Frances Hughes
Keynote 7
Nurses experience of violence and abuse in the workplace and strategies to prevent and mitigate harm
Dr Frances Hughes
RN, BA, MA, DNurs, Col (ret), JP, ONZM
Dr Frances Hughes was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the International Council of Nurses in February 2016. Immediately prior to this, she held the role of Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Queensland, Australia, and also served as Chief Nurse for New Zealand. From 2005-2011, Dr Hughes worked for the World Health Organization with 16 countries in the Pacific region, supporting them to develop policy and plans to improve mental health for consumers in the Pacific. Qualified as a general and psychiatric health nurse, Dr Hughes has a Doctor of Nursing degree from the University of Technology, Sydney. She has held senior roles for many years across a range of organisations and served as the Commandant Colonel for the Royal New Zealand Nursing Corp. Dr Hughes has an extensive publication record and has received several awards for her work.
Dr. Hughes has extensive knowledge and networks in relation to health policy, particularly in the field of nursing and mental health, research, and global health issues. She was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2005 for her Services to Mental Health; a Fulbright Senior Scholarship followed by a Distinguished Alumni Service Award from Massey University in New Zealand in 2013; and recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Convenient Care Association and Pharmacy Times Continuing Education.
Nurses experience of violence and abuse in the workplace and strategies to prevent and mitigate harm
Abuse and violence against health personnel is an existing and widespread problem in developing and transition countries as well as the industrialized world and nurses are a category of worker particularly at risk. The International Council of Nurses (ICN) strongly condemns any forms of violence against nursing personnel that violates the nurse’s rights to personal safety, dignity and respect and freedom from harm. Protecting all healthcare workers and promoting safe working environments has been an ICN priority for many years and the ICN position statement, which is currently under review, is the principle document informing ICNs campaigning and policy work. Frances Hughes, ICN CEO, will describe the continuum of abuse and violence that nurses can be exposed to in the workplace and the work to review and update the ICN position to reflect the reality of current nursing practice. ICN firmly believes that violence in the health workplace threatens the delivery of effective patient services and Frances will outline strategies and approaches to mitigate and eliminate harm to staff and ensure improved outcomes for patients.
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