Staff focus - RCN support
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Products and services
Here is an alphabetical listing of RCN products and services relating to this clinical governance theme. We make clear in the description for each entry whether the product or service is available exclusively to RCN members.
Please note that publications from the RCN relevant to the staff focus theme are listed separately - see RCN publications.
Accountability and delegation
It is vital that each member of a health care team is clear about their level of accountability and that registered staff are confident when delegating tasks to their colleagues. This film shows a series of scenarios in which health care assistants (HCAs) are discussing issues around accountability and delegation. There are comments from experts from the RCN explaining principles that can be transferred into many situations making the scenarios relevant to nurses, students as well as HCAs and assistant practitioners (APs). An accompanying booklet outlines the key issues and there is a checklist for both nurses who delegate and HCAs accepting delegation. “Delegation must take into account the context of every situation rather than focusing on tasks alone”. See: Accountability and delegation.
Agenda for Change (AfC)
The RCN's Agenda for Change (AfC) section offers a four country perspective and a range of resources to support the implementation of AfC. This includes guidance on updating job descriptions, latest news updates, and for RCN members, an online enquiry facility and a discussion forum dedicated to AfC. See: Agenda for Change.
Career and competence framework
Competence to practice is an essential element of clinical governance and helps practitioners provide a safe effective service.
The RCN has developed a core career and competence framework for senior nurses working at bands five to eight that helps to achieve the above and assists nurses with their career progression. The framework is divided into topics covered by the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) and guides nurses to determine which dimensions and at what level they should be at that point in their career. The framework also directs users to the National Occupational Standards/National Workforce Competences developed by Skills for Health for specific functions of health care. See: Integrated core career and competence framework for registered nurses (PDF 1.50MB).
The framework provides the basis for other specialist competences that have been developed by RCN membership groups. All published RCN specialist competence frameworks are accessible from the RCN publications list. See: Publications.
The core competence framework is also complemented by a framework dedicated to information literacy - the skills required in finding and using information and applying it to practice - see: Finding, using and managing information: nursing, midwifery, health and social care information literacy competences (PDF 1.44MB).
Distance learning
The RCN and the Open University (OU) have signed a contract for a UK-wide strategic alliance to work together in the healthcare education sector. The aim is to create an enhanced range of learning opportunities including courses for healthcare support workers, through pre-registration nursing programmes in adult and mental health nursing and a suite of post-qualifying courses up to Masters level. For more information about the courses available see the Open University website: Distance learning through the OU-RCN strategic alliance.
Diversity and equality
The diversity and equality section of the site covers a broad spectrum of issues relating to valuing diversity and implementing equality of opportunity in the workplace. It describes the RCN's diversity and equality strategy and provides information about becoming a diversity champion, with links to a range of organisations and resources including the RCN diversity toolkit. See the: Diversity and equality section.
First steps for health care assistants
This resource has been developed as a self-directed learning programme. It aims to help health care assistants (HCAs) individually or as part of a workplace induction programme learn, at their own pace, the most important factors in getting started in their career as an HCA. These are basic principles which underpin HCA work in every context. The resource is planned around the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework and links to a range of National Occupational Standards. These can be printed to form an assessment checklist against which competences can be demonstrated. A traffic lights system helps users to see where they are within the resource. The resource is available at First steps for health care assistants.
Frontline First: Protecting services, improving care
The UK-wide Frontline First campaign launched in July 2010 aims to expose the impact of NHS budget cuts and empower nursing staff to speak out against efficiencies that impact on patient care, expose where they see waste and highlight innovations and new ideas. The campaign website provides the latest news and information organised by geographical area. Experiences about cuts to jobs and services, waste in the NHS and nursing solutions can be shared via the Frontline First website.
This guidance is linked to the Skills for Health national career framework and the Modernising Nursing Careers initiative. The framework provides examples of job descriptions, competencies and the educational frameworks for levels 2-8, along with supporting information. See the General practice nursing career framework. See the: General practice nursing career framework.
Health care assistants and assistant practitioners
This section of the RCN website is dedicated to keeping HCAs and APs up to date with what is happening in the UK relevant to their roles as part of the nursing family and signposting useful resources on the RCN website. Visit RCN HCAs and APs.
Learning Zone
The the RCN Learning Zone provides easy to access online learning materials and continuous professional development opportunities for busy nurses. It helps with finding and applying the information needed to improve patient care and evidence of professional development can be captured in an online portfolio. Visit the Learning Zone at: Learning Zone (you can access this with your RCN membership number).
Library and information services
RCN members have access to a vast range of free resources through the RCN e-Library. This includes over 700 full text nursing and related journals, a growing collection of electronic books, a range of databases, and the FAST service (an expanding list of journal articles on popular topics). Further services include enquiry services, free literature searches and a photocopying and postal loan service. There are traditional library-based resources in all four countries of the UK, including one of Europe's largest nursing libraries, based in London, and a RCN Archives based in Edinburgh. For more information call 0845 337 3368, email rcn.library@rcn.org.uk or view the Library pages: Library services and archives. Members can also make virtual enquiries about any of the library services: Virtual enquiry service.
To view the e-Library content visit: RCN e-Library.
Nursing communities
These are online communities, currently being piloted, which use social networking facilities and communication tools to enable the sharing of information and good practice. Communities can be geographical, or be grouped around a nursing specialty or a common issue or campaign but need to meet certain criteria. Information about these criteria and about how the community model works, as well as access to communities already in existence is available at Nursing Communities.
Policy and International Department: consultations
The Policy and International Department facilitates the consultation process for all policy consultation documents received by the RCN. Information about current consultations and responses from previous consultations are available. There is a search facility specific to the consultations and responses. The unit also produces briefings on a wide range of issues which affect nurses and nursing. This also has its own search facility. View the Consultations and Policy briefings.
Practice development
The RCN practice development mission is to enable individuals, teams and organisations to create a culture that values, sustains and enables practice development for the purpose of improving services to users. RCN practice development activities are described in the knowledge utilisation page within the Research and development section of the RCN website. Visit Practice development.
RCN Direct online advice: popular resources
These pages bring together RCN and related resources on a range of particularly popular topics. The resources include factsheets and guides, publications and learning zone articles. Topics include: bullying and harassment; sickness; pay; maternity; discrimination; Agenda for Change; staffing level, redundancy and job cuts; incidents and investigations. All advice is structured into an A-Z listing which can be browsed or searched.
To find out more about RCN Direct resources and services visit RCN Direct online advice centre [you will need to access RCN Direct information with your RCN membership number].
This is nursing
The Royal College of Nursing has launched this website, which has sections for members and the public, as part of an initiative that will help tackle the professional issues affecting nursing staff, and highlight the skills and expertise required to be part of the profession. It will also challenge the public’s perception of modern-day nursing. The website is organised around seven key areas of work: professional attitudes and behaviours; education; quality and the Principles of Nursing Practice; HCAs - training and regulation; leadership; paperwork and administration; safe staffing - including the care of older people. Visit This is nursing.
Workplace representatives
There is a generic role descriptor for all RCN accredited representatives: generic role descriptor (PDF 39.7KB).
Learning representatives
RCN union learning representatives help nurses become more proactive about their learning needs at work. The representatives also liaise with management about RCN members' learning needs. Supported by RCN staff they form a national network and work in collaboration with other RCN branch members to help with the integration of the RCN forums and fields of practice. They also promote the range of the RCN's continuing professional development initiatives and contribute to the organisation of study days, seminars and workshops. A health care assistant working with older people in Northern Ireland writes about her decision to become an RCN learning representative at Lending a hand to learn.
Safety representatives
RCN safety representatives play a key role in protecting RCN members at work. One of their main roles is to ensure a safe working environment, and they also campaign to raise awareness of health and safety issues nationally. Some of them are involved in the National Patient Safety Agency's reporting system.
Stewards
RCN stewards represent and support members who face difficulties at work. They also offer advice on employment rights, act as mediators between employer and employee, and help identify poor working practices. Activists are also in a strong position to influence and support the development of local policy on issues such as clinical governance. Nurses who are worried about poor practice in their workplace can also contact their RCN steward for help and advice.
For further information on what RCN activist roles involve, see RCN activists.
Students community
This section of the RCN website provides information and resources to support RCN student members. This includes an interactive finance guide and resources to support learning and placement activities. It also describes how student members can be more involved in the work of the RCN. Visit the RCN Students community.