RCN CONGRESS LATEST: Nurses must 'sort out' patient dignity

The RCN is to launch a campaign championing patient dignity later this year, college general secretary Peter Carter has announced.

In his keynote speech to RCN Congress today, he said the college would be launching a major campaign on the issue in June, which would provide nurses with the tools to make a difference to standards in healthcare.
 
'My challenge to each and every one of you today is to make yourself a champion of patient dignity. To talk about poor nursing care and failing systems when you see them and join together to tackle them,' he told delegates at the conference in Bournemouth.
 
'Yes, we can continue to fight for better pay and conditions for nursing staff. But I believe we also need to tackle the abuse of patient dignity, wherever and however it arises, with the same passion and determination' Mr Carter said.
 
'Let's make ourselves aware of it. Understand it. Deal with it. Never leave it for someone else to sort out... nurses should be sorting it out,' he added.