Nursing Now campaign director Barbara Stilwell wants nurses to look beyond the considerable demands of the job to be ‘disruptive leaders’ who can agitate for change

Barbara Stilwell knows how to get things done. Her achievements include introducing the nurse practitioner role to the UK, developing healthcare systems and workforces internationally and – her new role – leading the Nursing Now campaign to increase the influence of nurses globally. I go into our meeting thinking ‘how on earth did she do all that?’ The first clue comes more or less immediately: she radiates positivity.