Information focus - RCN support

Publications

The following are selected publications from the RCN and are downloadable from the RCN website. Other titles can also be accessed from the RCN website.

The lists on the RCN website are arranged in alphabetical order of title. The following list is arranged firstly by publication date order (most recent first), and then alphabetically by title.

Some of the resources on this page are in PDF format - see how to access PDF files.

eHealth position statement (2012) (PDF 966KB)
The RCN's eHealth position statement covers electronic means of record keeping, giving examples of the benefits of working in this way and using examples of eHealth from throughout the UK. Health and IT systems are now an integral part of professional nursing practice and are used by many nursing staff for managing the large amounts of information generated when caring for patients.

Using technology to complement nursing practice (2012) (PDF 1.1MB)
This guidance which introduces a range of guides on using technology to complement nursing practice, provides an overview, covering the broad principles and key issues to consider for safe and effective eHealth services.

Using telephone advice for patients with long-term conditions (2012) (PDF 1.4MB)
This guide provides health care practitioners with an initial framework for building or redesigning a telephone advice service.

Using text messaging services (2012) (PDF 723.6KB)
This guide raises awareness about the complex issues around using text messaging on mobile phones such as using text to mail software system to ensure a documentation trail and provides guidance for writing a policy.

Developing and using websites (2012) (PDF 941.1KB)
This publication provides guidance on what needs to be considered in developing and using websites or providing a web service, including tips for creating a good website.

Using telehealth to monitor patients remotely (2012) (PDF 2.9MB)
This guide looks at using technology to complement nursing practice, including information about different types of information being transmitted and on designing a remote monitoring service.

Competences: finding, using and managing information. Nursing, midwifery health and social care information literacy competences (2011) (PDF 1481KB)
The RCN recognised the need for information literacy competences to complement its clinical competence framework, helping nurses, midwives, health care assistants and nursing students develop their skills in using information and knowledge and apply this to their practice. These competences are intended to support the individual and the nursing team’s thinking about the information required to inform activities of varying complexity and are intended for use by staff in NHS career bands 1-9.

Making nursing visible: valuing nursing’s contribution to high quality patient-centred care (2011) (PDF 275KB)
This publication aims to raise awareness of electronic patient records (EPRs) and the structured information needed to make them effective. It provides guidance and clarifies the language and issues relating to structured information and standardised terminology. It also describes the value of ensuring that nursing concepts can be captured within EPRs in order to make nursing visible and valued.

E-Health in Northern Ireland (2010) (PDF 302KB)
This report is the result of a collaboration between the RCN and the European Centre for Connected Health The project aimed to contribute to the design and delivery of e-health development opportunities, for nursing in particular and generally for the health and social care community in Northern Ireland.

Abbreviations and other short forms inpatient/client records (2010) (PDF 198KB)
This RCN booklet is aimed at nursing staff that come into contact with patient/client records. It reflects the RCN position on the use of abbreviations and other short forms in patient/client records, and includes specific guidance on electronic records.

Consent to create, amend, access and share eHealth records (2010) (PDF 288KB)
This RCN booklet sets out basic principles, and offers guidance to front line practitioners involved in making decisions about their own use of electronic patient records, and who have responsibility for explaining the position to patients and helping them to make their decisions.

Making IT safer (2010) (PDF 193KB)
This RCN booklet aims to help nursing staff, working in any sector within or outside the UK, to assess the safety and effectiveness of systems that have been or will be introduced into clinical practice. It emphasises the need for risk management of all IT systems so that potential hazards are identified and addressed as systems are introduced and used to support care.

Nursing content of eHealth records (2010) (PDF 153KB)
This RCN booklet is aimed at nursing staff and reflects the RCN's current understanding of factors that will ensure that the nursing content of electronic patient records: supporting effective clinical judgements; accurately representing the work of nursing; reflecting core nursing values and providing relevant data for perfomance monitoring, quality improvement and research.

Putting information at the heart of nursing care (2010) (PDF 195KB)
This RCN booklet provides an introduction to eHealth for nursing staff. It describes key concepts associated with eHealth, including the electronic patient record. It also explains the importance of eHealth to nursing and why it is vital for nursing staff to get involved.

Legal advice for RCN members using the internet (2009) (PDF 167.4KB)
The growing popularity of the internet and social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, Bebo and Twitter has raised the risks of a health care worker experiencing potentially serious legal and professional repercussions through the inappropriate use (if only inadvertently) of this recent technology. This guide gives RCN members a list of dos and don'ts for using the internet - and information on the risks and repercussions if used inappropriately.

Nurses' business: An introduction to costing and coding health care (2007) (PDF 847KB)
Nursing is moving into an increasingly consumer orientated and business focused environment. This booklet primarily reflects the financial reform agenda in NHS England, but there are some principles which nurses in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales may find useful. The booklet looks at Payment by Results (PbR), nursing coding, costing and data, creating sustainable services and tips from nurses working on the frontline.

Use of text messaging services: guidance for children and young people (2006) (PDF 3.4MB)
This document aims to raise awareness about the complex issues around using text messaging on mobile phones. It provides guidance for writing a policy, consideration for practice, and further reading to assist nurses to develop a safe and effective service.

Telephone advice lines for people with long term conditions: guidance for nursing practitioners (2006) (PDF 293KB)
This guidance gives advice for practitioners who provide, or are developing, telephone advice services for people with long term health conditions.

Nurses and NHS IT developments - IT survey 2007 (PDF 282.3KB)
This survey was commissioned by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) to investigate the views of nurses on IT developments in the NHS. The aim of the online survey was to seek the views of nurses about IT developments in the NHS and in particular the Electronic Patient Record (EPR).

Nurses and NHS IT developments (2006) (PDF 152KB)
This report was commissioned by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) to investigate the views of UK nurses on NHS IT developments. The report presents the results of an online questionnaire on information technology developments in the NHS and includes nurses' views on the proposed integrated electronic patient record system.

Confidentiality. Guidance for occupational health nurses (2005) (PDF244KB)
This guidance looks at the particular challenges faced by occupational health professionals in dealing with confidential information, and the potential for conflict of interest and loyalty.