Advice Guides
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Accidents at work and personal injury
A guide to steps to take following an accident at work, and how to make a personal injury claim.
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Aesthetic practice
Advice for nursing staff involved in aesthetic or cosmetic procedures.
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Agency workers
A guide for agency workers which includes information about employment status, rights and health checks.
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Agenda for Change
Information on Agenda for Change terms and conditions including sick pay, pay on appointment, pay progression, leave, overtime, maternity and reckonable service.
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Annual leave and holiday pay
Information on annual leave and holiday pay entitlements.
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Appraisals and performance reviews: how to prepare
This checklist for provides advice on preparing for a constructive appraisal or performance review.
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Bullying and harassment
An advice guide for RCN members experiencing bullying and harassment at work.
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Cancellation of work
A guide for RCN members who have had their work cancelled.
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Capability and performance reviews
An advice guide for nurses and nursing staff on capability, performance standards, appraisals and reviews.
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Changes to your shifts
A guide for RCN members on what to do if your employer is seeking to make changes to shifts and shift patterns.
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Confidentiality
A guide for RCN members listing authoritative resources on confidentiality.
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Confirmation or verification of death by registered nurses
A guide for members on confirmation or verification of death by registered nurses.
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Contract checklist: 10 things to check before you sign
This checklist for RCN members will help you assess a new contract of employment before you sign it.
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Contracts
A guide for RCN members on written and verbal contracts, terms and conditions, contract changes, changes to shifts and cancellation of work.
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Copyright
A guide for members on copyright; including ownership, duration, infringement and enforcement.
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COVID-19 (coronavirus) FAQs
An advice guide covering our most frequently asked questions about COVID-19 (coronavirus) and your rights in the workplace.
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COVID-19 advice for nursing students and trainee nursing associates
An advice guide covering the position of nursing and midwifery students during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
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COVID-19 and individual risk assessments
An advice guide covering your rights relating to individual risk assessments.
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COVID-19 and mandatory vaccination
An advice guide providing information on COVID-19 (coronavirus) mandatory vaccination and your rights if you refuse the vaccine.
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COVID-19 and personal protective equipment (PPE)
An advice guide covering COVID-19 (coronavirus) and personal protective equipment (PPE).
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COVID-19 and time off
An advice guide to help you understand your rights to pay and time off during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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COVID-19 and vaccination FAQs
An advice guide covering our most frequently asked questions about COVID-19 (coronavirus) vaccination and your rights in the workplace.
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COVID-19, unsustainable pressures and redeployment
An advice guide covering COVID-19 (coronavirus), unsustainable pressures and redeployment.
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COVID-19, unsustainable pressures and staffing levels
An advice guide to help raise concerns about unsustainable pressures, COVID-19 (coronavirus) and staffing levels.
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Data protection and monitoring at work
A guide on data protection and monitoring at work.
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Defamation
A guide for nurses and nursing staff on defamation.
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Disability discrimination and the Equality Act 2010
A guide for nursing staff on disability and the Equality Act 2010.
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Discipline
A guide about disciplinary processes covering suspension, investigations, hearings, penalties and appeals.
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Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Disclosure Scotland (DS)
A guide for RCN members on criminal record checks.
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Discrimination
A guide on protected characteristics, types of discrimination and what you should do if you feel you are being discriminated against at work.
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Discrimination: equal pay
Information on pay and discrimination and what to do if you think you are being discriminated against.
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Dismissal
A guide on dismissal including information about types of dismissal and employment tribunal time limits.
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Duty of candour
A guide for nurses and nursing staff on the duty of candour.
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Duty of care
Information on the duty of care covering definitions, emergency situations and conflict with employer's instructions.
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Employment tribunals and the courts
A guide for nursing staff covering employment tribunals, County Court, the Sheriffs Court (Scotland) and the small claims procedure.
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Fixed term contracts
A guide to fixed term contracts for nurses and nursing staff.
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Flexible working
A guide to flexible working options and the application process.
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Gifts and wills
A guide for nursing staff on what to consider when offered a gift and when asked to sign a Will.
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Grievance
A guide for nursing staff on grievances and how to approach disputes at work.
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Health and safety concerns
Advice and information to help you if you have health and safety concerns at work.
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Ill health retirement - NHS Pension Scheme
A guide for nurses and nursing staff on ill health retirement under the NHS pension scheme.
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Inquest and Fatal Accident Inquiry
A guide for nurses and nursing staff on Coroner's Inquest and Fatal Accident Inquiries.
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Investigations
A guide to the investigation process, including how to prepare and possible outcomes.
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Jury service
A guide for nurses and nursing staff who have been asked to attend jury service.
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Legal support for matters which occurred outside RCN membership
A guide for RCN members on legal support available for matters which occurred outside membership.
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Membership FAQs
This guide answers FAQs about RCN membership. It covers joining the RCN, payments and direct debits, tax relief, confirmation of membership, cancelling, changing your address or other details, forgotten membership numbers, and how and when to contact the RCN.
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Moving and handling
A guide for nursing staff on correct moving and handling techniques.
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NHS injury allowance
A guide for nurses and nursing staff on NHS Injury Allowance.
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NMC: Admission and readmission dos and don’ts
Includes helpful tips and common mistakes.
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NMC: Fitness to practise concerns
A guide on the NMC's fitness to practice process, their investigations and how to report concerns.
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NMC: Preceptorship
A guide for RCN members on preceptorship and the NMC.
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NMC: Readmission and practicing whilst lapsed
This guide is for RCN members who have let their NMC registration lapse by mistake and who have practiced whilst lapsed.
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NMC: Referrals and support
A guide from the RCN about the services available to members who have been referred to the NMC.
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Non-medical prescribers
Information on non-medical prescribing, including types of nurse prescriber, keeping stocks of medication and the RCN Indemnity scheme. It also provides a list of further useful resources.
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Notice
A guide for RCN members who want to resign from their job.
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Nursing staff and potential conflict of interest when engaging with pharmaceutical companies and sponsors
A guide for RCN members when they are engaging with representatives of the pharmaceutical industry or sponsors.
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Overpayment of wages
Advice guide on what to do if you have been overpaid.
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Part-time workers
A guide for RCN members on part-time working including equal rights and overtime.
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Pay: NHS and Independent employers
This guide covers statutory rates of pay, sleep-ins and travel time, making a pay claim if you work in the independent sector and submitting an NHS re-banding review.
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Pensions and retirement
A guide for RCN members on pensions and retirement.
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Police interviews, cautions and convictions
A guide for RCN members on police interviews, cautions, convictions and taking part in protests, and how these can affect your NMC registration.
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Pregnancy and maternity toolkit
This maternity toolkit is designed to provide you with all the information you need about maternity leave, pay, changing employment and your rights on returning to work. This resource is to be used in conjunction with the pregnancy toolkit which covers all our pregnancy related FAQs.
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Prioritising personal safety
A guide for RCN members on practising safely in challenging settings, including community and lone working
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Recruitment, interviews and job offers
A guide for RCN members on the recruitment process, including interviews and job offers.
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Redeployment: Being moved from your normal area
A guide for healthcare staff who are being asked to move from their normal working environment.
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Redundancy and reorganisation
A guide for RCN members who are facing reorganisation, redeployment or redundancy. It includes information on being put at risk and being called to formal meetings, along with information on voluntary redundancy and severance schemes.
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Redundancy and reorganisation: one-to-one meeting checklist
A checklist for RCN members invited to a one-to-one meeting as part of a reorganisation, redundancy or transfer consultation exercise.
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References
A guide providing information on employment and character references.
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Refusal to treat
A guide for RCN members on withdrawing care.
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Self-employment
A guide for RCN members who are self-employed or considering self employment including information on NMC requirements, indemnity cover and the role of an expert witness.
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Sickness
Information on sickness meetings, sick notes, occupational health, redeployment, annual leave, sick pay, stress, pregnancy and sick leave, and dismissal.
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Statements: how to write them
A guide for RCN members asked to write a statement for an investigation at work, in response to a complaint, or about an unexpected incident.
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Student electives overseas
A guide for RCN members seeking to undertake an overseas elective placement.
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Student nurses
A guide for RCN members who are nursing students.
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Time off work
A guide for RCN members including information about time off for appointments, emergencies (including compassionate leave) and dependants. It also covers parental leave, time off for training and for trade union activities.
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Training: statutory and mandatory
A guide for RCN members on statutory and mandatory training: what it is, when it is undertaken, equality and diversity considerations and mandatory training for bank and agency workers.
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Transferring to another employer (TUPE)
A guide for RCN members affected by a TUPE situation.
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Travel disruption and getting to work
A guide for RCN members on travel disruption, bad weather and getting to work.
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Underpayment of wages
A guide for RCN members who have been underpaid by their employer.
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Violence in the workplace
A guide for RCN members on violence including sexual assault in the workplace.
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Virtual Hearings
A guide for RCN members attending virtual hearings.
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Witness
This is a guide for RCN members on being a witness. It includes disciplinary hearings, NMC and GMC hearings, police investigations, Coroner's Court inquests and other investigating bodies.
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Working overseas
A guide for RCN members on working overseas.
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Working time and breaks
Information on working hours and breaks.
