Being on Agenda Committee was the RCN experience of a lifetime

I was voted on to the Agenda Committee at Congress in 2017, and last year was my final year as an agenda committee member. Applications are currently open for one place on Agenda Committee, so I wanted to take some time to explain what the committee does, what you can bring to it, and why you should think about applying.

The core function of Agenda Committee is to support and enable members’ voices to be heard on the most important issues in nursing today. That manifests in multiple different ways. We have oversight of the planning of Congress; we decide which items from the submissions go onto the agenda (both before and during Congress); we support the smooth running of the event in the main hall; and we enable members to speak up at the podium. One minute you’ll be discussing something quite procedural, the next you’re congratulating a first-time speaker who you helped to overcome their fear.

Congress is really busy for members of the Agenda Committee. Before the event even starts we’re there, often in a hard hat whilst the set is still being built. Every day we’re in the main hall early, available to members who want to talk about emergency agenda submissions or debates coming up. We’re there to respond to queries, we have to be the “eyes and ears” for what’s going on with members in the hall. We also have two meetings a day, at lunchtime and in the early evening, to consider the issues that are arising, consider requests to change submissions and make decisions about emergency agenda items. And after all that we’re usually out at the social events, answering more questions about the debates.

I have to admit, it is full on! But being on Agenda Committee is an utter privilege. The committee is really close-knit. You can get really personally invested in specific items behind the scenes, and there can be disagreements. But we take collective responsibility for the decisions we make: whether we agree or disagree in the committee room, we are united when we’re in the hall.

When I first joined the committee I was more junior in my career, and I remember my first meeting I felt overwhelmed by imposter syndrome. There I was, suddenly finding myself sat in this room with all these senior people, like the Chief Executive & General Secretary, and the Chair of Council. But I quickly learned that everyone around the table has an equal vote. It’s not about anyone’s individual views, it’s about what is important to the wider membership. I had to develop my ability to put forward the views of the membership, without feeling intimidated. 

Advocating, when dealing with agenda items, members and the media, is really essential, but it’s also one of the core skills that all our members have and use every day in our practice for our patients. In the same way you can reassure a nervous patient, you can calm a member who is anxious about public speaking, helping them go through what they want to say, explaining what they may not understand and supporting getting them added to the speakers’ queue. Other important skills you can bring from your day job include being approachable, open and welcoming, and able to analyse and use facts and figures to make decisions.

I really value the skills, knowledge and expertise I was able to draw on and develop during my time on the committee, and I feel proud of what we were able to do. It was always a high point at the end of each Congress knowing that we had shaped the agenda of hard-hitting debates, and enabled the representative voice of the membership and nursing be heard by Council but also wider through the national media. I think the diversity of our makeup was also a real strength. My background is in children’s nursing and health visiting, and I’m neurodivergent – everyone brings their own uniqueness with them to the committee, and it’s important that we recognise and value the variety within our membership. Working with people from different specialisms and hearing from the breadth of RCN members made me feel connected to the wider nursing profession. 

Being on Agenda Committee was a crash course in how Congress works – you don’t need to know all of that now, although you must have gone to at least two out of the last four Congresses (2018, 2019, 2022 or 2023). You will learn on the job and get great support from the Chair and Vice Chair of Congress, and the other members of the Agenda Committee. They are there to help you. Now I’m no longer on the committee it’s great to be able to use the skills and knowledge I’ve gained to support others in how to shape their own congress submissions. The role is also one of only a few in the RCN that transcends regional or country boundaries and considers all elements of the membership. So, another benefit alongside the demystification of the process was having the opportunity to get to know and value my own place in the membership and the organisation as a whole.

Back in 2017 I wasn’t planning on putting myself forward but someone encouraged me to. I’m so glad I did as it’s been one of the best experiences I’ve had in the RCN. Congress is such a powerful chance for us to all shape the nursing agenda and help move the RCN forward. If you’re thinking of applying, don’t be scared, give it a go!

If Samantha's story has inspired you to apply to join the Agenda Committee, find out more and submit your application ahead of the 12 February deadline.