RCN Congress 2026 & RCN North West Multicultural Group (NWMG)

England's North West is certainly in the news at present, on two counts:

1. The current Labour party machinations in the Makerfield ward;
2. and RCN Congress in Liverpool.

 As I attend Congress a key focus is the debates and how I can relate these to Hodges'model - (with some links to previous posts):

1. Nursing as a STEM profession
Matter for discussion submitted by the Eastern Board
That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses the recognition of nursing as a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) profession, valuing the scientific, technical and analytical expertise of nurses.

STEM - science : technology : engineering : mathematics

2. Safe, ethical, person‑centred nursing
Resolution submitted by the Cheshire Branch
That this meeting of RCN Congress calls on RCN Council to urgently develop and implement a UK‑wide framework for realistic person‑centred care, ensuring that nursing practice is safe and ethical.

safe : ethics : person-centred 

3. Regular redeployment
Matter for discussion submitted by the Wiltshire Branch
That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses the impact of the daily redeployment of nursing staff on morale, team work and patient safety.

re- deployment

4. Unpaid hours
Matter for discussion submitted by the North East London Inner Branch
That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses the culture of nursing staff missing breaks and working beyond their contracted hours.

work

5. National safety standards for lone working
Resolution submitted by the Health and Safety Reps Committee
That this meeting of RCN Congress calls on RCN Council to lobby for the implementation of national safety standards for lone working, ensuring access to appropriate safety equipment, technology and protocols to protect staff across all care settings.

lone working

6. Accountable, compassionate and psychologically safe leadership
Matter for discussion submitted by the Cheshire Branch
That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses how the RCN can help create a culture where accountability, compassion, and psychological safety coexist, enabling managers to lead effectively while ensuring all staff feel respected and protected.

accountability : compassion : leadership 

7. Misinformation in health care
Matter for discussion submitted by the Women's Health Forum
That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses misinformation in health care and the impact this has on the nursing workforce.

misinformation : information disorder

8. Confidence to address racism
Matter for discussion submitted by the South West London Outer Branch
That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses how to build the confidence of nursing staff in addressing racism.

confidence : racism

Once again the North West Multicultural Group will have a stand:

The RCN North West Multicultural Group (NWMG) creates a community for members across the region from multicultural ethnic backgrounds to connect with each other, share their lived experience, knowledge and diverse ideas that help drive change around racism to ensure that their various organisations is the best place to work.

Membership is open to RCN members of Royal College of Nursing from multicultural backgrounds and their allies.

Mission statement: 

The aim of the North West Multicultural Group is to stand against racism and discrimination by using members lived experiences, encouraging organisations to be anti-racist and with the support of allies.  

Aims and objectives: 

• To raise the issues around race, discrimination and equality in the workplace and to find potential solutions. 
• To challenge misconceptions about people from different ethnic backgrounds.
• To recognise the skills and contribution to care for people from all backgrounds make.
• To acknowledge that racism is a social construct that needs to be eradicated together.  Together we are stronger.
• To be a platform for black, Asian and minority ethnic staff and allies to work collaboratively to address racism in practice.
• To help amplify the voice black, Asian and minority ethnic staff.
• To be role models, set examples as allies and develop confidence.
• To provide training and support about anti-racist practice.
• To work with the RCN to support campaigns to make sure communication is fit for purpose and acknowledges any cultural differences. 

Your executive team:

Chair: Olanike Babalola
Vice Chair: Susan Owen-Naz
Communications Officer: Mark Anthony

9. Advanced nursing practice
Resolution submitted by RCN Council
That this meeting of RCN Congress agrees that the RCN will act upon attempts to undermine advanced nursing practice.

advanced : practice : theory

10. Protecting nurse education
Resolution submitted by the Education Forum
That this meeting of RCN Congress asks RCN Council to lobby UK governments to protect nurse education from university sector economic pressures.

protect

11. Quality of clinical placements
Matter for discussion submitted by the Students Committee
That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses ways in which the quality of clinical placements can be ensured and consistent across all 4 countries.

quality : placement

12. Bank rates
Resolution submitted by the South Yorkshire Branch
That this meeting of RCN Congress demands that employers pay nursing staff bank shifts at their substantive rate.

pay

13. Are external reviews meaningful?
Matter for discussion submitted by the Midwifery Forum
That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses whether external reviews and inquiries are genuinely driving meaningful improvements in safety across health and social care.

inquiry : review

14. Improving acute mental health crisis services for children and young people
Resolution submitted by the London Board
That this meeting of RCN Congress calls on RCN Council to lobby UK governments to improve the provision of services to children and young people presenting in acute mental health crisis.

children : mental health

15. Access to specialist pain services
Matter for discussion submitted by the Pain and Palliative Care Forum
That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses access to specialist pain services and the role of the registered nurse in caring for those in pain.

pain

16. Palliative and end-of-life care
Resolution submitted by the Pain and Palliative Care Forum
That this meeting of RCN Congress calls on RCN Council to lobby UK governments to ensure everyone living across all 4 nations has access to specialist palliative and end-of-life care.

palliative

17. Accessible and affordable travel
Matter for discussion submitted by the North Central London Inner Branch
That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses what accessible and affordable travel means for the nursing workforce.

18. Uptake of physical health checks
Resolution submitted by the Public Health Forum
That this meeting of RCN Congress requests RCN Council to lobby UK governments to improve the uptake of physical health checks for people with learning disabilities and serious mental illnesses (SMI).

serious mental illness (SMI)

19. Eye donation
Matter for discussion submitted by the Greater Glasgow Branch
That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses the role nursing has in eye donation in end-of-life care planning.

eye : vision

20. 35-hour week
Resolution submitted by the Lothian and Borders Branch
That this meeting of RCN Congress calls on RCN Council to instigate a campaign for a maximum 35 hour working week for the nursing workforce.

21. Inappropriate delegation
Matter for discussion submitted by the Berkshire Branch
That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses the delegation of health care tasks to school staff and non-health care professionals.

22. Access to medicinal cannabis
Matter for discussion submitted by the Cheshire Branch
That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses the impact of current NHS prescribing practice on access to medicinal cannabis.

medicinal cannabis

23. SPA time
Resolution submitted by the Wiltshire Branch
That this meeting of RCN Congress calls on RCN Council to lobby for the inclusion of Supporting Professional Activities (SPA) time in all nursing job-plans.

See: https://www.rcn.org.uk/Congress/Agenda 

Are there any lessons from this exercise? Well, I have no posts tagged 'donor', or 'medicinal cannabis' - to make an important distinction. Something to correct and try to follow this week. 

See you there ...?

(I may need to reduce the link-count here.) 

A research coordination network (RCN) for Digital Societies and Technologies

From: Wayne Lutters Date: 19 April 2012 20:02:13 GMT+01:00
To: "CHI-ANNOUNCEMENTS at LISTSERV.ACM.ORG"

Subject: Sociotech announcement

Hi All,

I'm happy to write that the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is now funding:  "A research coordination network (RCN) for Digital Societies and Technologies".  The focus of the RCN is towards community building for sociotech scholars. This initial funding for this Digital Societies and Technologies RCN will run through December, 2016 in  support of three broad efforts: (1) sociotech community building; (2) planning and piloting shared sociotech resources(heading towards a community cyberinfrastructure) and (3) expanding the breadth, depth, impact and visibility of sociotech scholarship.

The Digital Societies and Technologies RCN and the successful Consortium for the Science of Sociotechnical Systems (CSST) summer research institutes (http://sociotech.net/) serve a similar community of scholars. However, the summer research institute is not a part of the RCN effort - it remains both a vibrant activity and distinct from the RCN.

Beyond sharing the good news, we write to draw your attention to opportunities to participate in events supported by the Digital Societies and Technologies RCN.  Calls for participation in specific events and projects will begin being announced over the coming months and much of the RCN funding is to support workshops of various kinds.  We'll need your help to plan, organize, staff and participate in these!

Feel free to share this news with sociotech colleagues and others.

Sincerely, the RCN steering committee:

Steve Sawyer (PI) (Syracuse), Wayne Lutters (Co-PI) (UM-BC), Brian Butler (Co-PI) (UM-CP), Diane Bailey (Texas), Dan Cosley (Cornell), Tom Finholt (Michigan), Sean Goggins (Drexel) and Andrea Tapia (Penn State).

RCN Congress 2019 ii "We are all Global Nurses"

The debate about public sector vs. private sector healthcare touches all healthcare professionals. There is no escape. Despite this, from my 40+ years in the NHS - the NHS can act as a cocoon. It's as if the walls are adorned with "Keep Calm and Carry On". For some of us there is a 'keep your head down' mentality. While as a nursing assistant and student nurse, the words "Make sure you join COHSE, NUPE or the RCN" rang out; it was the day job, learning and family that had my attention. I wish I'd got to Congress decades ago.



You can't do everything and this lack of involvement is a blessing in a way. For example, without ever taking anything for granted, I never imagined I would need the help of my union/professional body. When I did and 'we won' thanks to a brilliant RCN Rep. Being represented has this quality to it. Unless, you are an activist, it is a newsletter, journal, annual pay discussion, but this opened my eyes. As a consequence, I encourage students, even more so and others to ensure they are represented and get involved.

To Congress itself: I was surprised and disappointed to hear several years ago about the RCN's cessation of links to the International Council of Nurses [ICN]. Further surprise followed when a Congress debate revealed it was five-six years ago in fact:

Members vote to allow RCN to leave international nursing body

£600,000 is 'politics' in the raw for membership and the RCN Council. The cost of ICN membership  was debated at Congress. There are various arguments. This seemed a break on many levels; social, political, psychological and scientifically.

(Bizarrely, perhaps this state of affairs says something in support of reflection. When the latter is accused of fostering navel-gazing, finance and value for money ... speak volumes, but the RCN's global isolation is navel-gazing realised aggravated by the ongoing psychological experience of Brexit.)

In championing Hodges' model as a global resource for healthcare and education, my parochial perspective from Wigan Pier has felt acute. Online I've long nurtured links with global nursing and healthcare groups: HIFA, HIPNET, GANM, Nursing Now and others. In workshops with nursing students and other disciplines, the ICN and global nursing context is always stressed (the ICD too). [After all, as students and lifelong learners these people do have the World at their feet.]

The relevance of Hodges' model increases daily and - my bias aside - the model's significance is crystalised in this issue for the RCN and its members. As noted in the debate John Gilmore raises the matter of refugees. For those in crisis through natural disaster, conflict and crime amid chaos there is geopsychiatry and the mental health implications for children and future generations of this 'lived experience'. As we await further news on this, below I have mapped key elements of the debate in Hodges' model:

There is a digital archive for members to watch the debate.

individual - self
"My backyard"

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ----------------------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group- population
"The WORLD of Nursing"

Philosophical: Values, Philosophies of Care Mental Health Mental Health of Nurses Parity of Esteem - geoPSYCHIATRY Ethel G. Fenwick and others [ Health Education & Promotion, Sustainability ]	The 'GEO-' in Nursing Nursing logistics Research; Collaboration, Multi-center, Evidence, The 'UNIVERSAL' in UHC Definitions of Nursing Roles Skills & Knowledge Coding & Classification initiatives Global: 20,000,000 nurses ICN predates RCN 'transparency'
The Nursing Community "Voice" 1899 ICN formed SOCIO-[Economic] status of nurses The global: Community of Practice Collegiality Cooperation Collaboration Fellowship "We are all global nurses."	'political' POLICY: Workforce, Migration, Recruitment crisis Safe Staffing (National, Global) Medical Emergencies, Climate change Working groups: Standards, Issues Funding, ICN, RCN and other bodies Support for Developing Nations LMIC The Scope of Nursing Stewardship ICN - Membership model PAY restraint, austerity As of 2013: £614,470 / £1.42 per member Business case

How do you measure the impact of an organisation?

2020 - International Year of the Nurse

20:20 vision IS global

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_Calm_and_Carry_On

RCN member's survey on spirituality & H2CM

Originally published - 10 March 2010Source: http://www.rcn.org.uk/newsevents/news/article/uk/rcn_seeks_members_views_on_spirituality
The Royal College of Nursing has launched a survey to improve its understanding of nurses’ views on spirituality.
RCN members are invited to submit their thoughts on what they understand by the concepts of spirituality and spiritual care and whether they consider these to be legitimate areas of nursing practice. Specific questions will ask what level of training and support should be given to nurses to deal with spiritual issues.
RCN Executive Director of Nursing and Service Delivery Janet Davies says:

“The RCN is committed to the promotion of holistic care*, but we recognise that spirituality is a complex area. Although understood as an area of human life that applies to all, spirituality can also be subject to taboo and misunderstanding. We are committed to understanding nurses’ views on spirituality and to explore this issue further.”

The results of the survey will shape the RCN’s work in this area and will be presented at a fringe event at RCN Congress in April.

RCN members: Complete the spirituality survey by 31 March 2010.

* My emphasis.

Thoughts from Hodges' model (PJ):

Nurses most definitely need to be aware of and have due regard to care management theory and practice associated with spirituality. That is - how individuals, families, communities (and the State) express belief or non-belief concerning self, others, humanity, their environment, and their relationship with all that is, has been and will be. They need to discern when spiritual matters enter into religious affairs and the customs and rituals that exist ancient and modern. Nurses need to recognise when and where to seek guidance in how to proceed. Legislation, human rights, professional codes of conduct, local and national policies are also critical to a nurse's understanding and attainment of spiritual literacy.

This is an area were confusion can arise over terminology. What is the difference between spirituality, religion and beliefs (mine, yours)? In their training and ongoing careers students need to demonstrate an openness to spirituality in the sense of being neutral with regards to their own beliefs. In specific situations and medical procedures again professional advice may be needed.

Hodges' model is an ideal tool to support nurses in their appreciation of spiritual (and pastoral) aspects of care. The model is ethnoculturally neutral. This neutrality serves as a reservoir of deep respect, rapport and empathy and provides a foundation, a space upon which all spiritual elements of care can be written.

The spiritual is represented in h2cm as a whole.

The model's four care domains collectively represent a 5th domain - the spiritual. Strangely, as per the use of the term in technology circles, the model can be described as 'agnostic'. Not in the religious sense, but due to the fact that h2cm does not demand knowledge of, nor ascribe to any particular spiritual, religious or belief stance.

c/o RCN: Nursing Emotions, Art and History

individual

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ----------------------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group - population

My source: RCN as per main link.

Image original (please do see the original - which I have quartered here):
https://www.rcn.org.uk/news-and-events/blogs/emotions-and-the-art-of-nursing-stained-glass

I remember an article in an issue of 'Computer Arts' many years ago on creating stained glass images, the example included fish I think?

RCN Congress 2025 ii - Losing direct nursing skills

No longer an issue for me, but in the mix of careers: health, education, work - professional; employees often find that they are pulled away from what originally brought them to their chosen career. "I want to help people, care for them, make them better." Especially, if they are ambitious, seek better pay and prospects, for themselves and (a) their family. 

This was an issue and tension for discussion at the RCN Congress:

'Climbing the ladder often means leaving the “bedside”, this is something that can leave mixed emotions for the individual. As a result, we are losing years of clinical experience and expertise which could impact on the future training and on-the-job development for early career or inexperienced colleagues.

The secondary issue that arises with nurses leaving the bedside is skill decay, where a person loses the skills developed in the clinical area through lack of everyday practice. This is being increasingly acknowledged in health care literature (Maehle, 2017). However, the biggest barrier is the resulting lack of confidence in personal skills and ability, particularly where someone is now seen as a senior colleague by those at the bedside.' cont. ...

Discussion - Losing direct nursing skills

I didn't make notes but reflected on how your 'basic training' (for me ...) registered mental nurse (RMN) and state registered nurse (SRN) provides the foundation for professional (and lifelong?) learning? This is, after all, what continuing professional development and post-registration refer to. I did realise that in returning to mental health nursing after qualifying as a SRN, I would surrender much learning - instead of consolidating.

Lecture 101, sets in train the scope of your theory and practice. This is why, and where I see Hodges' model having a role at this point in our professional education, whatever the discipline, or profession. Congress included a resolution for debate: Physician associates. 

We really do need to get this right. Get it wrong, and the quality of care and safety of the public are threatened. If existing standards and professional relationships are perturbed, the effects can be long-lasting and (grossly) injurious. Especially at a time of increasing demographic pressures globally for health systems and services.

individual

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group

1. Is the divide represented by parity of esteem in healthcare MIND :: BODY associated with the fact that in mental illness patients do not ordinarily need to be nursed, cared for in bed?	png image from pngtree.com
2. But, wait! What does history, medical sociology have to say?	3. Is the 'bed' the signifier of instititionalised care? It appears to be. The pejorative term 'big bins' seems to epitomise the mechanisation of care. In prisons do they throw away the key?

Previously: 'RCN' : 'skills' : 'beds'.

Also at Congress was the RCN Northwest Multicultural Group, which may be of interest if you are UK based (and not just in the NW). The following is edited from an email ...

Dear All,

I would like to congratulate everyone for an amazing Congress 2025 and take this opportunity to welcome the new members. It was really lovely to meet all of you in person.

Please see below the link to the webpage of multicultural group:

https://www.rcn.org.uk/northwest/Get-Involved/NW-Multicultural-Group

I will be sharing the details of the next meeting and other information via the group and email.

Kind regards,

Olanike Babalola (She/Her/Hers)
Chair/Cofounder RCN Northwest Multicultural Group
Email: olanike.babalola AT reps.rcn.org.uk

#RCN26 RCN Congress - Nurse Education

If you think hard-enough all the debates at RCN Congress connect to 'education', but two are laser-focussed:

Protecting nurse education

Resolution submitted by the Education Forum
That this meeting of RCN Congress asks RCN Council to lobby UK governments to protect nurse education from university sector economic pressures.

Quality of clinical placements

Matter for discussion submitted by the Students Committee
That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses ways in which the quality of clinical placements can be ensured and consistent across all 4 countries.

For more senior colleagues, you may momentarily think back - all rose-tinted - to the pre-undergraduate Schools of Nursing, but you also realise change was needed and inevitable. A new millennium was fast approaching.

Now, however it seems within the university ecosystem, nursing is a threatened subject and discipline. Nurse education is exposed and itself vulnerable. In the 21st century fitness-stakes - finance wins:

individual

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group

mental fitness	physical fitness
SOCIAL VALUE  & VALUES	FINANCIAL FITNESS

 

At RCN Congress, the status of nursing as a profession in the USA, was raised. Looking online, I found the following at the U.S. Department of Education: Myth vs. Fact: The Definition of Professional Degrees.

In January 2025 I posted about the situation at Cardiff University. At Congress the matter of the quality of clinical placements, became a resolution. The protection of nurse education provoked an impassioned and emotional debate. Student nurses seeing what is happening to nurse faculty. Nurse faculty seeing the years of experience 'walk' be-pushed out through the door. It seems there is no collective noun for a group, or collection of redundancies. Mass comes to mind, especially in this instance. A 'rash' seems appropriate. But, the condition is more serious and bears further investigation:

As a Google search demonstrates - https://share.google/SViFPWuJovKWhErEE

IT doesn't stop there ...

How many of us (nurses, and other 'professionals') are seeing job offers(?) such as:

Remote
Contract

$35/hr - $80/hr (this is lower than others ...)

About the job

Nursing Informatics Specialist (AI Training)

About The Role

Your clinical knowledge is more valuable than you think — beyond the bedside. We're looking for experienced nursing professionals to help train and evaluate AI systems built for healthcare. As a Nursing Informatics Specialist at Alignerr, you'll apply your frontline expertise to ensure AI understands real-world clinical workflows, EHR systems, and nursing documentation the way actual nurses do.

This is a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of nursing practice and cutting-edge AI — on your own schedule, from anywhere.

• Organization: ---------
• Type: Hourly Contract
• Location: Remote
• Commitment: 10–40 hours/week
  
  

What You'll Do

• Evaluate AI-generated clinical content for accuracy, safety, and alignment with real nursing workflows
• Review and annotate EHR documentation scenarios, flagging errors or gaps in clinical reasoning
• Translate nursing practice knowledge into structured feedback that improves AI model outputs
• Assess how well AI systems reflect clinical informatics best practices across areas like documentation, data integrity, and care coordination
• Provide expert insight on health IT tools, including EHR platforms such as Epic or Cerner
• Work independently and asynchronously on task-based assignments
  
  

Who You Are

• Registered Nurse (RN) or equivalent clinical background with hands-on experience in a healthcare setting
• Familiar with EHR systems and clinical documentation workflows
• Able to analyze clinical scenarios and communicate clear, structured feedback
• Detail-oriented with strong written communication skills
• Self-motivated and comfortable working independently in a remote environment
• No prior AI experience required — your clinical expertise is what matters
  
  

Nice to Have

• Experience in clinical informatics, health IT, or nursing informatics roles
• Familiarity with data annotation, quality review, or evaluation processes
• Background in quality improvement, patient safety, or clinical education
• Exposure to health data standards (e.g., HL7, FHIR, SNOMED)
  
  

Why Join Us

• Work on cutting-edge AI projects with leading research labs and AI teams
• Fully remote and flexible — set your own hours and work at your own pace
• Freelance perks: autonomy, variety, and global collaboration
• Apply your nursing expertise in a completely new and impactful way
• Contribute to AI that could meaningfully improve how healthcare technology serves patients and clinicians
• Potential for ongoing work and contract extension

You might think (no pun intended!): 

'Well this all about informatics. Don't worry - it will all work out fine!'

But, please notice, the clinical and nursing requirement:

"Registered Nurse (RN) or equivalent clinical background with hands-on experience in a healthcare setting."

Not exactly, Hodges' model is it? Even if specific to this role, what does it say:

• about :: the title of 'Registered Nurse'
• about :: Nurses and Nursing as a Profession
• and :: to search engines and agentic AI?

So be aware, and concerned (worried even!) for nursing and nurse education ... 
for the humanity of healthcare:

individual

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group

de-humanisation	BIG TECH
"Where has everyone gone?" Social values Social justice What about research, debate, evidence..?	Nursing Faculty Universities as Institutions that reflect Society Why is there an echo in here? It's been hollowed out.

P.S. I am not a technophobe. Previously: 'AI' : 'SOCIO-technical'