Top tips from Tanis

Published: 03 November 2010

The RCN’s adviser for HCA and AP members gives advice on writing articles for publication

This newsletter is intended to provide you, our health care assistant and assistant practitioner members, with a means of communicating with us and each other. We don’t want to fill it with pieces written by myself and my colleagues. We want you to get involved, have your say and get your voice heard.

I meet many HCAs and APs throughout my working days, and I know that the vast majority of you have clear opinions and want to get those opinions heard. But very few of you put pen to paper. So my first tip to you is…

Don’t be afraid to have a go

If you have something important to say, say it. Don’t worry too much about your spelling or grammar, as the editor will be able to help out there. Just start by writing down your thoughts and see how they sound if you read them out loud. They should sound like you, not false or as if they have been written by someone else.

Have a structure

Remember your school days when you had to write essays and your teachers would insist you wrote a plan before starting? Well it doesn’t have to be complicated, but do try to have an introduction, middle piece (content) and an ending (summary or conclusion). Think what your aim is and introduce it, say what you want to say, and then conclude by summarising or reinforcing the main point.

Write about something that is important to you

The best articles come from those writing about something they feel passionate about. This could be a new initiative you’ve developed to improve patient care, a work experience that has struck a chord with you or a professional issue you’re just desperate to get off your chest.

If you’re stuck for ideas but still want to put pen to paper then get in touch with the newsletter team. We’re keen to get your thoughts on a whole range of things, including what you like to be called given the choice (your job title not your name), what you’ve done to make a difference to your patients, how you’ve developed your career and what the RCN can do to help you in your work.

You’re in the driving seat

So let’s hear from you. You’re in the driving seat of what appears in the next issue of this newsletter. Don’t be afraid, get in touch and make your voice heard. Remember to include your contact details on your email as the editor may want to call you to check out something before publishing your piece.

The next issue of this newsletter will be in February so please let us have any of your comments or articles by the end of December. We’re all really excited about this new development and we look forward to hearing from you.