The Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (NMC) new revalidation process begins in April 2016. Its aim is for all nurses and midwifes to regularly demonstrate that they “practise safely and effectively”.
Since our first article on revalidation for nurses in July 2015, the process has moved on, but questions about it remain.
Toni Bewley, a lecturer in nursing and social care at Edgehill University, believes that while the revalidation process has many positives, there are still some areas that require clarification.
She listed five key questions from herself and her senior colleagues, and we approached the NMC to clarify these issues.
- It all might change again, should I bother?
As with any new process involving a diverse set of stakeholders, sector bodies such as the NMC will have to balance listening to user feedback with making the process consistent.
An NMC spokesperson says “Our council has approved the standards, policy and supporting information for revalidation, and the first nurses to go through the process will be those with renewal dates in April. We will evaluate the revalidation process and keep it under review.”
Bewley understands any caution around the new process, but recommends nurses sign up at NMC Online right away. While there may be future changes to revalidation, the fundamental elements of the process – such as continuing professional development (CPD), reflective discussion and demonstrating practice hours – are all part of responsible nursing, regardless of the formal process.
By registering online with the NMC, you can find out about your revalidation application and renewal dates.
2. Can you fail the revalidation process?
The greatest concern for Bewley and her colleagues was whether the new process will put pressure on nurses with a stringent pass/fail outcome.
As part of revalidation, nurses need to submit a range of items including a summary of their CPD activities, reflective discussion and proof of practice hours. These can be submitted by both electronic and non-electronic means. Further information can be found on the NMC website.
Concern has been expressed about the lack of details around the validation of submissions and what will happen to portfolios that are pulled in for further scrutiny as part of a wider audit process.
The burden of validation therefore falls heavily on the new “confirmers” (see question 3 below) to ensure the nurse or midwife has met the criteria and that they have followed the confirmation procedure correctly themselves. In effect, once a nurse has submitted their portfolio with third party confirmation, they are deemed to have revalidated.
A random sample of submitted revalidations will be audited, with the primary purpose of checking consistency across the nursing and midwifery sector. The NMC was not able to confirm how many will be audited.
So can you fail the revalidation process?
The NMC is keen to stress that the process and any audit is “not about pass or fail”, but Bewley believes this still leaves a grey area.
The NMC expects that the new confirmation process will significantly reduce the probability of submission mistakes, as line managers or other colleagues will offer a second layer of verification and support. Technically all submissions properly “confirmed” will have completed the revalidation process.
However, the NMC was unable to provide further details on what will happen if it uncovers incorrect or misleading information in the random audit sample.
The new process will no doubt develop over the coming years, but time will tell whether greater clarity was needed on this matter from the start.
3. Who can “confirm” and how does it work?
A major change in the new revalidation process is the requirement for validation of portfolios by a “confirmer”. According to Bewley, this represents an improvement in the reliability of the process, but not everyone is clear on who can provide this validation.
The NMC advises that where possible, a line manager should provide validation, but if not, fellow nurses are able to confirm. Freelance nurses without a line manager or peers are potentially able to work with another healthcare professional, such as a doctor, provided they are regulated in the UK.
4. How do you demonstrate the right insurance?
Another part of the revalidation process is the requirement to demonstrate appropriate indemnity insurance. There has been some confusion as to where this leaves agency or freelance nursing staff, especially those who may use multiple agencies.
Typically a nurse’s indemnity insurance will be provided by the employer, but the NMC states that it is the individual’s responsibility to ensure appropriate cover if necessary. This might be via membership of a professional body or a private insurance arrangement. If this is the case, remember to keep a note of the name of your insurer or body.
5. What can contribute towards CPD?
As with many ongoing professional qualifications, there is a requirement to demonstrate relevant learning and development.
This does not have to take place in a classroom environment, but 20 of the 35 required hours do need to be “participatory”, which generally means face to face, rather than distance learning. The main benefits of this are to expand ideas among nursing staff and to reduce isolation.
The Skills Platform, brought to you by Skills for Health and the National Skills Academy for Health, can be used by nurses and midwifes looking for relevant courses to maintain their CPD profile. Subjects include Active Communication with stroke survivors and Mandatory Training for Midwives. eLearning could form part of the remaining CPD requirements, with the Skills Platform listing offering a Care Certificate Bundle from Skills For Health.
Content on this page is produced and paid for by Skills for Health, sponsor of the Guardian Healthcare Professionals Network’s workforce development hub
- This article was updated on 25 November 2015 to amend comments attributed to the Nursing and Midwifery Council
