Royal College of Nursing facts for kids
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| Predecessor | College of Nursing Ltd |
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| Founded | 27 March 1916 |
| Headquarters | 20 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0RN |
| Location |
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General Secretary
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Pat Cullen |
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Key people
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Dame Sarah Swift Sir Arthur Stanley (founders) |
| Publication | Nursing Standard |
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is a special group in the United Kingdom for people who work in nursing. It's like a club and a helpful organization all in one. It helps nurses and also works to make nursing better.
The RCN started in 1916 as the College of Nursing. Later, in 1928, it received a special document called a royal charter from the King or Queen. This charter officially recognized the RCN and gave it special rights. Queen Elizabeth II was a supporter of the RCN until she passed away in 2022.
Most members of the RCN are registered nurses. But student nurses and healthcare assistants can also join. Even retired nurses can be members at a lower cost.
The RCN works to speak up for nurses and the nursing profession. It also tries to make sure nurses do their jobs very well. Plus, it helps shape rules and plans for health care. The RCN has people called stewards and representatives who help members. They also offer advice and have libraries for nurses to use.
Contents
The RCN's Story
The College of Nursing Ltd began on March 27, 1916. It started with just 34 members. It was created to be a professional group for nurses who had finished their training.
Important people like Dame Sarah Swift and Sir Arthur Stanley helped start the College. Their goal was to make nursing education better and to create a list of qualified nurses. They also wanted to help nurses by suggesting new laws in parliament.
Many head nurses, called matrons, helped set up the College. By 1919, the College had grown to over 13,000 members! At first, only registered general nurses could join. Male nurses and nurses from other special areas like mental health were not allowed to join.
However, a nurse named Annie Warren Gill helped set up the RCN in Scotland. She also suggested in 1922 that married nurses should be allowed to be members. This was important because more nurses were needed after World War 1.
Becoming the Royal College of Nursing
In 1928, the College received its royal charter. This is why it became known as the Royal College of Nursing in 1939. The RCN wanted registered nurses to be in charge and to be respected.
In 1935, Frances Goodall became the General Secretary. At one point, the RCN disagreed with another big group, the Trades Union Congress (TUC), about working hours for hospital staff. The RCN thought the TUC's ideas were too much.
During World War 2, in 1941, the government offered student nurses more money for training. The RCN actually thought this amount was too high.
Since 1977, the RCN has also been registered as a trade union. This means it can officially represent nurses in discussions about their pay and working conditions.
The RCN in Recent Times
In 2018, there were some changes in the RCN's leadership. The Chief Executive, Janet Davies, resigned. Dame Donna Kinnair took over for a while and then officially became the new leader.
In 2019, nurses in Northern Ireland went on strike. This was the first time the RCN had a strike. They were striking because of problems with staffing and pay.
In 2021, Pat Cullen became the new General Secretary and Chief Executive.
In 2022, the RCN held a vote for nurses to decide if they wanted to strike over pay. Many nurses felt their pay had gone down a lot since 2010. They asked for a bigger pay rise. Nurses in England went on strike in December 2022 and January 2023. These strikes were part of bigger strikes across the National Health Service.
Where the RCN Works
The RCN's main office is in London at 20 Cavendish Square. This building is very old and has a special historical listing.
Offices Around the UK
The RCN has offices in many cities across the UK. In England, you can find offices in places like Birmingham, Bolton, and Leeds. There are also offices in Belfast (Northern Ireland), Edinburgh and Glasgow (Scotland), and Cardiff and Conwy (Wales).
How the RCN is Run
The RCN is managed by a group called the Council. The Council members are like guardians of the RCN's goals and values. They also have legal duties because the RCN is a charity. The Council is in charge of making sure the RCN is well-run and manages its money carefully.
The Council has 31 members. These members are chosen by nurses from different parts of the UK. There are also members chosen by student nurses and healthcare assistants. The RCN President and Deputy President are also on the Council. The people on the Council are not paid for their time. They volunteer to help the RCN and its members.
Leaders of the Council (since 2005)
- 2005–2013 Sandra James
- 2013–2018 Michael Brown
- 2018–2019 Maria Nicholson
- 2019– Sue Warner
- Paul Vaughan
Past Presidents of the RCN
- 1922–1925 Dame Sidney Browne
- 1925–1927 Dame Sarah Swift
- 1927–1929 Annie Warren Gill
- 1929–1930 Rachael Cox-Davies
- 1930–1933 Margaret Sparshott
- 1933–1934 Edith MacGregor Rome
- 1934–1935 Rachael Cox-Davies
- 1935–1937 Dorothy S. Coode
- 1937–1938 Edith MacGregor Rome
- 1938–1940 Beatrice Marsh Monk
- 1940–1942 Mary Jones
- 1942–1944 Emily E. P. MacManus
- 1944–1946 Mildred F. Hughes
- 1946–1948 Gladys V. L. Hillyers
- 1948–1950 Dame Louisa Wilkinson
- 1950–1952 Lucy Duff-Grant
- 1952–1954 Lucy J. Ottley
- 1954–1956 Sybil C. Bovill
- 1956–1958 Gertrude M.Godden
- 1958–1960 Marjorie J. Marriott
- 1960–1962 Margaret J. Smith
- 1962–1963 Marjorie J. Marriott
- 1963–1964 Mabel Gordon 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 Professor Dame June Clark
- 1994–1998 Professor Dame Betty Kershaw
- 1999–2000 Christine Watson
- 2000–2002 Roswyn Hakesley-Brown
- 2002–2006 Sylvia Denton
- 2006–2010 Maura Buchanan
- 2010–2014 Andrea Spyropoulos
- 2015–2019 Cecilia Anim
- 2019–2021 Anne Marie Rafferty
- 2021–2022 Denise Chaffer
- Since 2023 Sheila Sobrany
Chief Executive and General Secretary
- 1916–1935 Mary Snell Rundle
- 1935–1957 Frances G. Goodall
- 1957–1982 Dame Catherine M. Hall
- 1982–1989 Trevor Clay
- 1989–2001 Christine Hancock
- 2001–2007 Beverly Malone
- 2007–2015 Peter Carter
- 2015–2018 Janet Davies
- 2018–2021 Dame Donna Kinnair (interim August 2018 to April 2019)
- Since 2021 Pat Cullen
RCN Libraries: A Place to Learn
The RCN Library in London is said to have the largest collection of nursing books and materials in Europe! It started in 1921.
This library has over 60,000 books, many videos, and hundreds of magazines about nursing and health. You can find information on over 600 million records online.
Because it has so many old and important items, the RCN Library is part of a group called The London Museums of Health & Medicine. It has special collections, including historical books and a collection of nursing research papers.
Special Awards: Fellowships
The RCN gives out special awards called Fellowships. These are given to nurses who have done amazing things to help nursing. Only a few nurses get this award each year. For example, in 2021, 11 nurses became Fellows.
The RCN also gives Honorary Fellowships to people who are not RCN members, maybe because they are from another country or work outside of nursing. These people have also made big contributions to nursing.
If someone receives a Fellowship, they can use the letters FRCN after their name.
RCN Magazines and Journals
The RCN publishes many different magazines and journals. Since 2015, this part of the RCN has been called RCNi.
They produce RCN Bulletin, which is a monthly magazine for members. They also publish Nursing Standard, which you can buy or subscribe to.
The RCN also creates special journals for nurses who work in specific areas. These include magazines like:
- Cancer Nursing Practice (for nurses who care for people with cancer)
- Emergency Nurse (for nurses in emergency rooms)
- Learning Disability Practice (for nurses who help people with learning disabilities)
- Mental Health Practice (for nurses who work in mental health)
- Nursing Children and Young People (for nurses who care for kids)
- Nursing Management (for nurses who manage teams or departments)
- Nursing Older People (for nurses who care for elderly people)
- Nurse Researcher (for nurses who do research)
- Primary Health Care (for nurses who work in local clinics)
