NMC Revalidation, what it means to me as a Registrant

I work as a Healthcare Consultant and also as a Counsellor, both roles working with the public but requiring different registrations.  I am independent and while I work daily with fellow registrants I am keen to understand what I personally need to do to revalidate.  I have just ‘renewed’ under PREP and my 3 years will then commence from June 2016, revalidating in June 2019.  All registrants have 90 days to revalidate once they reach their 3 years.  It is expected NMC will launch Revalidation in October 2015 with a go live April 2016.  So now we follow PREP renewals and after April 2016 Revalidation.

As a Registered Nurse for Adults working within policy, education and management I was very keen to understand what revalidation means to me personally and how I can begin to prepare.  It is a common misconconception that 450 practice hours means hands on nursing.  It does not, it means 450 hours active engaged in your role, in my case managerial and not hands on.  I will evidence on my log specifically what these hours relate to and with which organisation.

Today I attended NIPECs Revalidation Roadshow at Stormont and I was not disappointed.  As a Council Member I understand very well the good work that NIPEC deliver in NI but today I was focussing on me as a registrant and Senior Professional Officer Frances Cannon delivered an exceptional presentation, approved by NMC which I found motivating, exciting and informative.

My interpretation follows and it does not replace the guidance available –

www.nmc-uk.org/code

#new code

#revalidation

NIPEC website

All 680,000 Nurses and Midwives in the UK have been issued with their new NMC CODE.    The four themes are;

Prioritise people

Practise effectively

Preserve safety

Promote professionalism and trust

What is new?

Duty of Candour

Social Media

Fundamentals of Care

Medicines Management

Conscientious objection

End of Life Care

Revalidation will work hand in hand with the new CODE.  Revalidation will be required every 3 years and replaces what we understand currently as PREP and the Notification of Practice form (NOP).

To Revalidate Registrants are required to complete the following without exception;

• Practice hours – 450 or 900 if dual as a midwife.  All listings on part 1 of the register is 450. These must be evidenced in a log.
• Continued Professional Development (CPD) – 40 hours, 20 of which must be participatory, that is shared participating learning.
• Practice related feedback.  5 pieces of evidence.  This can be obtained from Managers, Patients including thank you cards, RQIA reports, Quality Assurance reviews, Peers, Satisfaction Surveys, Audits, and Complaints for example.  They will be anonymised.
• Reflection and discussion with a fellow NMC Registrant.  5 pieces of evidence.  These are written reflection on CPD and practice related feedback and they must link back to the code under any of the four themes.  The Registrant will provide their PIN number to evidence they are on the register.  This meeting should be planned and structured.  Supervision is ideal for this and I am encouraging organisations now to set up structured supervision that will evidence this area. It msut be face to face.  NMC have templates available.  It is the registrants responsibility to seek out a fellow NMC registrant to have these discussions.  I am making a mental note of who I can ask.
• Health and Character.  I was interested to note that NMC do not require notification of speeding points.
• Professional Indemnity arrangement.
• Confirmation from a third party.  CONFIRMER NMC.  This person can have your reflective discussion at the same time.  Appraisal is a good time for this.  Again setting these structures up now will help organisations prepare.  CONFIRMER NON NMC.  This person does not need to be on the NMC register but needs to be on another professional register, examples, GPs, Social Workers, Pharmacists.  It needs to be highlighted that a CONFIRMER NON NMC cannot confirm a registrant without the NMC registrants feedback in the Reflection and discussion session.  the third party is verifying that you have the evidence to meet the criteria to revalidate and does not endorse fitness to practice.

Currently there are templates on the NMC website and these are likely to be updated following the pilot.  They are guidance and individuals or organisations can create their own as long as they fulfil the criteria.

There are also excellent free resources available. Portfolios to provide structure are available as follows;

NMC

NIPEC

RCN

I feel a lot clearer now on what I need to do.  I feel motivated to go online and start recording.  If unsure ask, there are lots of people available and if you didnt get to attend the roadshows the presentations are on the NIPEC and NMC websites.