What is a reflective account for NMC revalidation?
A reflective account is a short written piece in which you look back at something from your working life and record what it taught you. For revalidation, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) asks nurses, midwives and nursing associates to write these accounts on its own reflective accounts form. The form is mandatory, so a free-text essay or a different template will not meet the requirement on its own.
The NMC is clear that the accounts do not need to be long or academic. What matters is that a reader can see three things: what you experienced, what you learnt from it, and what you now do differently. Each account must also show how the experience relates to the Code, the professional standards that every NMC registrant works to.
How many reflective accounts do I need for NMC revalidation?
You need five written reflective accounts, completed in the three-year period since you joined the register or last renewed your registration. They sit alongside the other revalidation requirements. The table below summarises the figures as published on the NMC revalidation pages at the time of writing.
| Requirement | What the NMC asks for (per three-year period) |
|---|---|
| Practice hours | 450 hours for a single registration (for example nurse, midwife or nursing associate). Dual registration needs 900 hours, with 450 in each role. |
| Continuing professional development (CPD) | 35 hours relevant to your scope of practice, of which at least 20 hours must be participatory learning with other professionals. |
| Practice-related feedback | Five pieces of feedback, written or verbal, formal or informal. |
| Written reflective accounts | Five accounts on the NMC reflective accounts form. |
| Reflective discussion | A discussion of your five accounts with another NMC registrant, recorded on the NMC reflective discussion form. |
| Health and character | A declaration as part of your application. |
| Professional indemnity | A declaration that you have an appropriate arrangement in place. |
| Confirmation | Confirmation from an appropriate person that you have met the requirements. |
You revalidate every three years, and your application is due on the first day of the month in which your registration expires. The NMC sends a reminder 60 days before that date. The NMC is currently reviewing the Code and revalidation, so always check the NMC website for the latest requirements before you apply.
What do I write in each section of the NMC reflective accounts form?
The form has four short questions and a set of tick boxes. Taking them in order gives your account a natural structure, so you do not need a separate reflective model, although Gibbs or Driscoll can help you think before you write.
- What was the nature of the CPD activity, feedback or event?: Describe it briefly and factually in two to four sentences. Say what kind of activity it was (a study day, a patient's comment, a difficult shift) and why it mattered to you. Do not include names, dates of birth, bed numbers or anything else that could identify a person.
- What did you learn from it?: This is the heart of the account. Name the specific knowledge, skill or understanding you gained. Good accounts often include something you realised about yourself, such as a habit, an assumption or a gap in confidence.
- How did you change or improve your practice as a result?: Give a concrete, observable change. Something a colleague could see you doing, such as using a checklist, escalating earlier, or explaining procedures differently. If the change is planned rather than done, say when and how you will do it.
- How is this relevant to the Code?: Link your learning to one or more of the four themes: prioritise people, practise effectively, preserve safety, and promote professionalism and trust. Naming a specific standard within that theme makes the link stronger.
- Tick the relevant themes: Select the theme or themes you have written about. Make sure they match what you said in the previous box.
What can a reflective account be about?
Each account must refer to at least one of three things. You can base an account on one source or combine several, which is often the most natural way to write about real learning.
- An instance of CPD: a course, e-learning module, journal article, teaching session, simulation or shadowing day.
- Practice-related feedback: a comment from a patient or relative, a colleague, a manager, an audit result or your appraisal.
- An event or experience in your own practice: a challenging conversation, a near miss, a safeguarding concern, a situation that went well, or a new task you took on.
Accounts do not have to be about mistakes. Some of the most useful reflections are about things that went well and why. A good spread across your five accounts, for example two on CPD, two on feedback and one on an event, shows your confirmer a rounded picture of your practice.
Example: a weak and a strong NMC reflective account
The example below is fictional. It is based on feedback from a relative on a medical ward. Both versions describe the same event. Notice how the stronger version is no longer than it needs to be, but is specific about learning and change.
Nature: A relative complained that nobody told them what was happening with their mother. What I learnt: Communication is very important in nursing and we should always communicate with families. How I changed: I will communicate better in future. Code: Prioritise people.
Nature: A patient's daughter told me she had found out about a change in her mother's care plan from another relative, not from the ward team. She was upset and felt shut out. What I learnt: I had assumed the doctor had updated the family after the ward round, and I had not checked. I realised I often leave family updates until the end of a shift, when there is the least time. I also learnt that families judge our care by how informed they feel, not only by the clinical care. How I changed: I now ask on each ward round who will update the family, and I record it in the notes. With the patient's consent, I offer relatives a brief update at the start of my shift. I shared this idea at our team huddle and two colleagues have started doing the same. Code: Prioritise people, in particular listening to people and keeping those involved in care informed, and practise effectively through clear communication.
How do I keep my reflective accounts confidential?
The NMC says written reflective accounts must not include any information that might identify an individual, whether that person is alive or has died. This applies to patients, relatives and colleagues. The same rule applies to the summary you write on the reflective discussion form.
- Leave out names, initials, ages, dates of birth, bed or room numbers and hospital numbers.
- Avoid rare details that could point to one person, such as an unusual diagnosis on a small unit.
- Describe colleagues by role only if needed, for example a senior colleague or the doctor on call.
- Write about your own learning rather than recording a detailed timeline of the incident. Factual records belong in the clinical notes and incident report.
In 2019 the UK health and care regulators issued a joint statement supporting reflective practice. It said they would not ask registrants for their personal reflective notes to investigate a concern about them. That is reassuring, but it is still sensible to keep accounts focused on learning and free of identifying detail.
Common mistakes, and tips for internationally educated nurses
Many nurses who trained outside the UK are used to reflection being formal and academic, or are not used to writing about themselves at all. Others worry that admitting a gap will count against them. In UK practice, honest and specific reflection is seen as a sign of a safe professional.
- Being too vague. Phrases such as communication is important, or I learnt a lot, do not show learning. Say exactly what you learnt.
- Describing without reflecting. If most of the account is about what happened, cut it down and expand the learning and change sections.
- No real change. A change in practice should be something you do, not just a feeling or an intention.
- Forcing the Code link. Choose the theme that genuinely fits, rather than ticking all four.
- Writing all five accounts the week before your deadline. Write one when the experience is fresh, then tidy it later.
- Using academic references. They are not required and can crowd out your own thinking.
What happens after I write my reflective accounts?
Once you have five accounts, you discuss them with another NMC registrant in a reflective discussion. The NMC recommends someone you work with regularly, and the discussion should be face to face. Your discussion partner signs the reflective discussion form, which you keep in your portfolio. You do not send the form or your accounts to the NMC.
You then meet your confirmer, often your line manager, who checks that you have met the requirements. If your confirmer is an NMC registrant, the reflective discussion can form part of the confirmation discussion. Keep everything together, because the NMC may ask to verify your application.
Where to go next
If you would like more practice, our course How to Write a Reflective Account (GMC, NMC, HCPC) works through the Gibbs and Driscoll models with further worked examples. If you are new to UK practice, NMC Revalidation for Internationally Educated Nurses explains each requirement step by step, and The NMC Code for New UK Nurses shows how the four themes apply on a typical shift. Use whichever fits where you are now, and always check the NMC's own revalidation pages for the current rules.
Frequently asked questions
How many reflective accounts do I need for NMC revalidation?
You need five written reflective accounts, completed in the three years since you joined the register or last renewed. They must be on the NMC's reflective accounts form. Each one should be based on a piece of CPD, practice-related feedback, or an event in your practice, and explain how it relates to the Code.
Can one reflective account cover CPD and feedback together?
Yes. The NMC allows an account to be based on one source or to combine several. For example, you might attend a study day on falls prevention, then receive feedback from a colleague on how you used that learning. Writing about both in one account is acceptable and often shows learning more clearly.
How long should an NMC reflective account be?
The NMC does not set a word count and says accounts do not need to be long or academic. Most good accounts fill one side of the form. Spend fewer words describing what happened and more on what you learnt and what you now do differently.
Do I have to use the NMC reflective accounts form?
Yes. The NMC describes the form as mandatory. You can complete it electronically or on paper and keep it in your portfolio. You do not upload the accounts to the NMC, but you discuss them with a reflective discussion partner and your confirmer may look at them.
Can I write a reflective account about something that went well?
Yes. Accounts do not have to be about mistakes or difficult events. Reflecting on why something went well, such as a calm de-escalation or a smooth discharge, can show learning just as clearly. The key is still to say what you learnt and how it shapes your practice.
Can my reflective accounts be used against me by the NMC?
In a 2019 joint statement, UK health and care regulators, including the NMC, said they would not ask registrants for personal reflective notes to investigate a concern. Keep accounts anonymous and focused on learning. If you are involved in an investigation, take advice from your union or defence organisation before sharing any reflection.
Related courses
How to Write a Reflective Account (GMC, NMC, HCPC)
This course teaches you how to write reflective accounts that show genuine learning, for appraisal, revalidation, CPD and, where needed, a regulatory…
NMC Revalidation for Internationally Educated Nurses
This course explains NMC revalidation step by step for nurses and midwives who joined the UK register after training abroad. It covers each…
The NMC Code for New UK Nurses
This course explains the NMC Code and shows how to apply it in everyday UK nursing and midwifery practice. It works through each of the four themes…
Sources and further reading
- Written reflective accounts (revalidation requirements). Nursing and Midwifery Council.
- Practice hours, CPD, practice-related feedback and reflective discussion requirements. Nursing and Midwifery Council.
- Your revalidation date. Nursing and Midwifery Council.
- Reflective practice guidance sheet. Nursing and Midwifery Council.
- Benefits of becoming a reflective practitioner: joint statement. Chief executives of statutory regulators of health and care professionals.
- Revalidation guidance and resources. Royal College of Nursing.
Practitioner Insight is an independent education provider. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the GMC, MPTS, NMC, HCPC, GPhC or any NHS organisation, and this information is not legal advice. If you have been referred to a regulator, speak to your defence organisation, trade union or legal representative.
More guides
How Doctors Should Write a Reflection for Appraisal and Revalidation
How doctors should write a reflection for appraisal and GMC revalidation: what to reflect on, a simple structure, a worked example, and what to leave out.
CPD Requirements in the UK: Nurses, Doctors, Pharmacists and HCPC Professions
UK CPD requirements compared for nurses, doctors, pharmacists and HCPC professions: NMC 35 hours, GMC appraisal, GPhC annual records and HCPC CPD audits.
How to Build a Professional Portfolio as a Doctor, Nurse or AHP
How to build a professional portfolio as a UK doctor, nurse or AHP: what to include, a simple structure, CPD logs, feedback, reflection and confidentiality.