We are representing you at this unprecedented time

There will continue to be many questions following the announcement about the emergency register and the joint statement from our nursing leaders in the UK. Our promise to you is that we will continue to represent you and advocate for you in as many forums as possible to ensure that the student voice is not only heard but is shaping the decisions that are made. 

We have made it very clear that:

• students should have a choice whether or not they join the emergency register
• the student membership should be consulted to inform the next stages of development
• students will be supported both in practice and with their mental health
• students should be appropriately remunerated, appropriately protected in regards to their employment rights and benefits, and have access to appropriate personal protective equipment
• students should have the opportunity to return to their academic studies and programme as soon as possible after this crisis in order to complete their education and join the full register. We are very clear that we need to protect the professional status of nursing. 

Your Student Member of Council, Amy Fancourt, was present at the emergency council meeting held on Monday 16 March and says: "As Student Member of Council my priority was to ensure student wellbeing and safety were at the forefront of everyone's minds and the RCN agenda. My colleagues on RCN Council and the RCN Executive Team and staff are in full support of this and know the importance of getting this right for all nursing students. 

“In the emergency council meeting I was able to push the need for a wider student consultation and was able to bring forward many of the pressing student concerns and questions to ensure these were being talked about at the highest level. The support from RCN Council and staff throughout this very uncertain time has been extraordinary and we will continue to work closely with the Students Committee to protect students, prioritise patient safety and triumph the importance of our education.”

Your Student Member of the Trade Union Committee, Heather Massie, has also been representing you and says: “Please note we are still waiting on clarification for what this means for first-years, second-years and third-years who have just progressed into year three. The advice about this emergency register is for current final year students with six months or less to go until qualifying. New registrants will be expected to acknowledge and work within their scope of practice and any additional skills required will have to be trained within the trust they’re employed by.”

Your Student Member of the Professional Nursing Committee, Kendal Moran, has taken your questions forward and says: "The Professional Nursing Committee has been working to support the Students Committee alongside the Trade Union Committee and the wider RCN staff. We will continue to seek to ensure the integrity of nurse education and wider professional standards in these exceptional circumstances."

As Chair of the RCN Students Committee I want to assure student nurses from all year groups that we have been working tirelessly with senior health care leaders to ensure that your voices are heard at the decision-making tables. We will continue to do this so please help us by feeding in your experiences, concerns and ideas by emailing students@rcn.org.uk. We will continue to update our Twitter and Facebook pages on a weekly basis and are working with RCN staff to develop a clear and accessible 'students page' on the COVID-19 part of the RCN website which will be updated regularly.

Please remember that you have a choice and you will not be compromised for putting your own personal circumstances, be it dependants, health status or competence, first.