myTRC – Leadership is Ownership

Growing up in Haldwani, UP, India, Neelam’s aim in pursuing Nursing was to get a professional degree that ensured employment. What Neelam didn’t foresee then; was just how passionate she would become to learn, grow and thrive within the field of Nursing. You’d think that as a part of the faculty at the College of Nursing at Graphic Era Hill University (Bhimtal Campus), while working to better her skills and leadership, and working to pursue higher education along with keeping in touch with her clinical work (often voluntarily accompanying students at clinical work), Neelam would barely have the time to catch her breath. And yet as a myTRC participant, there is never a missed deadline or a delayed submission only reflecting her deep commitment and impeccable discipline. All while managing to balance her work with downtime – travelling to various spiritual sites around the country and reading non-fiction. And yet, you can hear a tinge of regret in her voice when she says she isn’t able to find the time to pursue Taekwondo, despite being a National Gold Medalist in the sport.

Neelam’s drive to care for fellow HCWs is an empathetic and inspired journey birthed in the pains of the pandemic. Assigned in a COVID ICU, fresh out of college, Neelam would walk into her shift and see an empty bed in the place of someone she cared for and smiled at and laughed with just the previous evening. It was a stark reminder of the fragility of human life and the effect it had on the mental and emotional health of her and her fellow HCWs was not lost on her. She recollects with gratitude and fondness, her team leader at the time that took the time to talk through these experiences with the young nurses and provide an opportunity to vent and share their pain. This cathartic experience, which she noticed was rare for fellow- HCWs inspired her to work to create safe space for conversation and dialogue on Mental Health in her current spaces of influence as a nursing tutor.

Neelam shares that her experiences and the confidence and guidance from the myTRC program have uniquely equipped her to proactively prepare young HCWs for the realities they will face and also to guide them on dealing with the effects of stress and burnout in their workplaces.

Gladys is the kind of person that is hard to forget. There is an intensity about her that remains in the air long after she has left the room. A Midwife Leader from Soroti, Uganda, Gladys, has the fiery determination and time/work management skills that is telling of a mother of 5. “My life’s mission”, she says, “is to be an icon for the least privileged, standing tall for what is right even when the entire world throws stones at me. I stand for the rights of patients and midwives – creating safe and comfortable working conditions. My mission is to be an inspiration to the young generation in my vicinity and also to young professionals in Midwifery and beyond!”

Inspired to care for those in need by the responsibility handed by her mother to care for her pre-term little sister when she was only 7, Gladys carries the same compassion and courage to this day. When asked what her experiences of stress on the job were, she narrates in minute detail the unreal story of crusading, along with a team of nurses, for the life of a 5-day old baby still attached to the lifeless body of her conjoined twin. She shares how she refused to give up fighting, worked long tireless hours (all while still recovering from the delivery of one of her own children), beat apathy and a system that sometimes worked against them, and how today a 4-year-old little girl lives as a testimony to that fight for life. She also quietly adds, with a tint of grief, that she had to fight for her team of nurses from the regional hospital to be recognized when the story hit the papers.

With dreams and visions of representing Midwifery and her humble backgrounds on global stages, and to level the playing field for HCWs from all cadres, Gladys continues to spread her influence and vigor by taking the time to listen to and understand one “problematic person” at a time. We can all look forward to hearing a lot more “tales of this village girl who chose to beat the odds” in the days to come!

Settling for anything less than her absolute best is completely alien to Arshi. So much so that she is often told she is doing too much! It comes as no surprise that Arshi consistently topped her class or was awarded “Student of the Year” but what is captivating is her confession that she is a person who feels deeply – and that maybe she cares a little too much as well.

From her work as a Dentist in Gurgaon, India, Arshi is growing into a passionate presence in Public Health as she pursues her Masters in the Indian Institute of Public Health, Delhi. The move comes after encouragement from a mentor of the potential to move from individual to wider community impact. “My aspiration,” says Arshi, “is to become a global public health leader and consultant, contributing to large-scale programs that improve health outcomes and reduce inequities. Ultimately, I want to be in a decision-making role where I can influence policies that bring good health at low cost to those who need it most.”

Arshi balances out this high-octane race to the top of Public Health Systems with well-earned rest by indulging in her favourite pastime- sleeping!

On reflecting upon the stresses that burden HCWs, Arshi remembers her own experiences as a young healthcare provider and the silent strain that came from knowing there is no room for error, the practices within the system that normalized stress and the pressure to always appear composed and confident. Arshi, now, advocates for preventive measures to stress and burnout in the place of reactive ones and small structural changes that promote Mental Health Literacy and prioritize training of Healthcare Leadership to support the mental health and wellbeing of those within the system.

Asha Bhat is the kind of person you might meet across the table at a conference—offering a kind smile and effortless conversation. Yet behind that approachable demeanor lies an impressive list of achievements. She is the current Head of Department and Associate Professor at the Department of OBG Nursing at KAHER Institute of Nursing Sciences, Karnataka, serves as General Secretary of the Society of Midwives, India, and has contributed to the Elsevier textbook Principles and Practice of Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing.

Having witnessed how skilled and compassionate nursing could make tangible difference to a patient, Asha set off on this journey into healthcare with a deep desire to serve people during their most vulnerable times. “My aim”, she says, “has always been to combine clinical expertise, research, and teaching to strengthen nursing practices and improve outcomes for women and children.”

“I am deeply committed to lifelong learning and innovation,” reflects Asha, her unassuming manner and genuine curiosity to know and learn, both refreshing and inspiring. Her passion to explore the unknown extends beyond her profession, indulging in solo trips to relax and recuperate.

With a zeal to mentor the next generation of nurses and midwives, empowering them to deliver compassionate, skilled, and respectful care, Asha endeavours to leave a legacy of impactful research, enhanced clinical competencies, and sustainable programs that improve maternal and newborn health outcomes while advancing the overall wellbeing of healthcare workers.