Professor Jane Ball FRCN has been appointed director of the RCN Institute of Nursing Excellence.

The institute will set standards and aims to affirm the RCN's (Royal College of Nursing) position as the voice of nursing.

The Institute has five academies: Nursing Leadership Academy; Nursing Practice Academy; Nursing Workforce Academy; International Nursing Academy; and Activism Academy.

Professor Ball currently works as a professor of nursing workforce and policy the University of Southampton. Her research focuses on how features of nursing employment and deployment, such as staffing levels and shift patterns, impact on quality of care, patient outcomes and nursing staff.

She is an RCN Fellow, former RCN policy adviser, and an advocate for safety-critical nurse-to-patient ratios. 

Professor Ball said: “The RCN has recognised the real challenges nursing faces and wants to respond with what we can learn from the evidence, applying that to progress the profession through the work of the Institute and its five academies. 

“I’ve spent a lot of time understanding what happens when staffing isn’t right and seeing the downsides on individual nursing staff of not being able to deliver care well.  

“The work of the Institute can give hope to nursing staff by enabling them to see a way to marshal evidence to help them and help the profession. 

“My role leading the Institute will be to bring together its five academies to help the RCN ensure there’s evidence and critical thinking underpinning each of its areas of activity.” 

RCN chief nursing officer and deputy chief executive Professor Nicola Ranger said: “I’m delighted to welcome Jane to the RCN in this crucial role, which will see us navigate and progress the nursing profession in new ways.  

“The Institute will bring together different parts and functions of the RCN. Each academy has its own focus with the collective aim of supporting RCN members to have bold hearts, curious minds, and be brilliant people providing outstanding care.  

“Through the Institute, we’ll support members to be strong advocates for patients and colleagues, and brave leaders in innovation and research both nationally and internationally. The Institute is the thinktank through which we’ll deliver our aspirational vision for nursing.”  

Professor Ball will begin her new role on 15 July.