than just a relationship; it is about forming connections, supporting each other, and advancing the industry for our nurses, students, and healthcare professionals.
We want to hear directly from our affiliates about why they enjoy being part of our affiliate community. Join us as we delve into their stories and discover what makes affiliate membership with ACN so rewarding.
This month, we are excited to hear from one of our Gold Affiliates, School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Sydney Technology (UTS).
The School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Sydney Technology has been a Gold Affiliate of the Australian College of Nursing (ACN) since 2019, with many UTS academics also holding individual membership. There have been many opportunities and reciprocal benefits of these collaborations.
Several UTS academics volunteer their time through ACN to activities aimed at improving the health and well-being of nurses and midwives and the broader Australian community. For example, academics have also participated in the Violence in Nursing Taskforce working to promote safe work environments and reduce the incidence of occupational violence in healthcare. Several academics currently serve as part of the ACN Climate and Health Faculty. In this capacity, they had the opportunity to participate in consultation regarding the development of the NSW Health Net Zero Roadmap. The purpose of this roadmap is to develop a guide for the healthcare system to achieve a 50% emission reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2050.
Academics from the school have also had the opportunity to participate in the ACN Emerging Nurse Leader Program providing mentorship to student and early career nurses to support their professional development. This structured 9-month program benefits both the mentor and mentee, resulting in professional growth and personal satisfaction.
Professional development activities are another example of mutually beneficial collaboration between UTS and ACN. Each of these offers academics the opportunity to contribute to the professional development of their peers, through facilitation of online webinars and presentations at conferences such as the ACN National Nursing Forum being held at the Cairns Convention Centre, 14-16 August. These events are also well attended by UTS nursing and midwifery academics as they provide a wonderful opportunity to gain new insights into nursing practice and learn about the latest products while engaging and networking with leaders, academics and clinicians in nursing and midwifery from across Australia.
ACN also offers opportunities for advocacy at a local, state, and national level. By invitation, UTS recently collaborated with ACN to address the issue of placement poverty by hosting the Federal Minister for Education, Jason Clare at the Ultimo Campus. The Minister spoke with nursing and midwifery students about their experiences of clinical placement and how this impacted their health, wellbeing, and finances. Academics from the school and representatives from ACN were also able to participate in this conversation, emphasising the importance of clinical placement to students’ education and skill development.
The collaboration between UTS and the ACN is mutually beneficial, together we are able to provide support to nursing students, clinicians and academics. We look forward to continuing this important collaboration while shaping the future workforce.
Written by Stacy Blyth RN Phd
Professor of Nursing
Head of Discipline – Nursing
