Hello....Natasha Moon

At Lancaster University we offer flexible work-based online learning that enables you to develop your career, whilst working. Our Career Focus series speaks to Natasha who is studying a Postgraduate Diploma whilst working in a hospital in South Sudan.

#NHSCareers #ICRC #Workbasedlearning #Careers

1.?????? Introduce yourself and outline your career history

I started my nurse training in 1992 finishing with a Diploma in health care studies with nurse registration in 1995. I consolidated my learning in medical and surgical departments before returning to university to complete my BSC in Nursing whilst working part time. I had multiple jobs before settling in critical care, where I worked for many years.

I had always wanted to work overseas and in 2013 I was seconded by the NHS for one year to work with Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) as a teaching Nurse in Malawi, this was followed by working with the Defense School of Health Care Education to create a post graduate critical care course in Zambia.

In 2015 I joined the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as a nurse whose mandate is to protect and assist victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence. The work of the ICRC is based on the Geneva Conventions. I have worked in multiple contexts during my time with the ICRC in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Working in global health is both challenging and rewarding. To further my knowledge and understanding I undertook many other studies in including a Master’s in Public Health and a Diploma in Tropical Nursing.

I undertake missions in parallel with my work as a critical care nurse in the NHS, where during the covid pandemic I worked also in the Caribbean and Europe.

2.?????? What is your current role? What are the highs and low and what are the leadership and management challenges?

I work as a Head Nurse at a field hospital in South Sudan. I work alongside Ministry of Health staff to lead and manage the hospital nursing team by building capacity, strengthening the voice of nursing, and improving the standards/quality of care for those affected by conflict. The hospital is only accessible by air, foot, or boat. We work in the most challenging of situations, where water is obtained from a bore hole and electricity is only available via a generator. We are reliant on planes and helicopters to bring drugs and disposables, which in rainy season can be very challenging.

I share my knowledge and skills, supporting the nursing department and the patients that they care for. This can be very varied and can include how to write rosters, IPC measures, how to conduct meetings, and inventories to monitoring and identifying sick patients or simulation training for mass casualties. My missions are often for 6 to 12 months, so learning about a country, context and social nuances can be challenging. The concepts of care, standards, leadership, and management are different in each context, so finding a balance by listening, observing, and communicating effectively are essential if sustainable change is to occur.

One of the most rewarding aspects is the opportunity to make a direct and significant impact on the lives of individuals and communities, collaborating closely with diverse teams and other stakeholders’ makes you more adaptable, resilient with the ability to problem solve and make decisions. Some of the challenges involve working in insecure and difficult environments operating with limited resources. There are also at times many administrative difficulties which can lead to a sense of frustration.

When not on mission I work as a critical care nurse in the NHS. There are mutual benefits to working in both areas. I work in complicated challenging environment, but this assists me to consolidate and develop a range of skills, clinical, management, communication, teamwork patients experience, and policy. I also gain huge personal satisfaction. Likewise, when I come back to the NHS my managerial skills improve because I have had to be more innovative, and able to cope in an environment different to my own.? I am also better able to prioritize limited resources and manage my time more efficiently. Collaborating with diverse teams overseas provides experience in multi-cultural and multidisciplinary teams in the UK. I am also more aware of cultural sensitivities. The opportunity to work in a different healthcare system and to engage with policy and service delivery is useful and transferrable.

3.?????? Why did you decide to study a work base leadership and management programme at Lancaster University?

I chose to study a work-based learning course because I wanted it to revolve around practical, first hand experiences, so that I could apply theoretical knowledge and develop practical skills directly related to the humanitarian field. I wanted to engage in real world problem solving to help me find solutions, using supervision, coaching and feedback from the tutors and peers. I wanted to understand workplace dynamics and to be able to reflect on my real-life experiences analysing my actions, decisions, and outcomes to improve myself professionally and personally

4.?????? What do you feel that you have learnt from your studies?

This course has taught me that being a leader and manager is more about personality, attributes, awareness, and behaviours than theories and models. They can support and frame, but emotional intelligence, self-awareness and self-management are more important and my actions and behaviours have a far greater impact than I had imagined.

5.?????? How have your studies impacted you as a leader and manager and as a human being?

This self-analysis has given me the opportunity to explore, reflect and challenge my ways of working to see if they can be developed and improved upon, utilizing the theories and frameworks that I have read. I have learned that whilst certain situations and contexts do not always require the same approach, communication, active listening, feedback, participation, respect, and acknowledgement are universal.

6.?????? Where do you think your career may go next?

I would like to continue my work. I find it challenging and rewarding and I am continuously learning. I would like to continue to seek knowledge and to grow and build up on what I have learned. I am interested in capacity building, policy, and research particularly looking at the interface between practice and theory. I am lucky that I have a foot in both worlds, the NHS and humanitarian and I gain and share knowledge from both.

7.?????? What would you advise anybody thinking of undertaking work-based study?

It is not easy balancing the needs of study, work, and your personal life. I found the tutors encouraging and very approachable, so utilize them. The work-based learning activities with your coach and fellow peers offer you a chance to share experiences and reflect. It is a different way of learning but offers new skills, hands-on experience, and increases your confidence in how to handle yourself and others.

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