What counts as participatory learning for NMC revalidation

Participatory learning, for NMC revalidation, is any CPD activity in which you interact with one or more other professionals, whether in person or online. According to the NMC, you need 35 hours of CPD relevant to your scope of practice in each three-year revalidation period, and at least 20 of those 35 hours must be participatory. A conference, a workshop or a relevant training course are the NMC's own headline examples.

This guide explains what the NMC means by participatory learning, which activities typically count, which do not, and what to write in your CPD record. It applies to nurses and midwives across the UK and to nursing associates in England, who all revalidate with the NMC.

The NMC's CPD requirement at a glance

The 20 participatory hours are not extra. They are part of the 35. If you complete 35 hours and 20 or more of them involved interacting with others, you have met the CPD requirement on hours. The remaining 15 hours (or fewer, if you do more participatory learning) can be individual activities.

What participatory learning means

The NMC describes participatory learning as involving interaction with one or more other professionals. That interaction can be in a physical setting or a virtual one, so you do not need to be in the same room. The test is whether you personally took part and engaged with other people, not whether you simply attended or watched.

The NMC's guidance sheet on examples of CPD activities puts it in similar terms: many activities can be participatory if you personally interacted with other people. That wording matters, because it means the same type of activity can be participatory for one person and individual for another, depending on what actually happened.

Examples that count as participatory learning

The NMC's CPD page gives these examples: attending a conference, taking part in a workshop, or going on a relevant training course. It also says group meetings outside everyday practice can count, such as a meeting to discuss a specific event or a new way of working.

The NMC's examples guidance sheet sorts activities into three groups. The activities it lists as participatory only are:

• learning events such as workshops and conferences
• peer review activities
• coaching and mentoring in a specific skill
• structured professional clinical supervision
• group or practice meetings outside of everyday practice
• participation in clinical audits
• acting as an expert witness

Activities that can be either, depending on what you did

The same guidance sheet lists several activities that may be individual or participatory depending on whether you interacted with others:

• structured learning, whether direct or distance-learning style
• accredited college or university-level education or training
• short supervised practice to develop a specific skill
• practice visits to other environments relevant to your scope of practice
• training linked to job rotation, secondment or shadowing

As an illustration, an online course where you work through slides alone is likely to be individual learning. The same course with a live seminar, group discussion or tutor feedback you took part in is likely to be participatory. In both cases, what you write in the record should say how you interacted, so your confirmer can see why you counted the hours as participatory.

Activities that are individual only

The guidance sheet lists three activities as individual only: mandatory training specifically relevant to your role or scope of practice, reading and reviewing publications, and enquiry-based research. These can count towards the 35 hours if they are relevant to your practice, but they cannot count towards the 20 participatory hours.

The NMC's longer "How to revalidate with the NMC" guidance (the version we checked is dated March 2019) adds that mandatory training unrelated to your practice, such as fire or health and safety training, should not count towards CPD. Mandatory training that is relevant to your role can count. Check the NMC's website for the latest wording before you rely on a borderline activity.

How to record participatory learning

The NMC says your CPD records must include:

• the CPD method
• a description of the topic and how it relates to your practice
• the dates of the activity
• the number of hours, including the number of participatory hours
• the part of the Code most relevant to the activity
• evidence that you completed the activity

The NMC recommends using its CPD log template to make this easier. It also links to examples of completed forms and templates, which are worth a look if you are unsure how much detail is expected.

Splitting hours is the detail people most often get wrong. If a day-long conference includes a keynote you listened to and a workshop where you discussed cases with colleagues, record the total hours and state how many were participatory. The NMC asks for both numbers, so a single combined figure is not enough. The NMC page we checked does not say how to apportion mixed sessions, so use a sensible, honest estimate and note how you reached it.

Evidence worth keeping

The NMC says you need evidence that you completed each activity and should keep it so you can show it to your confirmer. Typical evidence would be a certificate, an attendance record, an agenda, or a short note from the organiser. The NMC does not prescribe one format on the page we checked, so what matters is that it supports the dates and hours you have logged.

Planning your 20 participatory hours across three years

The NMC advises spreading your CPD across the whole three-year period and planning it in advance, so you are ready when your application is due. A practical way to do that:

• List the participatory options available to you through work: team learning sessions, clinical supervision, audit meetings, practice reviews, in-house training.
• Add external options such as conferences, study days and professional network events.
• Log each activity within a few days of doing it, while you still remember who you interacted with and what you learned.
• Check your running total of participatory hours at least once a year.

Revalidation happens every three years. The NMC says your online application opens 60 days before your revalidation application date, so it is far easier if your CPD log is already complete by then. Your CPD sits alongside the other revalidation requirements, including practice hours, practice-related feedback, written reflective accounts, a reflective discussion, health and character, indemnity arrangements and confirmation. For help with the reflective side, see our guide to NMC revalidation reflective accounts with examples and a template, and for the other hours requirement, our guide to NMC practice hours and how to record them.

Frequently asked questions

How many participatory hours do I need for NMC revalidation?

At least 20 hours, as part of your 35 hours of CPD over the three-year period, according to the NMC.

Does online learning count as participatory?

It can. The NMC says participatory learning can take place in a physical or virtual environment. What matters is that you interacted with other professionals, for example in a live webinar discussion or an online discussion group. The NMC's examples sheet treats structured distance learning as participatory or individual depending on whether you interacted with others.

Does reading journal articles count as participatory?

No. The NMC lists reading and reviewing publications as an individual activity. It can count towards your 35 hours if relevant to your practice, but not towards the 20 participatory hours.

Can team meetings count?

Not everyday ones. The NMC says group meetings outside everyday practice can count, for instance a meeting to discuss a specific event or a new way of working.

Do I need a certificate for every activity?

The NMC requires evidence that you completed each activity. It does not prescribe a particular format on the page we checked, but you should keep something your confirmer can look at.

What if I am registered as both a nurse and a midwife?

The NMC's CPD page states the 35-hour and 20-hour requirement without separate figures for dual registrants, and it does not address dual registration on that page. Check the NMC's multiple registrations guidance if this applies to you.

Next steps

Work out how many participatory hours you have already logged, then plan the rest around events you can realistically attend. If you want to browse other structured learning, the Learnsignal CPD hub is a starting point, although you should always judge for yourself whether an activity is relevant to your scope of practice and involves interaction with others.

This article is general information, not regulatory, legal or professional advice. Requirements can change, so always check the current guidance on the NMC website for your own situation.