On this page5 sections
What the NMC asks for
How many
When
In the three years since your registration was last renewed, or since you joined the register
What each one is about
An instance of your CPD, a piece of practice-related feedback, or an event or experience in your own practice. One account can combine more than one
The form
You must use the NMC's reflective accounts form. You can keep it on paper or electronically
Length
They don't need to be lengthy or academic-style pieces of writing
The Code
Each account must explain how it relates to the Code
Privacy
Don't record any information that could identify another person
Reflective discussion
You discuss all five accounts with another NMC registrant, and record it on the NMC's reflective discussion form, which they sign
The four questions every account answers
The NMC's reflective accounts form asks the same four things for each account.
What was the nature of the CPD activity and/or practice-related feedback and/or event or experience in your practice?
What did you learn from the CPD activity and/or feedback and/or event or experience in your practice?
How did you change or improve your practice as a result?
How is this relevant to the Code? You choose one or more of the Code's four themes: prioritise people, practise effectively, preserve safety, and promote professionalism and trust.
Most of the value is in questions 2 and 3. A good account says plainly what you learnt and what you now do differently, not only what happened.
Three NMC reflective account examples
These examples were written by SkillProof to show the shape of a good account. They're fictional. Write yours in your own words, about your own practice, on the NMC's form.
Example 1. CPD: a community nurse after a study day
- What happened
- I went to a half-day study day on preventing pressure ulcers, which included a practical session on skin assessment with a risk assessment tool.
- What I learnt
- I'd been relying on the risk score alone. The session showed me that a person's skin can change quickly after a change in mobility, even when their score hasn't moved much.
- What I changed
- I now check skin at every visit after any change in mobility and record what I find each time, not only when the score changes. I shared a short summary of the session with my team at our weekly meeting.
- The Code
- Preserve safety. Practise effectively.
Example 2. Feedback: a midwife after a comment on a feedback card
- What happened
- A comment on our unit's feedback cards said a couple hadn't understood the plan for the next day after the evening handover.
- What I learnt
- I'd been explaining the plan in the words we use at handover. Without checking, I couldn't be sure people had understood.
- What I changed
- I now end each conversation about the plan by asking the parents to tell it back in their own words, and I write the main points on the board in the room. I suggested the same approach at a team meeting.
- The Code
- Prioritise people. Promote professionalism and trust.
Example 3. An event: a nursing associate after a near miss
- What happened
- During a medication round in a care home, I was interrupted twice and nearly gave a medicine to the wrong person, because two people on the round had similar names. I noticed before giving it.
- What I learnt
- Interruptions made me skip a check I'd normally do. I realised a similar name is a real risk, not a rare one.
- What I changed
- I now check each person's name and date of birth against the chart before every dose, however busy the round is. I reported the near miss through our usual process, and we now flag similar names on the chart.
- The Code
- Preserve safety. Practise effectively.
Each example avoids names, room numbers, dates and anything unusual enough to identify someone. Do the same in yours.
Common mistakes in reflective accounts
Details that identify someone. Leave out names, dates of birth, room or bed numbers, and anything unusual enough to point to one person or colleague.
Describing without reflecting. If question 3 is empty or vague, the account doesn't show any change in practice.
Forgetting the Code. Every account needs to say which themes of the Code it relates to.
Using your own template. The NMC's reflective accounts form is mandatory.
Leaving it to the last few months. Write each account soon after the CPD, feedback or event, while it's fresh. You have three years.
Keep your revalidation records in one place, with reminders
SkillProof Personal keeps your NMC registration, certificates, CPD and documents in one place, with an automatic email reminder before anything expires. Reminders are on from the start: before it's due, and if it runs out.
Track the numbers you record for NMC revalidation: CPD hours, practice hours, feedback and reflective accounts.
Log CPD with hours, what you learnt and a reflection, and see your hours by month. Your reflection notes are ready when you sit down to fill in the NMC's form.
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SkillProof doesn't submit your revalidation, isn't connected to the NMC register and isn't endorsed by the NMC.
Supporting revalidation for a team? See NMC revalidation: requirements and checklist and professional registration tracking.
Official guidance used for this guide
Checked
NMC revalidation guidance used for this article. Always check the NMC's current requirements.
Questions this guide answers
How many reflective accounts do I need for NMC revalidation?
Five, written in the three years since your registration was last renewed or since you joined the register.
Do I have to use the NMC's reflective accounts form?
Yes. The NMC's reflective accounts form is mandatory. You can keep it on paper or electronically.
What can a reflective account be about?
An instance of your CPD, a piece of practice-related feedback, or an event or experience in your own practice. One account can cover more than one of these.
How long should a reflective account be?
The NMC says they don't need to be lengthy or academic-style pieces of writing. Say what happened, what you learnt, what you changed and how it relates to the Code.
Who do I discuss my reflective accounts with?
Another NMC registrant, in a reflective discussion covering all five accounts. They sign the NMC's reflective discussion form.
What should I leave out of a reflective account?
Anything that could identify another person, such as names, dates of birth or room numbers.