Harness your passion and give student nurses a voice

The highlight of my term on the Students Committee was attending RCN Congress 2022 in Glasgow. It was great to meet all the incredible members I have networked with online during my time as an RCN student member. Most exciting of all however, was meeting Sue Tranka, the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) for Wales, and finding that she knew my name and wanted to know how I was getting on in my final year. I met her at my very first RCN event in Cardiff in 2019 at the RCN Student Ambassador Conference. I've looked up to her and taken on board all that she had shared.

Being on the Students Committee is all about speaking up for student members, listening to their concerns and questions and taking them forward with other committee members and RCN staff. Being on the committee is also a great way to get involved in important RCN campaigns like Fair Pay for Nursing, ensuring that the nursing student voice is heard on the crucial issues of nurse recruitment and retention. The role is voluntary, and so it is up to you how you choose to make it work. I usually focus on RCN work, including checking and responding to emails, networking and social media, over the weekends. There can be particularly busy periods when there is a new intake of student nurses or when preparing for one of the 5 or 6 committee meetings per year, however there are also quieter periods such as when nursing students are busy with exams and placement.

If I didn’t get involved in my first RCN event back in my first year of nursing, I wouldn’t have been exposed to all of the RCN’s active members and their incredible work. I have since then continued to build my network and contribute to areas of work within the RCN that have caught my interest. You can use your voice to make sure the wider student voice is being represented and there is awareness of the issues that could potentially affect the retention of future nurses.

If you’re someone who isn’t shy of speaking up and challenging the status quo, this is the perfect opportunity for you. If you’re passionate about making sure the student voice is heard and represented at all levels of nursing, especially at the RCN, this is your chance. What have you got to lose?

If Cyzel’s story has inspired you to stand for election to the RCN Students Committee, submit your nomination by 4:30pm on Monday 17 October. Find out more here.