Our work
Our Nursing Practice Academy provides nursing staff with the clinical skills and knowledge they need to deliver exceptional patient care with confidence.
Check out some of our current projects.
Shaping nursing practice
The role of the Nursing Practice Academy and how you can get involved
Welcome to the Nursing Practice Academy
Our dedicated team of nursing practice experts and Professional Leads is here to support your nursing practice. Use this page to access training, resources and guidance on all areas of nursing practice, and see how you can help shape our work.
How we work
We develop evidence-backed guidance, standards and learning programmes
We collaborate with and provide expertise and recommendations to a variety of organisations
We promote a culture of continual learning and development among nursing staff
Access programmes and clinical resources
Become an expert in psychosocial interventions
Our Psychosocial Interventions Programme helps the mental health nursing workforce to confidently practice psychosocial interventions, such as teaching relaxation techniques and seeking support.
Understand the essentials of infection prevention and control
The prevention of infection is central to health and wellbeing, and to combating the increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance. This course will help you feel prepared for preventing and managing infection.
Boost your clinical knowledge with RCN Learn
RCN Learn brings you the latest nursing, health and social care learning resources from the RCN and RCNi. Free for RCN members, our resources are quality-assured and updated regularly, so you can practice with confidence.
Be clear on the levels of nursing
We’ve set out the levels of complexity involved in nursing practice, so that your experience and expertise is better recognised by employers, service users and colleagues.
Navigate sensitive areas of practice
Some areas of practice and discussion, such as abortion care and assisted dying, can be divisive. Navigating them with colleagues and patients can feel daunting.
You may find it useful to read and share our position on topics like this and more.
How we're shaping practice
Assisted dying
Conversations around assisted dying are complex. We're advocating for safeguards to ensure nursing staff are protected as the bill progresses through the Houses of Parliament.
We’ve had a neutral position on assisted dying for people who have a terminal illness since 2009. This position allows us to represent and support all nursing staff, regardless of their personal or professional stance on assisted dying, while focusing on practical measures to ensure patient safety, workforce protection and the effective delivery of end-of-life care.
Our expert professional leads are taking forward this work to ensure nursing staff and patients are protected.
Psychosocial interventions programme
Psychosocial Interventions can be used to prevent mental health issues from developing into mental illness, or to support people with existing mental health conditions. These interventions mainly focus on the combination of the psychological and social aspects of mental health but are informed by our core knowledge of physical health and medication management. They aim to address the underlying causes and holistic needs of mental health issues and help individuals develop rounded strategies to live meaningful, hopeful lives.
Our Psychosocial Interventions Programme aims to help the current mental health nursing workforce to confidently practice psychosocial interventions, such as teaching relaxation techniques and stress management.
Contact the team at MHProgrammes@rcn.org.uk.
Safe and compassionate environments
We want all nursing staff to thrive in their workplaces and be able to provide good quality, safe patient care. Thanks to this programme, we now have a much better understanding of the support and development needs of nursing staff to achieve compassionate workplaces and spaces.
We’re now speaking with groups of nursing staff, to find out about the reality of their experience of compassion in the workplace and the impact of their workplace on their practice. Factors include team working, leadership and wider organisational factors that can affect compassion in the workplace.
Ways you can help shape nursing practice
Join a forum
Our professional forums help us identify gaps in nursing best practice. We work with forums to fill those gaps, developing programmes that change nursing practice for the better.
Help set the agenda
If you’re passionate about fixing a nursing issue, raise it with us and thousands of other members at RCN Congress, our yearly gathering where together, we decide our work for the year.
Your nursing practice team
Patricia Hughes
Associate Director of Nursing Practice
Trish worked in cancer care, specialising in haematology. She has worked in senior roles across London, employing her philosophy – ‘Lift as you climb’ – to help many of her colleagues to progress. Her accomplishments include being the founding member and Chair of the University College London Hospitals Black and Minority Ethnic Network and being a director of nursing at NHS England and Northern Care Alliance. Trish is a firm believer in equity and fairness and strongly supports compassionate leadership.
Christine Callender
Head of Nursing Practice
Christine is a registered nurse, midwife and health visitor with extensive clinical experience in the latter. She’s held senior roles in the NHS and private health care, including Deputy Director for community services and Director of Nursing and Operations. Christine was an advisor for the Care Quality Commission, an independent nurse member on the NMC’s fitness to practice panel and is a member of the Chief Nursing Officer for England's BME Strategic Advisory Group. A proud Queen’s Nurse, she champions community nursing and excellence in care through high standards.
Carli Whittaker
Head of Nursing Practice
Sydneysider Carli qualified as a registered nurse in Australia over 20 years ago. Her portfolio includes babies, children and young people (CYP), women's health and midwifery, critical care, acute and emergency care, defence nursing and infection and prevention and control. For her PhD, Carli is exploring the experiences of children’s nurses and associated retention challenges.
Passionate about expanding CYP nursing globally, Carli collaborates with the NHS, independent organisations and regulatory bodies. Her interests also include sustainable education, leadership and addressing CYP health inequalities.
Dr Stephen Jones
Head of Nursing Practice
Stephen’s portfolio includes mental health, learning disabilities, justice and forensics, public health, neuroscience and digital informatics. He holds a PhD in health and social care and has a robust leadership and innovation background. Stephen champions parity of esteem and workforce wellbeing and leads the Psychosocial Interventions and Supporting Compassionate Workplace Environments programmes. His goal is to enhance nursing practice across the UK by promoting excellence in care and supporting professional development at all career stages.
Meet our Professional Leads for nursing practice
Our Professional Leads provide guidance and support to RCN Forums, which are made up of ordinary members with a passion for improving practice in their specialism.
Start a conversation
Do you have a question or concern about your nursing practice? Get in touch and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
