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Why UK governments must stop using the NHS as a political football to gain populist momentum and owe health and social care staff a restorative pay rise.
The NHS Workers United for Scotland rally on July 23rd, 2022, called to reject all UK governments’ proposed pay deal for NHS ‘Agenda for Change’ workers. We demand a restorative pay rise to protect patient safety by enabling us to retain and recruit more health and social care staff. And to recognise the graduate status […]
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Modern Bill of Rights
The Royal College of Nursing’s (RCN) Nurses in Management and Leadership Forum proposed an Emergency Resolution (Debate 28) at the annual RCN Congress debating the UK Government’s proposed Modern Bill of Rights. Thank you so much to all RCN Forum members who supported the writing of this Resolution. An extra special thank you to Jean […]
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Section 28 (2.0): why we can’t be willfully blind or performative allies & who benefits from the polarisation of sex versus gender?
In the light of a right-wing mainstream media driving a flailing UK government’s sinister rhetoric on trans rights, in an attempt to regain populism, we need allies to stop being performative and others to stop being willfully blind as we careen toward Section 28 2.0. We need to ask who benefits from the polarisation of sex versus gender?
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Why there must be a statement ensuring all Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Members will be made to feel psychologically safe when contributing at RCN Congress 2022.
Today at the RCN Annual General Meeting, I felt compelled to make an ask of the College. “As an RCN member, I appreciate the College and the Chief Executive and General Secretary, Pat Cullen’s recommitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in the wake of the KPMG Report; also in Pat’s blog on the eve of […]
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Clinical Supervision: why we need it but need to sort it out.
I passionately believe in the benefits of clinical supervision for nurses from all fields of practice, and I wanted to share my takeaways and opinions regarding clinical supervision and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Forums’ “Barriers to overcoming the barriers” scoping review exploring 30 years of clinical supervision literature” published in the Journal of Advanced […]
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Why we must invest in our future nursing leaders
Nursing is my past, present and future. After a twelve-year career as an actor, I now follow in my registered nurse mother’s footsteps, working as an early-career public health community staff nurse with newly arrived asylum seekers, some of our society’s most disadvantaged members. I believe we must invest in tomorrow’s nursing leaders because we […]
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Retaining the Passion: When Mistakes Happen.
Clare and Craig catch up and discuss their reasoning for choosing the episode title, “When Mistakes Happen”. They discuss whether universities … Retaining the Passion: When Mistakes Happen.
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Men into Nursing Campaigns: Why My Opinion Has Evolved.
I was very kindly asked to write this blog post for the Royal College of Nursing’s Feminist Network. Fact: nursing is an evidenced-based profession; as we traverse throughout our university nursing education, we learn to be a nurse whilst honing our critical thinking skills. When I took to the stage, speaking in favour of the […]
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Retaining the Passion: Violence Against Women – But Nothing Really Happened.
WARNING: This episode may be potentially emotional or triggering for some of our listeners. Please take care of yourself first and foremost and reach… Retaining the Passion: Violence Against Women – But Nothing Really Happened.
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Violence against and society’s treatment of women: why men need to acknowledge, address and own these issues.
I suppose it fits that this blog is coming out on Mother’s Day because I dedicate this blog post as a love letter to my mum, the woman who has played the most significant role in shaping me into the man I am today. But I dedicate it not only to my mum but to […]
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Let Me Be Honest with You
At #RCNNQN and #RCNStudents, we decided to start the #SmallActionsBigChanges campaign to counteract a lot of the recent negativity that has been … Let Me Be Honest with You
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Retaining the Passion: General Practice Nursing
Craig and Clare catch up and discuss their first times: Clare winning the prestigious Student Nursing Times Student Nurse of the Year (Mental Health)… Retaining the Passion: General Practice Nursing
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Retaining the Passion: What is the Royal College of Nursing doing for its newly registered nurses?
As you know, our podcast is unaffiliated. However, this episode focuses specifically on what the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) as the professional … Retaining the Passion: What is the Royal College of Nursing doing for its newly registered nurses?
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The impact of Covid-19 on new registrants and what this means for our profession’s future.
Now, anyone who knows me knows just how much I hate the warlike rhetoric that is often used when discussing nursing, particularly concerning the … The impact of Covid-19 on new registrants and what this means for our profession’s future.
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Why I believe the Royal College of Nursing should rejoin the International Council of Nursing.
I’ve thought long and hard about what I wanted to put in this blog post. And why I genuinely believe the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) should rejoin the International Council of Nurses (ICN). For the RCN, I am a member of the Greater Glasgow branch. I was a Scottish representative on the RCN’s Students’ […]
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Student Nursing Times Awards 2020 #SNTA
I was utterly blown away by this year’s entrants. Many of who moved me to tears with their stories of how they got into nursing, and what they have achieved; not only as individual student nurses who have excelled in their field, but the extra work they have done for their fellow students, and the […]
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Sometimes it’s okay to celebrate your achievements…
Sometimes, it’s perfectly okay to be proud of your personal and professional achievements every once in a while. And for Clare Manley and my tiny seed of an idea, “Retaining the Passion: Journeys Through Nursing”, a podcast for nurses and those interested in nursing issues, hosted by newly registered nurses to be recognised by and […]
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Retaining the Passion: Global Nursing
Clare and Craig are both passionate advocates of global nursing and as student nurses were fortunate to experience international exchange placements … Retaining the Passion: Global Nursing
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Finding your authenticity.
Apologies for what may appear a word dump, but I just had a couple of thoughts in my head I wanted to get out there. I have been doing a lot of self-reflection recently. Now, I want to avoid this being a navel-gazing post. No one wants or needs that. Navel-gazing is generally associated with […]
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Retaining the Passion: Person-Centred Care.
Clare and Craig very much wanted to release this episode a day early to coincide with #WorldMentalHealthDay. They share their reasonings for … Retaining the Passion: Person-Centred Care.
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Retaining The Passion: Supporting Newly Registered Nurses
A very personal episode for Clare and Craig. First, Clare talks about completing her preceptorship, and Craig discusses his guest lecture opportunity… Retaining The Passion: Supporting Newly Registered Nurses
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Retaining The Passion: Sepsis Awareness Special
Clare and Craig are releasing this very special episode as part of Sepsis Awareness Month on September 13th, World Sepsis Day. Clare interviews newly… Retaining The Passion: Sepsis Awareness Special
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Retaining The Passion: Planning Your Development
Clare and Craig catch up and are joined by Dr Gemma Stacey, Director of the Florence Nightingale Foundation Academy. Together they talk about making … Retaining The Passion: Planning Your Development
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Retaining The Passion: Covid-19 – The Impact On Nursing
We catch up with Clare and Craig who tell us what they’ve been up to since we last heard from them. They are joined by Professor Anne Marie Rafferty,… Retaining The Passion: Covid-19 – The Impact On Nursing
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Retaining The Passion: What’s In A Name
Clare and Craig discuss their reasons for choosing the theme, “What’s in a Name?”. Also, the many names and titles nurses have. And why this can be … Retaining The Passion: What’s In A Name
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Retaining The Passion: Raising Your Voice
Clare and Craig discuss their reasons for choosing the theme, “Raising Your Voice”, and why they think nurses should raise their voices. They are … Retaining The Passion: Raising Your Voice
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Retaining the Passion: Finding Hope
Clare and Craig share their personal reasons for choosing the theme, “Finding Hope”, and discuss what hope means to them. They are joined by guests,… Retaining the Passion: Finding Hope
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Retaining the Passion: An Introduction
Clare and Craig introduce themselves and talk about their journeys into nursing. They discuss their aims and hopes for this podcast series. And … Retaining the Passion: An Introduction
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Coming Out Day
Today is #ComingOutDay. Serendipitous that it comes after #WorldMentalHealthDay. I always knew I was “different”. Aged five, my first ever crush was the Little Mermaid’s Prince Eric (I mean, who didn’t love those blue eyes?). And I vehemently do not buy into the fact that sexuality is a choice. But I wish I was braver […]
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Help! I’m a newly qualified nurse starting in the middle of a pandemic.
I’ve just completed my first four weeks as a newly qualified registered nurse. Like many of you, I’ve taken up my first post, working in infectious … Help! I’m a newly qualified nurse starting in the middle of a pandemic.
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Welcome to RCN Newly Qualified Nurses
This week, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Newly Qualified Nurses launched on Twitter, reaching over 1000 followers in its first 24 hours, … Welcome to RCN Newly Qualified Nurses
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5 top tips in nursing…
I cannot quite believe the 30-day blog challenge for NHS Horizons ‘transforming the perceptions of nursing and midwifery‘ has come to an end. I have thoroughly enjoyed reflecting on my thoughts, writing them all down, and putting them out there into the ether. I cannot thank you enough for all your comments and engagement. It […]
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My proudest moment…
I have been open and frank throughout my blog posts about the challenges I have faced in the past regards my mental health. The insight these experiences have given me, I believe, will make me a better nurse. I am more compassionate, empathetic, understanding and non-judgemental because of them. Having experienced mental health problems is […]
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5 words that describe a nurse…
There are a plethora of words that could be chosen to describe a nurse. In this current climate, undervalued, exhausted, overstretched and underpaid are a few that come to mind. Nurses have faced years of hardship and have been beaten down during a period when services have been stretched to breaking point. First, there was […]
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Is there nursing in my family…
I have mentioned her in my blog several times, especially in “when did I decide to become a nurse” and “which nurses inspire me”. So, if you’ve been following me or have read those posts, you will know that my mum is a nurse – Staff Nurse Carole Davidson. She had to take early medical […]
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What is my hidden talent…
I feel like I have told you everything about myself during this 30-day blog challenge, so I’m not sure what else there is to tell you. So far, you know I trained in Musical Theatre – so I can sing, dance and act. Though, that does seem like another lifetime ago now. You know I […]
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What are my nursing pet peeves…
Well, today is the day where I am going to sound extremely critical of our profession, but it is what the question entails. And we are encouraged to be critical thinkers to improve services. However, I am aware that I am still studying and only at the very beginning of my career with lots to […]
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10 people you should follow on Twitter…
I follow nearly 1,960 people on Twitter, so how am I supposed to pick just 10? They are all amazing, and I follow each for very different reasons. I love Twitter (perhaps too much at times – I am a bit of a social media addict) and think it’s a great platform to engage with […]
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Which nurses inspire me…
Well, it goes without saying as I have mentioned her considerably throughout this 30-day challenge; my biggest nursing inspiration is my mum, Staff Nurse Carole Davidson. She inspires me, not only because she is an incredibly compassionate, dedicated nurse, who goes above and beyond for her patients and their families – you should see the […]
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5 things I do on every shift…
As a student nurse, we are constantly on placements in different settings. And things change significantly from one setting to the next: an acute ward, an outpatients department, a community setting. So, here are five things I always do on every shift regardless of setting. Introduce myself: You would think this was a given, but […]
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My favourite thing about being a nurse…
I know it may seem cliché, but I am unapologetically so. My favourite thing about being a nurse is 100%, without a doubt, the patients. It is a privilege to be a nurse, to be there for someone when they are at their most vulnerable. I love getting to know people, to find out their […]
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What 6 things make me happy…
Now, for a change, this one is easy. There are lots of things that make me happy, in fact, I could write a list as long as my arm, but top six – easy peasy! My family: I am extremely close to my family: my mum, Carole, dad, Adam, and siblings, Kevin and Jennifer. They […]
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What’s my favourite nursing topic…
I know this is becoming somewhat of a recurring theme, but again I am finding it so hard to pick a favourite nursing topic as I genuinely enjoy them all. At Glasgow Caledonian University, where I am currently a student nurse, our academic year is built around five modules, on top of our placements, which […]
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A photo of me…
Well, I love a cheeky selfie, but the photo I have chosen for today’s post is not one – although the selfie of my rainbow glitter beard from last weekend’s Pride Glasgow march I took part in with RCN Greater Glasgow Branch comes a very close second. Instead, I have chosen the below. This was […]
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My 5 favourite vlogs/blogs…
If I am honest, before this 30-day challenge, I didn’t read all that many blogs; certainly not enough to have a ‘top five’. I am an avid user of social media – you can find me on Twitter @CraigDavidson85 – and I follow a lot of inspiring nurses and student nurses on there, which I love. […]
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Thoughts on nursing as a degree…
I wholeheartedly believe that nursing should be a degree educated, graduate-entry level profession – and I would seriously question the rationale behind anyone who opposed this view. There would be no question about doctors, psychologists, pharmacists, radiologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians etc., being educated to degree level; so why nurses? As the nursing role has […]
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Where do I hope to be in 5 years time…
Where do I hope to be in five years time? Honestly, I would like to be in a place that makes me happy, both in my personal and my professional life. My journey, as I am sure has been the same for a lot of you, has been characterised by a lot of highs but […]
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3 self-care ideas…
Undertaking a nursing degree is all-consuming; it is without question physically, emotionally and mentally challenging, which is why self-care and mental health support is so essential. A nursing degree isn’t like a standard degree at university. On top of all our academic work, we must complete 2300 clinical practice hours on placement so that we […]
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What was my favourite placement…
What was my favourite placement? Aw, this is a difficult one; I genuinely cannot pick which my favourite placement has been, because I have loved and learnt lots from them all. There is a running joke between my mum, my partner and I that every time I go to a different placement, I then decide […]
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When did I decide to be a nurse…
Nursing has always been a massive part of my life: my mum trained as a general nurse, then did her paediatric conversion, and laterally trained as a midwife, before becoming a neonatal intensive care nurse, where she worked for over 25 years. She would take my siblings and me up to visit the babies in […]
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What do I eat on my break…
Well, I always try to be as healthy as I can, and I am always on a ‘diet’ – believe me, it gets harder to shift the pounds in your thirties. So, a typical day on the wards on placement would include: Breakfast: Porridge or cereal (usually Weetabix as it travels well in a Tupperware […]
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Best joke a patient’s told me…
When I saw the topic for today’s blog post, I began wracking my brain for a specific joke a patient has told me, but there isn’t one in particular that springs to mind. That doesn’t mean I am a complete straight-laced dullard who doesn’t enjoy engaging in humour with patients; quite the opposite. I love […]
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What’s inside my work bag…
I’m not sure this is going to be a particularly exciting one from me today – nor do I think it the contents of my bag will be atypical to many other nursing students. As I’m peering into it, I am noticing that it is a complete mess. Time for a summer holiday declutter. So […]
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5 current goals…
What do you mean you only want me to pick five? Like I have said in previous blog posts, I am very ambitious and have my life mapped out with what I would like to achieve and when – of course with realistic flexibility. But, five you asked for, so five you shall get. I […]
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My five most motivating songs…
Music is an international language that moves and motivates us. We can relate to it: it can be the war-cry rallying us into battle; it can transport us to another time, remembering friends and loved ones; and it can make us connect with our rawest emotions, making us reflect and even bringing us to tears. […]
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What do I fear in the future of nursing?
Now, this is a tricky one; what do I fear in the future of nursing? I would say that I am usually pretty fearless. I always try to be optimistic about the future, and I believe in channelling positivity out into the Universe. However, I guess at my stage of training, where I am about […]
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Celebrating #NHS70
I am so proud of our National Health Service. Having just returned from an educational exchange trip to the United States, it has only intensified my pride to come from a country that provides free healthcare to all at the point of service. The NHS looks after us all, from conception until the time we […]
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Dream job(s)… hopes for my future career.
I am ambitious and determined, always have been, always will be. For me, it’s a good thing as it pushes me to be the best version of myself I can be and to continually challenge myself. I also believe in setting goals both personally and professionally as it helps give me focus. Part of this […]
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My favourite nursing quote…
To sum up the role of the nurse and nursing as a profession in one single quote is a near impossible thing to do. Our role is so diverse, taking place across a variety of different settings including clinical, research and education, and it is continually evolving. That is the beauty of nursing; but how […]
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20 facts about me… here goes!
I have decided to take part in NHS Horizons 30 day challenge to transform the perceptions of nursing and midwifery. Today’s challenge: 20 facts about yourself. I am typically known for wearing my heart on my sleeve and being an open book, so in theory sharing 20 facts about myself should be easy and I’m […]
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Welcome to Craig’s Considerations: Day one
I’ve wanted to keep a blog for quite some time; I have been vlogging recently but the challenge to keep a blog for this month’s 30 day challenge for NHS Horizons ‘transforming the perceptions of nursing and midwifery’ has come as a perfect opportunity to finally put metaphorical paper to pen (it is actually thumb […]
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