Monday 11 May
8.30am Morning walk through Valley Gardens
12.30pm Invitation to meet Rosemary Kennedy, the Chief Nursing Officer for Wales
12.30pm Is quality of care compromised in our uncertain economic climate?
12.45pm Have you considered standing for election to Council?
12.45pm The new health and social care service in Northern Ireland
12.45pm Metrics and clinical standards
12.45pm Causative factors and the impact of diabetic ketoacidosis in young people - the challenge of clinical and psychosocial management
12.45pm Transforming community services
12.45pm Older but wiser?
12.45pm Equality and diversity - are you fit to practice?
12.45pm The role of ward sister/senior charge nurse
12.45pm To err is human - volume 2
12.45pm Nutrition Now campaign - celebration and summary of the two-year campaign
1pm Work out class with a professional fitness instructor
1pm Tuberculosis, masks: to wear or not to wear?
1pm Nursing in criminal justice services
5.45pm Handling stress in the workplace
5.45pm How to be assertive without losing friends
5.45pm Witness skills
5.45pm You're welcome! Embracing the wider nursing family
6pm Time to hit above our weight, modernising nursing careers - the next steps
6.30pm Forum launch
8pm Congress opening party - Monday Night Fever
Morning walk through Valley Gardens
Monday: 8.30am - 9.00am
Location: Meet outside Hall M entrance (on Ripon Road), Harrogate International Centre
Join Suzanne for an early morning walk to help get the day off to a healthy start. The walk will take place in the Valley Gardens which are home to a beautiful array of flowers and plants, a bandstand and wishing well. The walk is approximately one mile on level terrain and will take around 30 minutes to complete.
Invitation to meet Rosemary Kennedy, the Chief Nursing Officer for Wales
Monday: 12.30pm - 1.30pm
Location: The Holiday Inn Hotel, Bramham Suite
Organiser: RCN Wales
RCN Wales members and students are invited to an informal meeting with Rosemary Kennedy, Chief Nursing Officer for Wales. Members of RCN Wales and in particular students are encouraged to come along with questions for the CNO - here's a few to get you started. What is the nursing input to the reconfiguration of the NHS in Wales? What are the plans for community nursing and primary care? Where is the future of nursing in Wales.
Is quality of care compromised in our uncertain economic climate?
Monday: 12.30pm - 2.30pm
Location: The Holiday Inn Hotel, Harewood Suite 1
Organiser: RCN Fellows and Nursing Standard
Do you find it hard to give the care you know your patients should have? Are you able to find the support and help you need? Has the credit crunch had an impact on the standard of care you are able to provide? Is the fear of violence in the workplace an issue for you? Whether you are a student or a qualified nurse, clinical practitioner, educator or manager, are patient care issues still at the top of your agenda? If so, come and join our debate, "Is quality of care compromised in our uncertain economic climate?" Speakers from a range of different professions and backgrounds will share and discuss their experiences with you. Enjoy a light lunch while you join in the discussions. Work with RCN Fellows to help to make a difference now and in the future.
Have you considered standing for election to Council?
Monday: 12.45pm - 1.45pm
Location: The Crown Hotel, Victoria Suite
Organiser: RCN Governance Team
There are Council elections this year - why not come along and find out what is involved?
The new health and social care service in Northern Ireland
Monday: 12.45pm - 1.45pm
Location: The Old Swan, Red Lounge
Organiser: RCN Northern Ireland
This lunchtime fringe meeting provides an important opportunity for Congress delegates to find out more about the new health and social care service in Northern Ireland and, in particular, how nursing is positioned within the new commissioning and public health arrangements. The meeting features presentations from the Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Medical Officer, together with an opportunity for RCN members to raise issues with them and with fellow Congress delegates and guests. Attendance is free of charge and a sandwich lunch will be provided. To confirm your attendance, please contact John Knape tel: 028 90 384 600 or by e-mail: john.knape@rcn.org.uk.
Metrics and clinical standards
Monday: 12.45pm - 1.45pm
Location: The Old Swan Hotel, Bramham Suite
Organiser: Resources for Learning & Improving
The aim of this session is to raise delegates' awareness of this work and give them not only an opportunity to comment, but also allow them to improve their understanding of the nature of this work; decide how it might impact on them and their organisation and appreciate the importance of capturing reliable data to demonstrate the impact of care on patient outcomes.
Causative factors and the impact of diabetic ketoacidosis in young people - the challenge of clinical and psychosocial management
Monday: 12.45pm - 1.45pm
Location: The Old Swan, Rose Room
Organiser: The RCN Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Nurses Forum and Paediatric and Adolescent Diabetes Group
In the United Kingdom in 2001, at least 4.5% of 0-16 year olds with previously diagnosed diabetes had one or more overnight admissions to hospital due to ketoacidosis [DKA]. Diabetic ketoacidosis is the most common cause of diabetes related deaths and was implicated in 83% of deaths caused by diabetes in patients under the age of 20 years between 1990-1996.
A large proportion of these children and young people require high dependency care and a small but significant proportion of these that sustain cerebral oedema will require treatment in a children's intensive care unit. The clinical management of this condition poses challenges to multidisciplinary teams, and is often the cause of anxiety and confusion to both professionals and family members. An awareness of the complex clinical and psychosocial factors which can result in DKA within this population will enable health care professionals to provide a complete package of care to young people and their families.
Transforming community services
Monday: 12.45pm - 1.45pm
Location: The Old Swan, Foxhunters' Suite
Organiser: RCN Nursing Department
Nursing team members should be interested in the Transforming Community Services (TCS) reforms which aim to rapidly expand and improve community health services in England.
The drive is to develop an NHS which is better placed to prevent disease, identify disease as early as possible and improve the management of long term conditions. Improving public health, reducing health inequalities and enabling people to be more self reliant and better able to care for themselves are also high on the agenda.
Regardless of where you work and your career ambitions you need to understand more about TCS and what the possible implications are for your practice and employment.
Nursing educators are challenged with preparing both pre and post registration nursing programs which will successfully equip far more nurses, then in previous times to work in all parts of the community.
Older but wiser?
Monday: 12.45pm - 2pm
Location: The Majestic Hotel, Billiard Room
Organiser: RCN Scotland
Whatever your age, there's no escaping the fact that the nursing workforce is getting older. The next 10 years will see thousands of nursing staff reach the age when they will think about retiring or reducing their working hours. This impacts on and concerns everyone from RCN members to the general public, with its impact on future service delivery.
To help address this issue, the RCN in Scotland commissioned a report to consider policy responses to the ageing workforce. The report - Older but wiser? launched at a reception at the Scottish Parliament, attracted significant interest from politicians, our members and the media.
This fringe event will share with members across the UK, the work done in Scotland on the issue and give members the opportunity to debate their issues and concerns and demonstrate the key role of nurses and nursing.
Equality and diversity - are you fit to practice?
Monday: 12.45pm - 2.15pm
Location: The Holiday Inn Hotel, Harewood Suite 2
Organiser: RCN Diversity & Equality Unit
The diversity teams from the NMC and the RCN will give tips and advice on meeting the fitness to practice requirements around equality, diversity and human rights issues within the code of conduct. The session will also provide participants with a first look at the NMC's new equality monitoring programme.
The role of ward sister/senior charge nurse
Monday: 12.45pm - 2.15pm
Location: The Old Swan Hotel, Garden Suite
Organiser: RCN Enhancing Practice and Influencing Team
The role of ward sister/senior charge nurse has long been recognised as a key to the provision of quality patient care and the efficiency of the ward as a learning environment. As the role of ward leader has developed in response to the growing management agenda of productivity and efficiency there is increasing concern that we are in danger of seeing managerial functions swamping the clinical leadership agenda. During the last year, across the four countries in the UK the RCN has been involved in much work which aims to strengthen and support this vital role. The event will provide the opportunity to hear about the work that we have been doing and discuss the key issues for this role.
To err is human - volume 2
Monday: 12.45pm - 2.15pm
Location: The Holiday Inn Hotel, Charter Suite 1 & 2
Organiser: RCN Research Society/RCN Education Forum
Patient safety remains a top priority for the NHS and understandably a concern to the general public. The Care Quality Commission reports that safety dominates NHS complaints. Each year 400,000 avoidable adverse incidents occur in patient care that directly lead to 40,000 deaths, costing the NHS extended hospital stays. Reported cases of compromised patient safety often bring the challenges of protecting patients in our care into the media spotlight. The stark reality is that health care professionals and nurses, and nurses in particular, are rightly under pressure to get their house in order. The National Patient Safety Agency reported that significant strides have been made in improving patient safety and this event, volume two, will showcase some of the exciting work that is contributing to that improvement. Gerry Armitage from Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will present his latest work on medication related error reduction.
Nutrition Now campaign - celebration and summary of the two-year campaign
Monday: 12.45pm - 2.15pm
Location: The Holiday Inn Hotel, Ripley Suite
Organiser: RCN Nutrition Now campaign
This event will provide an overview of the key activities and outcomes of the RCN's two-year campaign to enhance nutritional care.
Work out class with a professional fitness instructor
Monday: 1pm - 1.30pm
Location: Hall D, Harrogate International Centre
Tuberculosis, masks: to wear or not to wear?
Monday: 1pm - 2pm
Location: The Holiday Inn Hotel, Studley Room
Organiser: RCN Tuberculosis Nurses Forum
The NICE guidelines for the control of Tuberculosis (TB) state that masks need not be worn to nurse patients with TB, unless they are suspected to have Multi Drug Resistance TB (MDRTB). Given that this part of the guidelines is not based on an evidence base the aim of this fringe event is to look at the reality of the situation taking into account the guidelines, the practice, duty of care of employers and impacts on the nurse/patient relationship.
Nursing in criminal justice services
Monday: 1pm - 2pm
Location: The Old Swan Hotel, Penthouse Suite
Organiser: RCN Nursing in Criminal Justice Forum
Nursing in criminal justice services is a developing field and the new RCN Nursing in Criminal Justice Forum wants to meet, inform and support the delivery of high quality services to colleagues working in this field. This is an opportunity for colleagues to meet and inform the newly elected forum committee and network with members to shape our future strategy.
Handling stress in the workplace
Monday: 5.45pm - 6.45pm
Location: The Holiday Inn Hotel, Bramham Suite
Organiser: RCN Counselling Service
Stress is a factor in our everyday life. Do you manage your stress or does it manage you? Come and discover techniques that will allow you to better manage the stresses we feel in our lives.
How to be assertive without losing friends
Monday: 5.45pm - 6.45pm
Location: The Holiday Inn Hotel, Charter Suite 1
Organiser: RCN Counselling Service
Ever wanted to say no but ended up going to that awful party anyway? Being assertive doesn't have to mean losing friends or upsetting people, it's about self confidence and the ability to put yourself forward without putting someone else down.
Witness skills
Monday: 5.45pm - 7.15pm
Location: The Holiday Inn Hotel, Harewood Suite 1
Organiser: RCN Ophthalmic Nurses Forum
All nurses can now be called upon for questioning or cross examination, whether in complaint procedures, inquiries, disciplinary, professional or regulatory proceedings, or courts, regarding events that occurred as part of their daily practice. Giving evidence is a stressful and challenging process, made worse when there is lack of knowledge or experience. This presentation is designed to help nurses gain knowledge of the procedures involved throughout giving witness testimony and how to give a coherent, sequential account with the least possible stress or discomfort.
You're welcome! Embracing the wider nursing family
Monday: 5.45pm - 7.45pm
Location: The Majestic Hotel, Billiard Room
Organiser: RCN Wales
The nursing family is a wide and diverse one. But how inclusive are we and how wide should this family be? This event will explore the way the RCN welcomes new members, particularly HCSW/HCA members and will discuss how we can best meet the needs of all members in today's changing clinical environment.
Time to hit above our weight, modernising nursing careers - the next steps
Monday: 6pm - 8pm
Location: The Holiday Inn Hotel, Ripley Suite
Organiser: RCN Research Society/RCN Education Forum
Modernising nursing careers is an important platform for the success of the Darzi reforms. The implementation of the clinical academic careers programme in NHS England is underway. The implementation plan for the education workforce (clinical education careers) is as yet less developed in all four countries. The existing funding stream for research capacity in Scotland is under review, Wales has a well established stream of work and Northern Ireland currently has personal bursaries, learning sets, and doctoral fellowships but is reviewing the training pathway. It seems timely to grasp the moment and begin charting how best nurses could maximise their contribution beyond qualification.
This event will adopt a four country perspective and focus on how executive nurses see the post qualifying workforce and drive NHS change and how they will position clinical academic nurse capacity for greatest impact. The event will also look at how to signal the lessons to be learnt to best influence the planning and funding allocation for clinical education careers. Nurse leaders from policy, education and the NHS will constitute an expert panel and will include short presentations and a panel-led discussion. This event will be recorded, transcribed and a briefing paper produced.
Forum launch
Monday: 6.30pm - 7.30pm
Location: The Majestic Hotel, Carriage Suite
Organiser: RCN Nursing Department
In 2009 RCN Forums are being streamlined to create 41 stronger, more fit for purpose forums. The aim of this process is to maximise the potential of the RCN forums, so that all RCN members have access to an effective network for developing and influencing nursing policy and practice. Join us as we celebrate the excellent work that the RCN forums are undertaking, and look forward to the changes and challenges of future forum work.
Congress opening party - Monday Night Fever
Monday: 8pm - 1am
Location: The Majestic Hotel
The party will take on a 70s theme and include entertainment from tribute bands from Abba to Disco Inferno. A buffet supper will be served along with a complimentary drink. So why not dust off your platforms and join us for a night of disco fever. Entrance by ticket only.