As nurses we may need to overcome fear, distrust, uncertainty, and personal insecurity to do what is just, to meet the call of those whose voices and knowledge are often missing, and to enact those central ideals that are consistent with valuing health for all (University of Canberra, 2021).
The profession of nursing and the public broadly expect nurses to be person-centred (McCance & McCormack, 2006) and safety focused during their nursing interactions; these concepts and requirements are fundamental and explicit in nursing curricula. At University of Canberra, in our recently accredited curriculum, we aspire to be person-centred in our approach to each other (staff and students), role modelling this in our collegial interactions, guiding and supporting students in their development of these capabilities.
In an environment of proliferating technology, including artificial intelligence, we must keep the focus on the human. Meeting uncertainty with personhood through a curriculum approach underpinned by humanism (Hills, Watson & Cara, 2021), equips educators as co-learners to learn from and with each other. These shared learning moments are dependent on educators being in relationship with learners and each other to create a space to challenge bias, recognise power and privilege at an individual, professional and institutional level, and transform ideas, knowledges, being and practice.
To be human is a constant puzzle and challenge and is therefore uncertain. As humans, we always live in a world of symbols, morals, emotions, words, and relationships (Bakewell, 2023). An alignment with humanistic theory underpins person-centred practice and can influence individual development. As co-learners, and current or future healthcare leaders, we must recognise when it is appropriate to lead, follow or walk as one. We share this aspiration in the spirit of Galambany gifted by Ngunnawal peoples* where everyone’s invited to walk together.
*Traditional owners of Canberra and surrounding region