Prof Siedine Coetzee on how nurse leadership can improve patient care

Nurse leadership could be one of the most effective ways to improve patient care and strengthen South Africa’s healthcare system.

Prof Siedine Coetzee, DST/NRF Research Chair in Nursing Science at NWU, explains why the environment nurses work in has a direct effect on their wellbeing, job satisfaction, patient safety, and quality of care.

Her research shows that staffing and resources remain major problems across public and private healthcare, but effective nurse leadership can have an even greater influence on outcomes. She discusses high levels of burnout, why nurses leave the profession, and how poor working environments create a cycle that places greater pressure on those who remain.

Coetzee also explains the Nurse Lead initiative, which brings together NWU, the National Department of Health, academics, and frontline nurses to develop stronger nursing leaders. The goal is to give nurses a greater voice in hospitals and healthcare policy while improving the environments in which they work.

0:00 Intro

1:13 What is failing nurses in South Africa?

3:03 Why nurse leadership matters

5:59 Nurse wellbeing and patient safety

8:38 What a good nursing environment looks like

11:47 Turning research into better leadership

15:47 Building the next generation of nurse leaders

18:34 The future of nursing in South Africa