How nurses and midwives feel about revalidation: preliminary survey results

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Professional Regulation
• Nursing and Midwifery Practice
• Professional Development

Background:

• The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) introduced a mandatory revalidation process in 2016 for all registered nurses and midwives in the UK.
• This process requires standardized steps for reregistration, significantly impacting healthcare professionals.
• Understanding the perceptions of nurses and midwives towards this new regulatory requirement is crucial for successful implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the perceptions and attitudes of nurses and midwives towards the NMC revalidation process.
• To investigate how factors such as pay band, seniority, and directorate influence these perceptions.
• To provide preliminary insights into the early reception of the revalidation process among healthcare professionals.

Main Methods:

• A survey was conducted in June 2016 at Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust.
• The survey targeted nurses and midwives, gathering data on their views regarding the revalidation process.
• Preliminary analysis focused on demographic and professional variables like pay band, seniority, and directorate.

Main Results:

• The study presents preliminary findings on nurses' and midwives' feelings about the revalidation process.
• Perceptions of the revalidation process varied based on professional variables.
• Senior and more experienced staff reported more positive perceptions compared to less experienced staff.

Conclusions:

• The introduction of the NMC revalidation process has been met with varied responses from nurses and midwives.
• Professional experience and seniority appear to be significant factors influencing the positive reception of revalidation.
• Further research is recommended to fully understand and address the challenges and benefits of the revalidation process for all registered professionals.