Revalidation .. think I’ll retire by @dtbarron

An interesting, dare I say momentous year for nurses and midwives! Revalidation.

In March we had the launch of a new Code, a four pillar model one which reflects modern nursing and midwifery practice, one which helps clarify those pillars of practice and defines the standards expected from registrants.

Not content with launching a new Code, the NMC Council signed off the introduction of Revalidation from April of next year.

To be honest, in any one year both would be fairly significant but adding them together makes it quite an important year.

It is unfortunate therefore that these important, and welcome introductions, may have slightly overshadowed another significant development related to our registration.

The system of de-registration of registrants who ‘drop off’ the register (unintentionally) has change as of 30th November 2015; this change could have the most significant personal impact on registrants who don’t take due note of it, a point that I’ve expanded on in the original version of this blog (see link at the end)

The Code

The Code 2015I, and other nurses in A&A were privileged to play a small part in the development of the Code having taken part in one of the consultation events . The eventual outcome of a four pillar model was therefore something I welcomed.

Having spoken face to face to over 400 nurses and midwives, about Revalidation and the Code, I’m delighted to note that I’m not alone in welcoming the revised Code, the approach within it or it’s more dynamic nature and how it will feature in our Revalidation process.

This picture shows the four pillars of nursing and midwifery practice – standards that are expected of each one of us by patients and members of the public.

The Code – pillars

Revalidation

As with the development of the Code, nurses and midwives from across Scotland and here in NHS A&A had the opportunity to shape the eventual model of Revalidation; not that that means we got everything exactly as we would have liked to see it. However the NMC assure us that the model being introduced next year is only a starting point, the model will continue to develop over time.

And so to the title of this blog

– Revalidation … I think I’ll retire!

Have you heard colleagues say this? I have, and such an unnecessary and wasteful step it is. For those of you who love being a nurse or midwife Revalidation is no reason to give up the career you love. The key to Revalidation is preparation! For those of us who are prepared, Revalidation will not cause any difficulty, and it is only a little more work than the outgoing PREP system. The additional work will in fact support and evidence the fourth pillar of the code – professionalism.

What hasn’t changed?

450 hours of practice over a three-year period hasn’t changed.Revalidation requirements

The need for Indemnity insurance hasn’t changed

Declaration of health and character hasn’t changed

The need to pay our annual fee (£120) hasn’t changed

35 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) over three years hasn’t changed.

What has changed?

20 of our CPD hours have to be participatory i.e. completed with others – hardly a great burden.

We have to get five pieces of practice related feedback (over three years!)@

We have to write five pieces of reflection based on our CPD and/or practice feedback – these reflective statements should be framed around the pillars of the Code. Here again, this evidence can be gathered over three years.

Having completed the above activities we have to discuss them with a fellow registrant and have this confirmed as having taken place.

The key thing we have been highlighting is that the reflective account doesn’t need to be War & Peace – it’s the quality of the reflection that counts, not the length of it.

There are two ‘must do’ things (in my view). Do not ignore any paperwork that comes through your door from the NMC, it’s likely to be pretty important especially at the minute.

The second thing is register with NMC Online. Why? NMC Online

Put simply, this is the best source of up-to-date information, including personal information related to your registration.

Of course, in addition to the ‘must do’ things above there is no reason why you can’t start your preparation for revalidation – I’m impressed with quite a number of our nurses and midwives who have spoken to me, they have embraced the ethos and professionalism underpinning revalidation and have begun there prep, even though they may have a year or two before they are due to revalidate.

Retire because of revalidation? Absolutely not.

(The full version if this blog can be found at:

https://ayrshirehealth.wordpress.com/2015/12/02/revalidation-think-ill-retire-by-dtbarron/