The Patient Care Services (PCS) Day Away is a quarterly event designed for Assistant Nurse Managers, Managers, House Supervisors, Nursing Professional Development Specialists, and Directors to engage in learning, reflection, and team-building activities. Led by the Chief Nursing Executive, this event serves as a professional and leadership development platform through networking, skill-building, and exposure to diverse perspectives.
During the Day Away, participants take part in interactive learning activities, including presentations, role-playing exercises, and team-building sessions. Leaders are encouraged to step outside their comfort zones by presenting on unfamiliar topics, conducting literature reviews, and sharing leadership insights. Departments are tasked with facilitating Day Away sessions, creatively enhancing each event through unique themes, games, activities, and interactive elements.
Guest speakers—accomplished leaders from diverse industries—are invited to share their leadership journeys, providing new perspectives beyond health care. These talks highlight the challenges, inspirations, and sense of purpose inherent in leadership roles.
Nurse leaders may face unique situations daily, from addressing clinical questions to interpreting policies. In the Day Away, a scenario based on an event that occurred in the hospital is presented and each participating team is required to do a role-playing on how they will address the scenario. These exercises are both instructive and entertaining, allowing participants to actively practice critical skills such as conflict resolution, communication, and providing feedback in a fun way. After each role-play, the directors facilitate debriefing sessions to offer constructive feedback and refine leadership strategies for addressing the scenarios presented.
“Regardless of your position or years of experience, professional and leadership development is an ongoing process for all leaders,” says George Tutu, MSN, RN, Nursing Professional Development Director. “This event is also a valuable platform for nurse leaders to share perspectives and solutions to issues impacting their departments and staff. Each unit leaders faces unique situations but there are commonalities in the principles used on how situations are addressed or approached.”