EAUN in Munich: My experience

The 17th EAUN meeting was particularly interesting for me as it highlighted a range of interesting topics and features that were applicable to my field of urological nursing and which enabled me to apply current practices. For the purpose of this article the one session I felt had a significant impact on my practice and thought process was the poster sessions. The variation in topics showcased that as autonomous practitioners in the field of urology we feel the need to explore these areas further. It also highlighted the sheer dedication and determination to move forward in our practice and thinking.

As an audience we appreciated the novice to expert speakers, this in itself sums up the nature and objective of this session. The variation in topics of interest by participants highlighted the wide spectrum in the roles of Nurse practitioners in different parts of the world – from the different approaches to evaluating areas of practices, setting up and delivering new services, bringing forward new agendas and stimulating new ideas for the future in urological nursing. It allowed the presenters the platform to showcase their areas of interest and the dedicated work it entailed to highlight areas we are moving forward in for urology nurse practitioners.

At the same time it also provided the audience the grounds in which to scrutinise such practices, question practices and ideas and show support for the presenters. I believe the idea of the poster session is to encourage urological nurses to become autonomous practitioners, build on our existing service provision, challenge the need for change and our existing thinking. To be inspired by our fellow colleagues both on a national and international level in order to challenge practices and at the same time work towards consistency amongst urology nurse practitioners and encourage forward thinking.

It was particularly impressive to observe the social networking these sessions provoked. Direct links were forged with speakers and audience participants, exchanging of service provision and ideas were genuinely given and received, contact links were made to ensure ideas were followed through and services could be forged in a similar fashion. The sheer enthusiasm the poster sessions generated showed the scope of hard work and determination by the dedicated participants and organisers alike, of course without the interested audience the success of the session would not be possible.

This simple realisation I believe is a powerful tool in gaining momentum for expansion in service provision and roles of urology nurse practitioners in our arena.

Author: Mrs. Vitra Khati, King’s College Hospital, Dept. of Urology, London (UK), vitra.khati@nhs.net