How independent nurses can comply with revalidation

While the benefits of working on a flexible basis are well documented for nursing professionals, many are reluctant to make the jump to agency work due to uncertainty surrounding legislative changes.

Nurses and midwives currently renew their registration every three years to declare that they've completed 450 hours of practice and 35 hours of continuing professional development. In order to practice, nurses must maintain their NMC registration by meeting the post-registration education and practice standards annually.¹ While this process is typically managed by employers for permanent staff, agency workers have the responsibility of keeping their own skills up to date.

The NMC's revalidation programme, due to be launched in October 2015, has been designed to build on the existing three-year renewal cycle.² It is being implemented partly in response to a key recommendation from the Francis inquiry into failures of care at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust. The purpose of revalidation is to improve public protection by making sure that professionals continue to be fit to practise throughout their career. The new requirements look set to include not only practice areas and CPD, but also feedback, reflection and discussion, and confirmation. A logical first step for any nurse currently involved in, or considering, agency work would be checking when they are due to renew their registration. Bear in mind that the process may take up to 60 days.