A profession to be proud of
Published: 02 October 2012
A new RCN initiative is promoting the profession and addressing nurse education
Surrounded by cuts and losses, it can feel like a daunting time to be on a journey towards a nursing career. At a time of great change across health services, this feeling is completely understandable.
But there is a lot to look forward to, and a new RCN initiative, This is nursing, is taking big steps to promote the nursing profession to the public and educate people about what nursing involves.
Adverts are currently being displayed in the UK’s major towns and cities, as well as a number of underground stations in London. They reveal the breadth of skills in nursing and highlight the balance nursing strikes between expertise and compassion.
If you haven’t yet visited the This is nursing website, what are you waiting for?
Since the launch of This is nursing last month:
- tens of thousands of people have viewed the This is nursing adverts online
- the This is nursing YouTube video has been viewed more than 25,000 times – plus countless more on media websites such as the Daily Mail and the BBC
- support from other organisations has been overwhelming and media coverage has been positive.
As part of the initiative, the RCN has been asking members what nursing means to them. Here is a taste of some of the comments made by students.
Denise: “Everything. Caring, compassion and empathy. Hard work, long hours, sweat and tears. My pride is my vocation, my passion is nursing.”
Nathan: “It means I will dedicate my life to learn how to improve the lives of others.”
Share what nursing means to you on the This is nursing website.
Championing nurse education
As well as promoting the profession, the initiative will be addressing the issues nursing faces. Seven key work areas have been identified by RCN members – one of these areas is nurse education.
The Willis Commission is a key focus of this work. The RCN believes that the vast majority of nursing students receive an excellent standard of education, but This is nursing will be looking at how to share those examples of good practice across the UK so all nursing students have access to an excellent standard of education.
The other areas of work include quality and the Principles of Nursing Practice, paperwork and administration, and staffing levels.
Find out more on the This is nursing website.