How revalidation will work for nurses and midwives

It has been described as the biggest shakeup in the profession’s history. In April, all nurses and midwives will have to regularly demonstrate that they “practise safely and effectively” under a new rigorous system of revalidation if they want to work in the UK.

The new system, which was recommended following the Mid Staffs hospital scandal, aims to improve public protection by making sure that the UK’s 655,000 nurses and midwives are up to date in their training and skills and that they continue to practise safely and effectively throughout their careers.

Under revalidation, which replaces the current Post-Registration Education and Practice (Prep) requirements, nurses and midwives will have to revalidate every three years when they apply to renew their place on the register of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). From April, nurses and midwives seeking reregistration will have to provide evidence they have completed 450 hours of practice per register entry over the preceding three years and 35 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) learning, 20 of which need to be participatory.

Furthermore, they have to deliver five written reflections based on four themes in a new code of professional standards; have evidence of feedback from others including patients, relatives and colleagues and have third-party confirmation of continuing fitness to practise. This is likely to be from a line manager. As part of the process, they will also have to declare that they have professional indemnity insurance and that they are of good health and character.

The NMC requires that nurses and midwives set up an NMC online account so they can find out the deadline for revalidation and when their registration expires. Help is being provided by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), which has a number of advice leaflets and CPD resources on its website under a special learning zone. A telephone helpline has also been set up.

However, nurses have mixed views about the scheme – and there have been particular concerns about the processes involved and the time taken to collate information.

Maria Jones*, a nurse working in acute care in Cornwall and one of the first nurses facing revalidation, says: “I understand the principles behind revalidation, but we are being made to jump through hoops. I don’t want to ask families of patients who are very sick for feedback, and I don’t think it is appropriate to ask my family for a character reference. This is so time consuming I am going to have to take leave as this is going to take me hours to complete.”

Change often brings anxiety. In a message to members, Janet Davies, RCN general secretary, acknowledged that some nurses were concerned about the new requirements but said: “We do not need to be afraid of them. We are already doing much of what is required.”

Meanwhile, Jackie Smith, chief executive and registrar of the NMC defended the process in Nursing Standard, saying: “The significance of revalidation can hardly be overstated – it represents the single most important change to how we regulate nurses and nursing and midwifery. Despite the importance of the changes, revalidation isn’t something that any of us should be afraid of.” Feedback from the pilot programmes has proved that revalidation was empowering and something that nurses and midwives have found “truly beneficial”, she adds.

Royal College of Nursing revalidation helpline 0345 772 6100. http://revalidation.nmc.org.uk/

*Name has been changed.

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