Top Tips for Revalidation for Nurses
Revalidation is a crucial process for nurses in the United Kingdom. It ensures that nurses continue to meet the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) standards and maintain their competence in providing high-quality care. As it can seem like a daunting task, we have set out our top tips for revalidation for nurses to make the process smoother and more manageable.
Top Tips for Revalidation for Nurses
1. Start Early
Revalidation is a continuous process that occurs every three years, so it’s essential to start early and plan ahead. Begin collecting your evidence and reflecting on your practice well in advance of the submission deadline. This will give you ample time to gather the necessary information and address any potential issues. You will need to complete 450 hours of work for each registration over the course of a three year revalidation cycle. We know this sounds like a lot, but it’s not as bad as you think. 450 hours is the equivalent of 150 hours each year, or around three hours a week, so your normal working hours should cover this. It’s worth noting that if you hold multiple qualifications (e.g. nurse and midwife) you will have to complete 450 hours of work for each registration over the course of a three year revalidation cycle.
Example:
Jane Doe is a Nurse, Midwife and Nursing Associate. As Jane has 3 qualifications, she will need to complete 450 hours of work for each one, totalling 1,350 hours over the course of a three year revalidation cycle. That’s the equivalent of 450 hours a year, but if you work 37.5 hours a week, you’ll be done in 12 weeks… so it’s not that bad!
2. Keep an Updated Portfolio
Maintaining a well-organised portfolio is at the core of revalidation. Your portfolio should contain a variety of evidence, including Continuing Professional Development (CPD) records, reflective accounts, feedback from colleagues and patients, and any other relevant documents. Ensure that your portfolio reflects the breadth and depth of your practice.
3. Reflect Regularly
Regular reflection is key to revalidation. Spend time reflecting on your practice, both individually and as part of a team. Reflective accounts should be honest and focus on your learning and development. They should demonstrate your commitment to improving your practice and the quality of patient care.
Reflection Examples:
- Reflect on your CPD learning.
- Reflect on what you learnt at a conference or event.
- Reflect on clinical practice.
- Have a reflective discussion with a colleague – The colleague will need to be NMC registered, so you can either speak to another practice nurse at work, or come along to one of our many Nursing in Practice Events, network and converse. Don’t forget they will need to sign the form on the NMC site and provide their details, so swap emails and stay in touch!
4. Seek Feedback
Feedback from colleagues, patients, and other members of the healthcare team is invaluable. It provides an external perspective on your practice and can highlight areas for improvement. Ensure that you gather feedback throughout the revalidation cycle and use it to inform your practice and professional development. Aim to provide at least 5 pieces of written feedback (related to the NMC code). These can cover either an aspect of your CPD (i.e. what did you learn?), a piece of feedback from a colleague (practice related) or an event/experience from practice.
5. Keep Up with CPD
CPD is a vital component of revalidation. Make sure you engage in regular CPD activities to expand your knowledge and skills. This might include attending courses, online learning, conferences, workshops, or even self-directed learning. Keep detailed records of your CPD activities for your portfolio. You will need to carry out at least 35 hours of CPD, including 20 hours of participatory learning over the course of a revalidation cycle. We can really help with this one. Not only do we run live and virtual CPD events throughout the year, but we also have a vast library of CPD-accredited learning modules and on-demand webinars. Attending our CPD events will earn you around 5 participatory CPD points per event. Complete our learning modules and watch on-demand webinars to earn the remaining 15 CPD points. Some of the CPD content on our platform is available for free, but you can get unlimited access to all content if you Go Premium (which is only £29.99+VAT per year).
6. Stay Informed
Stay up to date with the latest developments in nursing and healthcare. Being aware of changes in practice guidelines, regulations, and new research is essential. This demonstrates your commitment to staying current and providing the best care possible. We are guided by new developments in nursing and healthcare when it comes to commissioning new learning modules and selecting expert speakers for our events, so if you sign up to Nursing in Practice 365, we will do a lot of the hard work for you.
7. Use NMC Resources
The NMC provides a wealth of resources to help nurses with revalidation. Their website offers guidance, templates, and examples to assist with the process. Familiarise yourself with these resources and use them to your advantage. Make sure you remember to declare any relevant health conditions and character issues. This one sounds intense, but it’s one of the easiest steps. You just need to complete the form online and declare any criminal convictions (including conditional discharge and formal cautions).
Pro-Tip:
Use the NMC Reflection Template when conducting your reflections and complete one every 6 months – then you won’t have to do them all late one evening when the request comes through!
8. Seek Support
Revalidation can be a challenging process, and it’s essential to seek support when needed. Discuss your progress and concerns with colleagues, mentors, or supervisors. Peer support and guidance can be invaluable in navigating the revalidation journey.
9. Be Organised
Organise your revalidation documents and evidence systematically. Create a clear structure for your portfolio and ensure that everything is easily accessible. Being organised will save you time and stress when it’s time to submit your revalidation application. If you sign up to Nursing in Practice 365, you will get a personal dashboard that automatically tracks the CPD points you accumulate from our CPD content and events. You can also log CPD points you gain from external sources. When it’s time for your revalidation, your CPD achievements can easily be exported at the click of a button.
10. Stay Committed
Finally, remember that revalidation is not just a paperwork exercise. It’s about demonstrating your commitment to maintaining high standards of nursing practice and patient care and enhancing your skills and knowledge to provide the best care to your patients. Stay dedicated to your profession, continue learning, and strive for excellence in your role as a nurse.
Our Final DO’s and DON’T’s
- DO use the NMC’s resources and templates.
- Revalidating can be stressful, so DON’T leave it to the last minute.
- DO use Nursing in Practice 365 to help you track your CPD and register for events.
- Most importantly, remember that you can DO this!
By following these tips and approaching the process with dedication, organisation, and a commitment to continuous improvement, you can navigate revalidation successfully and ensure that you remain a competent and compassionate healthcare professional. We wish you the best of luck with your revalidation!
To stay up to date with our event dates and new CPD content and to start utilising our handy CPD dashboard, register for Nursing in Practice 365 for free now.