NURSING STANDARD november 18 :: vol 30 no 12 :: 2015 63
Careers If you would like to contribute to our careers section email the commissioning editor at [email protected] or @ThelmaAgnew
Nurses have been used to maintaining their continual professional development since PREP was introduced in 1995. But many feel apprehensive about the forthcoming CPD aspects of revalidation.
Under the new system, which comes into eff ect in April 2016, you will need to provide evidence that you have undertaken a minimum of 35 hours’ relevant CPD activity since you last renewed your registration, or joined the register.
Of this, 20 hours must involve participatory learning – activity that involves interaction with at least one other person.
Keeping accurate records of all your learning activities, and writing refl ective accounts, is central to revalidation. The NMC recommends you keep all your learning accounts and refl ections in a portfolio, along with all your revalidation evidence. You can download templates for this from the NMC website: www.nmc.org.uk
As technology has advanced, so has the learning environment. The broad name given to learning activities that use a computer,
tablet, smartphone or other form of technology is ‘e-learning’. This off ers fl exibility when learning, and can be a valuable resource for fulfi lling your revalidation requirements.
There are many forms of e-learning, so it is important to identify what suits your learning style and goals. Studying online on your own, at a time and place that suits you, is known as asynchronous e-learning.
Some courses enable you to interact with other students, for example through online forums and closed groups. If you log in at an agreed time and join in a learning activity with other students, using facilities such as ‘live chat’ or ‘virtual classrooms’, this is known as synchronous e-learning and can be counted in your participatory learning hours.
Take time to explore the e-learning courses available, and ensure all content is
evidence-based and refl ects current practice and guidelines.
Although e-learning is not regulated, a trustworthy
learning provider will have detailed
information about the company, and the courses it provides, on its website.
Questions you should be thinking about when choosing an online course are: What are the suggested
learning outcomes? How long does the course take
to complete? What technology is needed to
run the course? For example, can you run it on your smartphone or tablet?
Is there a list for further reading? The Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives you the right to a replacement or refund for digital content, including e-learning courses.
To complete your revalidation, you need to keep all of your online CPD certifi cates, as well as a concise record of your online learning.
It is good to get into the habit of completing your learning record as soon as you have fi nished your online training. If you combine this with a refl ective account of your learning, you will have everything you need in one place.
A refl ective account must outline what you learned, how you can take this into your area of practice, and how your learning was relevant to the Code NS
RECORD AS YOU LEARN
Mandy Day-Calder outlines the importance of having a clear and accurate portfolio that demonstrates your learning activities ahead of revalidation
Mandy Day-Calder is a nurse and freelance writer
Evidence of CPD At least 35 hours of CPD relevant to your
scope of practice, including at least 20 hours of participatory learning.
Accurate recording of all CPD activities undertaken.
Five written refl ective accounts of CPD activities linking to the professional standards outlined in the Code.
Source: Nursing and Midwifery Council (2015)
evidence-based and refl ects current practice and guidelines.
is not regulated, a trustworthy
learning provider will have detailed
information about the company, and the courses it provides, on its website.
Questions you should be thinking about when choosing an online course are: What are the suggested
AL
AM
Y
Downloaded from RCNi.com by Mandy Day-Calder on Dec 07, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission.
Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
Recommended
