RCN's emergency care forum is committed to making the nursing specialty one to be proud of and will pursue its objectives and develop as members’ needs change

For more than 50 years emergency nurses have been recognised as specialists. While much has changed over this time the fundamental principle of nurses providing care to patients at their most vulnerable, often in challenging circumstances, remains the same.

Emergency care today does not just happen in the emergency department; prehospital care, urgent treatment centres, and same-day emergency care all fall within our specialty and require similar bespoke skill sets.

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Last year the Emergency Care Association changed its name to the RCN emergency care forum. This not only aligned us with other RCN forums and prevented us from being confused with other international associations, but it allowed us to reinvigorate the forum in the post-COVID-19 era.

RCN emergency care forum sets new SMART objectives

The forum is now fully appointed. We have a new professional lead, Kendal Andreason, and have held a strategy meeting which has allowed us to plan how we want to re-energise and re-establish the forum.

We have developed a charter, our commitment to all our members, and we have a strategy of SMART objectives for the next year. Both will evolve and continually change as the specialty develops and as the needs of our members change.

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Some of these objectives include completing a review of the level 1 and 2 competencies, being actively involved in large pieces of RCN work on professional frameworks and the workforce standards, as well as the ongoing work around last year’s congress resolution on corridor care.

How you can get involved

We are your voice in the RCN and the wider multidisciplinary emergency care community and are keen to highlight and influence the issues that matter to you. We are also keen for you to get involved, so email us at ECF@rcn.org.uk and find out more at rcn.org.uk/Get-Involved/Forums/Emergency-Care-Forum.

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As a final note to the whole emergency care nursing family: we know that emergency care is challenging and can seem unachievable, but do not forget that the care you and your colleagues give patients and the difference you make every day is truly amazing, and together we can continue to make emergency care a specialty to be immensely proud of.

Thank you for all you do.

Sarah Cato is chair of the RCN’s emergency care forum