Nursing is an undervalued profession, this arises from sense of complacency because everyone thinks they understand what nurses do. The reality is very different & poorly understood, nursing is a highly skilled and critical part of the health services of the UK. . . 2

2 . . . Nursing is in crisis because it is undervalued, not simply in terms of pay (although that is a significant issue), but also because so many nurses are tired of being taken for granted in an under-resourced NHS. Equally they are tired of the platitudes from govt. . . 3

3 . . . RNs are highly trained professionals, they are central to patient safety, they provide autonomous & complex case management within the wider team & embark on a career that remains challenging & highly rewarding. On qualifying their learning has just begun. . . 4

4 . . . Many RNs hold post grad qualifications underpinning their clinical practice & expertise that is gained through deliberate pathways not opportunistic learning. They contribute, participate & lead at all strata of care, management, academia, research & innovation. . . 5

Please understand that @theRCN is not being greedy in seeking a 12.5% salary increase for nurses, it is seeking to right the wrong of successive pay settlements over many years that have consistently undervalued the worth & the impact of the profession of nursing.