STORIES 14 STORIES
2020 ANNUAL REPORT
NURSING AT THE FOREFRONT OF HARD PLACES The first nursing advisor was appointed at Pegasus Health in 1997. Over the decades, the appointment has been followed by practice nurse training programmes and strategies to make primary care nursing more effective. In 2011 the Nursing entry to Practice Programme (NetP) was introduced to support graduate nurses into general practice. Pegasus Health Nurse Membership gave practice nurses an individual and collective voice, and influence within Pegasus Health and the Canterbury health system. Director of Nursing, Michael McIlhone says now, during the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, is the time to dedicate more financial resources to support the profession. The Nurse Membership structure within Pegasus has been dissolved and in its place is a refocused Nurse Advisory and suite of nursing support services and initiatives for nurses working in general practice, 24 Hour Surgery and Pegasus Health.
“We’ve seen our nurses at the forefront of the Canterbury earthquakes, terror attacks and now the COVID-19 response. They’ve put themselves into the hard places and
A Nurse Director, Nicky Scott, now sits on the Pegasus Health Board and funding will soon become available for professional supervision, counselling sessions, extra scholarships and conference and course attendance for Pegasus nurses. Michael says the Pegasus Nursing Team will also explore additional ways to help develop peer support and mentorship for Pegasus nurses.
we’re backing them up with this new suite of services.” Michael McIlhone Director of Nursing Photo: Pegasus 24HR Surgery
