RCN Council Elections 2020 (Student Member): Husting Questions Answered Properly (I Hope)

This week saw online hustings for the student member of RCN Council elections 2020. I might be a prolific twitter, but I am a somewhat inexperienced public speaker (I am still learning the ropes) . As such, to address any haziness I have gathered my thoughts and made an attempt at jotting down clearer answers and more detailed explanations in response to the questions.

I have made efforts to be consistent with the thrust of the comments made during hustings.

What do you understand the role of the student member of Council to be?

My understanding is that the Council is the decision-making body of the College, when functioning it should provide the vision, leadership, and strategy for organisation. As a member of this body I would be expected to be fully involved in debate and deliberations taking place at this strategic level; and crucially make sure the current situation of student nurses is communicated clearly, the broad range of views of student members are aired, and their voices are heard.

In addition, there is considerable close working with the RCN Students Committee and other similar bodies to make sure that there is a consensual and common approach to student affairs within the College.

Personally, I feel occupying the role of student member of RCN Council is so much more though. As a figurehead both within the RCN itself and the larger student movement, whoever is elected to the position needs to be front-and-centre when it comes to raising awareness of the issues effecting student nurses and working towards solutions.

It is a national position and should have a nationally recognised profile!

2. How will you engage with students to ensure their views are inform the decisions taken by Council?

I acknowledge that poor engagement with members has always been an issue for the RCN. I aim to be at the forefront of addressing this democratic deficit once and fall. Essential to this is open and clear communication. This means asking members for their points of view and updating them regularly.

The current COVID19 Pandemic may have limited the ability to canvass student nurses in person (although where possible I will). Therefore, digital approaches need to be fully utilised including polls, surveys, online questionnaires, and live Q&As [all promoted via social media].

I would also like to see two things: a detailed formal survey of student nurses to establish what their priorities are; and some sort of scrutiny panel to ensure that I am truly representing the views of student nurses and acting in their best interests.

In addition, I am a friendly and approachable person. Being accessible matters to me, as such I will also continue to encourage student nurses to contact me directly.

3. What are the ways the Students Committee already connects with the wider membership?

The RCN Students Committee, and committee members, already has a visible presence on social media and frequently survey students on a range of matters – this is a credit to them. They also have strong and active links with other bodies within the RCN nationwide.

Personally, I would like to work with the students committee to strengthen those existing connections and build-on existing engagement. As the primary student-led decision-making and advisory body within the College it needs to reach its’ potential.

4. How would you promote two-way communication between Council and the Students Committee?

The Student member of RCN Council sits also on the RCN Students Committee, as such provides a direct link between both bodies. There must be dialogue, and if elected to the role I would be putting maximum effort into facilitating this. I want to see all RCN Council members actively engaged with the Students Committee and the wider student membership.

Student nurses are the future of the profession, and student members are the future of the RCN.

5. If you were elected to the seat on Council what would your top priority be?

This is a tricky question, as I have so much on my “to do” list, some examples:

The COVID19 Pandemic: any future position taken by the RCN or response to the ongoing public health crisis needs to not disadvantage student nurses (whether that’s in university or clinical practice); also, ongoing support for nurses who have registered
The RCN: longstanding issues around governance need to be addressed; and there needs to be a clear strategy to improve member engagement at all levels.
The Profession: fair renumeration and financial support for student nurses and nurses alike.

Ultimately it is about furthering the interests of student nurses and advocating for them, and the wider nursing profession.

6. How would you ensure that voice was representative of the entire student membership and those of the RCN Student Committee and not solely pushing your own personal agenda at Council meetings?

To be clear from the outset. I am not running in this election to embellish my CV or to hobnob with the great and the good of the nursing world. I take personal authenticity, integrity, and professionalism seriously. I want to do a good job, and this entails being a true representative of the student membership and RCN Student Committee; and having a clear role-specific professional agenda [informed by the membership].

Efforts in improving engagement with the student nursing community and gathering the wide range of points of view that exist amongst them needs to be redoubled; and the connections between the student member of RCN Council and the Student Committee needs to be strengthened.

It must be stressed that these relationships, although friendly, need to be critical. Therefore, if elected I will welcome greater scrutiny from all student members and from student (and newly qualified nurse) bodies within the RCN.

It is important to note that the UK is made up of four nations. The voices of student nurses in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland need to be heard. As health and education are devolved matters the issues affecting students may differ – this needs to be reflected in the role-specific professional agenda.

7. How will you be making sure that student voices are heard when we cannot meet in person?

One of the consequences of the COVID19 Pandemic is the greater use of online and digital means of communication. These need to be fully utilised both in terms of directly engaging with students and the various bodies within the RCN.

8. What will you bring or innovate that your predecessors haven’t done?

Firstly, my predecessors have worked very hard and done a fantastic job – I have some big shoes to fill. Having stated that I intend to take a fresh approach to the role as I feel there is a real [and desperate] need for improvement when it comes to student involvement in the RCN at branch, regional, and national level. As such, I intend to go beyond the narrow focus on the day-to-day role of student member of RCN Council and actively pursue building grassroots student member engagement.

Secondly, I already have some status as a critical and outspoken member of the nursing community. I am not afraid to ask difficult questions or challenge more senior members of the profession.

9. How would you ensure the views of all four nations are taken into consideration and that you’re visible across the four countries? How would you ensure there’s that four-country perspective?

Some of this question I have answered previously. I will actively engage with student nurses in all four nations by all available means, and work closely alongside the national and regional bodies within the RCN (including Student Committee members who represent geographic areas).

10. This year has been particularly challenging for all aspects of the health service, how would you propose to advocate for better placement and learning experiences overall for students?

The COVID19 Pandemic has highlight some of the current weaknesses of nursing education here in the UK. These need to be addressed and the RCN needs to be at the forefront of advocating for a more modern and flexible way of training future nurses (with a focus on expertise and excellence).

We need to look at how we train student nurses and the conditions they are training in. Nursing education needs to work for students, educators, and mentors alike.

11. With the ever-changing financial climate, what’s your stance on pay for student nurses while on placement?

I feel that students should be generously supported while training to be nurses and renumerated for their efforts while in clinical practice. If that means paying them a wage, then I am fully behind this. Having stated that, I am though conscious that student-employment status may come with the outdated expectation that students prioritise work before learning in clinical practice. Too often student nurses have been, and are being, treated as “spare pairs of hands” – this is not acceptable.

12. How would you propose to continue or improve the drive of the existing campaign Fund Our Future?

From the outset it is important to remember that funding arrangements differ between the nations of the UK. To echo what I have said above, students should be generously supported while training to be nurses and renumerated for their efforts while in clinical practice – whether they are in England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland.

The current situation in England whereby students have to take out loans to pay tuition fees [of up to £9.5K per year] and for maintenance [up to roughly £9K per year] In my opinion is not fair – especially since the majority of student nurses will then go on to spend a lifetime in public service. This situation may have been made more palatable by the introduction £5K study support grants for healthcare students in England – but this does not go far enough.

Broadly speaking, I feel no student healthcare professional in the UK should have to self-fund [via loans] the cost of their tuition, and to cover the cost of living there should be generous maintenance grants available – which reflect the additional hidden costs of being on a professional healthcare course.

The #FundOurFuture e-campaigning needs to continue, but there needs to be more momentum and a greater buzz around it. That is why encouraging grassroots engagement is on my priority list. It is our campaign [Student Nurses] and we need to own it. As such, I would support more organised demonstration and visible protest on the issue – writing to your local MP only goes so far.

Having stated this, I look forward to being active and involved during #FundOurFuture spotlight on Nursing Students on 7-11 December 2020.

13. How have you used your leadership to improve the situation of nurses or nursing students in any of your roles?

To be honest, I do not necessarily see myself as a leader. I am just a student nurse taking an active interest in professional nursing affairs and trying to do my best. While studying though I have had the privilege to advocate for student nurses on a number of committees and panels at both local and national levels, I have also had the opportunity to raise awareness about a range of issues affecting students nurses within the trade press.

I have spoken on a number of national conferences about the real need for higher education institutions and practice partners to better support disabled healthcare students.

14. How will you manage your RCN and University responsibilities? Are you prepared for that, and what is your understanding of the time commitment for the role?

This question has personal relevance. I have been forthcoming elsewhere about my past difficulties in education, and while studying as student nurse. I have multiple SpLDs (including ADHD) none of which were diagnosed until I was at university. I will be honest growing-up I was fairly disorganised, but since my additional needs have been identified I have been able to access support and develop the skills I need to be a much more effective human being.

Most importantly in the context of managing RCN and University commitments – this means become more organised. In terms of time and task management I know personally I cannot take this for granted, therefore I put a lot of effort into making sure I am able to do the things I set out to do these days.

Throughout my student nursing journey so far, I have always had several commitments running alongside each other. It is my intention if elected as student member of RCN Council to focus my extra-curricula activities solely on this role.

It has been indicated that being student member of RCN Council can take up to one full day of activities per-week; with my enthusiasm, drive, and commitment I can very much see myself [as a workaholic] spending more than just a single workday per-week grafting on behalf of student nurses.

RCN Council Elections 2020 (Student Member): Initial Post

Hello everybody,

To begin, apologies for not being visible on the campaign trail so far.

I am student nurse like any other and having been on placement since the candidates were announced on 07/10/2020 I have been keeping an uncharacteristically low profile on social media [for me anyhow].

Fortunately, though I am now back in the classroom, and social media. I understand that the polls open soon on 02/11/2020, but I feel it is better late than never.

My name is Shaun Williams, I am third year learning disability nursing student at Keele University – and I am a candidate in the upcoming RCN Council Elections as student member.

In brief, the reasons I am standing for council: is to put student affairs at the front and centre of RCN activity; to push the agenda of further democratise the college, increase transparency, and reduce the democrat deficit that exists; and to further champion marginalised groups and minority voices within the profession.

I also aim to do all this in my own style no frills, little ego, but large helpings of criticality and analysis (which I’m known for). If feathers get ruffled along the way, so be it!

Ultimately though it is not about me (nor my CV) it’s about the conditions and prospects of student nurses, and the health and vitality of the nursing profession.

My candidate profile, alongside that of the other candidates can be found here: https://www.rcn.org.uk/get-involved/rcn-elections-and-appointments/current-rcn-elections-and-appointments/student-member-of-rcn-council

PS: I’ll be reviving my old blog to campaign on.

Opinion Piece: Humility, Modesty and [Student] Nursing. Some Thoughts [01/19].

It probably comes as no surprise that values matter to me; whether that is a simple reference to an individual’s internal belief-system or an external study of normative ethics. I’m a student LD Nurse after all and before this supported people with dementia – both areas of practice which people enter owing to a strong personal narrative and underpinned by a well-defined sense of morality [especially around the concept of personhood].

Before reading further I must make very clear that is not my intention to delegitimise in anyway the experiences or achievements of others. As a matter of fact, I’m normally one of the first people to congratulate a success or commiserate a loss with anyone [friend, acquaintance, or even stranger]. As such, please read the following personal reflection more as observation than polemic and take into consideration that it is not meant as an academic piece of writing [with all the conventions that go with it].

The purpose of this short opinion piece is to generate some thought around the concepts of humility and modesty in relation to nursing [i.e. humbleness]; and its use/misuse amongst current nursing students [especially prominent – and visible – members of the community]. In the contemporary fast-paced and technically driven world of healthcare is there a place for these somewhat idealistic approaches to personal conduct in practice?

Twitter has as active “tweeters” some of the most engaged student and newly qualified nurses within in the UK who provide commentary on aspects of healthcare; their education and career development; and their personal lives. The contributions they make are insightful and valuable especially in terms of creating a discourse around an often-overlooked profession.

This community is diverse but there does appear to be a trend for prominent members to self-publicise any given achievement widely across social media platforms [often with a by-line that because of X what will follow will surely be Y]. Now, it is inherent that a personal success is not necessarily a bad thing – in fact it is something to be celebrated. But when it is publicised in such a forthright manner it does make me ponder “cui bono” [who benefits?] – and I am not the only person to think this.

Put plainly by-and-large nursing practice is undertaken for the benefit of others; with person-centred approaches going beyond this and placing the individual and their interests [whether that is patient, client, or service-user] at the very center of the healthcare experience; which [hopefully] goes some way to challenge that traditional “patient/practitioner” relationship which has been often been criticised for disempowering the person that knows their own health and wellbeing [and alongside that their adaptive capabilities] the best and thus results in poorer outcomes.

To practice with humility [downplay one’s own importance] and modesty [to be unassuming about one’s own abilities] must be balanced. The fine line between personal arrogance and professional confidence must always be remembered. Sure, the individual you are in contact with needs to have belief in your capabilities; but it can not be the case that this then overshadows their belief in themselves to effect the change needed.

I must admit that compared to conventional culture within healthcare, I might have views that seem somewhat out of date [as I feel humility and modesty matter]. I am still to complete my training as an LD Nurse but what is formative is the strong value-base embedded within practice. Contemporary practice is probably as holistic as it gets within nursing and there is much greater emphasis on the facilitation and co-production of care [as opposed to nurse-led, procedure driven, task-based practice found on wards nationwide].

To the uninitiated practice in this area may seem effortless [i.e. common-sense] with the LD Nurse largely absent from the day-to-day management of situations; but this could not be further from the truth with intense work undertaken in the background in a team-like manner. There are considerable achievements in the field despite this often being considered to the contrary. The fact is that approach taken one which is truly person-centred, humble, and modest, highlights the success of the person-supported.

This in a way brings me back to the prominent student nurses active on social media [such as twitter]. Many of them are currently in student leadership roles and will go on to great and important work within healthcare. But at present their self-promotion puts them at the center of their activities when in fact both teamwork and patient care require a much more collaborative approach [with the correct attitude applied].

The act of boasting is characterised by excess and associated with self-satisfaction. Maybe it is the wrong verb to use [too harsh]? But being situated within an echo chamber of assignment marks and test scores with individuals repeating their grades ad infinitum and forever referring back to them – it feels as if it is appropriate. An appeal to moderation may be in order albeit you would hope those wishing to be nurses [and nurse leaders at that] would be able to self-moderate – just as person-centred practice demands.

Am I being idealistic? I understand there are those in the nursing community that want to move away from the notion of virtue scripts within the profession and replace the narrative with something more technical [largely to empower the profession]. Personally, I do see a need for a more contemporary image associated with the nurse; but I also do not see a need to minimise the ethical considerations in terms of approaches to practice – we need to be more articulate [and embody that].

Hello [Finally]! 18/001

So I finally got round to introducing myself:

My name is Shaun Williams and I am: a student nurse; most certainly neurodiverse; and also a socialist.

It is really nice to meet you.

And I’m happy to be here.

Purpose and Aims

In terms of the purpose of this blog it is my intention to engage with as many people as possible with an interest in education, nursing, and human rights [amongst other things]; and to demonstrate some of my personal character.

From a practical standpoint blogging [as a form of regular writing] will hopefully help me address a major issue of mine: the inability to express myself and my thoughts at times [especially written communication – the joys of dyslexia and dyspraxia].

As such, I will aim to write about and comment on current affairs and a range of topics and issues including [but not exclusively]:

My education:
- My journey so far.
- As a student nurse.
- Advice and commentary on the processes of studying.
My profession:
- Nursing in general.
- My field of nursing, learning disability.
- Global nursing [e.g. issues, roles, and responsibilities].
- Current events and drivers within nursing.
Neurodiversity [hence the blog title]
- The day-to-day difficulties and opportunities of being diverse.
- My progression to being neurodiverse and proud.
- Studying and working when you’re diverse [i.e. with learning differences].
Human Rights and Social Justice
- The philosophy, history, and practicalities of human rights [with special reference to health].
- Social justice and related concepts [e.g. equitability, diversity and inclusivity].
- Commentary on current affairs which have a human rights or social justice dimension.
Socialism
- Some insight into the socialism including its’ background, context, and practice [e.g. activism and trade unionism etc.]
- The need for socialism [both in itself and part of pluralistic landscape of thought] and its possibilities.

What I Hope to Achieve

Ideally I would like to engage with others and join the conversation by raising the profile of students, nursing, neurodiversity, human rights and social justice, and yes – socialism!

Let’s get to it!

Also bear with me while I try to get the hang of blogging, I’ve only just sussed the Twitter-thing [I can be found at @Shaun_LDNurse]