Celebrating international collaboration: reflections on the first Virtual International Practice Development Conference

• Main Authors: Moira Stephens, Jan Dewing, Angela Brown, Rebekkah Middleton, Victoria Neville
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Foundation of Nursing Studies 2016-11-01
• Series: International Practice Development Journal
• Subjects: International; International Practice Development Collaborative; practice development; technology; virtual conference; innovation
• Online Access: http://www.fons.org/library/journal/volume6-issue2/article3

This article reports on the first Virtual International Practice Development Conference, held in May 2015 to celebrate International Nurses Day. The article describes key aspects of its planning, offers a flavour of the event itself and sets out an evaluation, including learning points and recommendations to assist with planning similar events in the future. Central to our learning are: The need for practice developers to grasp skills in technology associated with virtual space The need to embrace virtual space itself as another means by which creative and communicative spaces can be established for active learning and practice development activities The potential advantages that international virtual engagement has over face-to-face national or international engagement The delivery of this virtual event made a significant international contribution to global practice development activity within the International Practice Development Collaborative and to enabling practice developers to connect and celebrate on a more global basis. Implications for practice: Virtual space technology skills can assist with sharing and translating practice development research, innovations and critical commentary Virtual space can provide an adjunct to creative and communicative learning spaces Global networking opportunities can be developed and enhanced through the use of virtual space technology Practice developers need to role model the use of virtual technologies