Royal College of Nursing
 | |
| Full name | Royal College of Nursing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1916 |
| Members | 432,000+ (2015) |
| Affiliation | International Council of Nurses |
| Key people |
Cecilia Anim, President Janet Davies, General Secretary Michael Brown, Chair of Council David Harding-Price, Honorary Treasurer |
| Office location | London, United Kingdom |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Website |
www |
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is a union and a membership organisation with over 432,000 members in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1916, receiving its royal charter in 1928. Queen Elizabeth II is the patron. The majority of members are registered nurses however student nurses and healthcare assistants are also members.
The RCN describes its mission as representing nurses and nursing, promoting excellence in practice and shaping health policies. It has a network of stewards, safety representatives and union learning representatives as well as advice services for members. Services include a main library in London and regional libraries around the country. The RCN Institute also provides courses for nurses.
History
In 1916 the College of Nursing Ltd was founded with 34 members as a professional organisation for trained nurses.[1] A Royal Charter was granted in 1928 and the organisation became the College of Nursing.[2] In 1939 the organisation name was changed to the Royal College of Nursing. Since 1977 the RCN has also been registered as a trade union.[3]
Centenary year
2016 is the Centenary year of the Royal College of Nursing where is it celebrating 100 years since it was founded. It is undertaking a number of activities to celebrate the centenary including a photography competition and special events.[4]
Offices
Headquarters
The headquarters are at 20 Cavendish Square, London, a grade II listed building.[5] which was built as a substantial townhouse in 1729 and became the residence of British Prime Minister H. H. Asquith. The building was refronted and incorporated by architect Edwin Cooper in 1930 into his re-development of the corner site with Henrietta Place.
Regional Offices
The RCN has offices throughout the UK. In England regional offices are located in; Birmingham, Bolton, Bury St Edmunds, Croydon, Exeter, Newbury, Nottingham, Leeds, and Sunderland. The Northern Ireland office is in Belfast. The Scottish offices are located in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow; and the Welsh offices are located in Cardiff and Conwy.
Council
The RCN is governed by its Council. Council members are guardians/trustees of the organisation's mission and values on behalf of the members. They are also charity trustees and carry legal duties and responsibilities laid down by charity law. The Council is responsible for the overall governance of the RCN, and has ultimate responsibility for the sustainability and the finances of the organisation.
The Council is made up of 31 Council members: two elected by each of the 12 geographical sections (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and 9 English), two elected by student members (RCN Students), two elected by HCA members (RCN HCA), the RCN President and Deputy President, elected by all members, and the Chair of RCN Congress (non-voting), who is elected by Congress voting entities. The RCN's General Secretary is appointed by Council. Council members are not paid to serve on Council but voluntarily give up their time to serve the RCN and its members, in their governance role. The current Council Chair is Michael Brown, the Vice Chair is Lors Alford.
Presidents
- 1922–1925 Dame Sidney Browne
- 1925–1927 Dame Sarah Swift
- 1927–1929 Annie Warren Gill
- 1929–1930 R. Cox-Davies
- 1930–1933 M. E. Sparshott
- 1933–1934 Edith MacGregor Rome
- 1934–1935 R. Cox-Davies
- 1935–1937 D. S. Goode
- 1937–1938 Edith MacGregor Rome
- 1938–1940 B. M. Monk
- 1940–1942 M. Jones
- 1942–1944 E. E. P. MacManus
- 1944–1946 M. F. Hughes
- 1946–1948 G. V. L. Hillyers
- 1948–1950 Dame Louisa Wilkinson
- 1950–1952 Lucy Duff-Grant
- 1952–1954 L. J. Ottley
- 1954–1956 S. C. Bovill
- 1956–1958 G. M. Godden
- 1958–1960 M. J. Marriott
- 1960–1962 M. J. Smith
- 1962–1963 M. J. Marriott
- 1963–1964 M. G. Lawson
- 1964–1966 Florence Udell
- 1966–1968 Theodora Turner
- 1968–1972 Mary Blakeley
- 1972–1976 Dame Winifred Prentice
- 1976–1980 Eirlys M Rees
- 1981–1982 Marian K. Morgan
- 1982–1987 Dame Sheila Quinn
- 1988–1990 Maude Storey
- 1990–1994 Dame June Clark
- 1994–1998 Dame Betty Kershaw
- 1999–2000 Christine Watson
- 2000–2002 Roswyn Hakesley-Brown
- 2002–2006 Sylvia Denton
- 2006–2010 Maura Buchanan
- 2010–2014 Andrea Spyropoulos
- 2015–present Cecilia Anim
Members
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is a union and a membership organisation with over 435,000 members.
RCN Students
The Royal College of Nursing membership allows Nursing students to join at reduced fees. Following the announcement of the removal of NHS Student bursaries in November 2015 the RCN initiated its support through the campaign Nursing counts[6]
Events
RCN holds events nationwide throughout the year. The events range from branch events, educational to its annual Congress and AGM.
RCN Congress and AGM
Every year the RCN undertakes a RCN Congress and AGM with the view of facilitating members to meet to learn, develop and share nursing practice and where members help to inform the RCN agenda and influence nursing and health policy through debate. In 2016 Congress will be in Glasgow.[7]
RCN libraries
The RCN Library claims to be Europe's largest nursing-specific collection.[8] The RCN has four libraries, one in each country of the United Kingdom. The libraries are located in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London. The RCN's archives are in Edinburgh.
The London library, which is now known as the UK Library, was founded in 1921, and its contents include 60,000 volumes, 500 videos and 400 current periodicals on nursing and related subjects. Special collections include the Historical Collection and the RCN Steinberg Collection of Nursing Research, the latter of which comprises over 1,000 nursing theses and dissertations. Set up in 1974, the RCN Steinberg Collection of Nursing Research contains a selection of influential nursing theses and dissertations from the early 1950s to the present day.
Fellowship
The RCN awards fellowships bestowed for exceptional contributions to nursing. Honorary Fellowships can be granted by RCN Council to those who are unable to become an RCN member, either because they are from overseas or because they work outside the nursing profession. Fellows and Honorary Fellows are entitled to the postnomial FRCN.[9]
RCN Publications
RCN Publishing produces RCN Bulletin, a monthly member publication, and Nursing Standard, which is available through subscription and on news stands. It also publishes a range of journals for specialist nurses: Cancer Nursing Practice, Emergency Nurse, Learning Disability Practice, Mental Health Practice, Nursing Children and Young People, Nursing Management, Nursing Older People, Nurse Researcher, and Primary Health Care.
RCNi Rebranding
In March 2015 RCN Publishing undertook a rebranding exercise and began using RCNi.
RCNi Nurse Awards
Formerly the Nursing Standard Nurse Awards, the annual RCNi Nurse Awards celebrates nursing in different categories. The Awards take place in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There is a category for Nursing Students.[10]
Campaigns
As of February 2016 the RCN is currently running the 'Nursing Counts' campaign.[11] The Nursing Counts campaign is a broad campaign encompassing fair pay and conditions and the removal of the NHS student bursary which will be removed from 2017.
Previous campaigns have been – What if?[12] & 'Nursing the Future' 2004[13]
RCN Foundation
On 1 April 2010 the RCN announced the launch of the RCN Foundation – an independent charity to support nursing and improve the health and wellbeing of the public. The new foundation will undertake a number of activities including giving grants for improving nursing practice through activities that, for example, support the development of clinical practice and improve the quality and standard of patient care and experience.
References
- ↑ "About us: our history". RCN. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
- ↑ "About us: our constitutional documents". RCN. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
- ↑ "About us: our structure". RCN. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
- ↑ "#RCN100". The Royal College of Nursing. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
- ↑ "20 Cavendish Square". Images of England. Retrieved 30 June 2006.
- ↑ "Nursing Counts". The Royal College of Nursing. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
- ↑ "About the RCN". rcn.org.uk. 31 July 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
- ↑ "RCN Library". rcn.org.uk. RCN. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
- ↑ RCN Award of Merit and RCN Fellowship, rcn.org; accessed 7 April 2016.
- ↑ Hoddinott, John (14 April 2015). "Nursing Student Award". rcn.org.uk. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
- ↑ "Nursing Counts". Royal College of Nursing. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
- ↑ "What If". whatif.rcn.org.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
- ↑ "Campaigns> Re-branding Nursing (RCNi)". journals.rcni.com. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
Further reading
- Bowman, Gerald (1967). The Lamp and the Book: The Story of the RCN 1916–1966. London: Queen Anne Press.
External links
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