The revised Code for all UK registered nurses and midwives

The NMC Code is a document that sets out the professional standards that nurses and midwives must uphold. When someone joins the NMC’s register, they are committing to uphold these standards when they practice.

All nurses and midwives across the UK must act in line with the Code, whether they are providing direct care to individuals, groups, communities or bringing their professional knowledge on nursing and midwifery practice in other roles. The Code is a key tool in safeguarding the health and well-being of the public.

The principles of The Code are the basics that nurses and midwife’s are required to follow and apply to their roles on daily basis.

They are as follows –

The key principles

When working in busy environments, it is very easy for nurses to lose sight of what the code requires of them. Therefore it is important that all nurses and midwife’s refer to The Code frequently, to remind themselves of the key principles.

The people in your care must be able to trust you with their health and well-being

As a nurse, you must always never forget what a privilege it is to care for someone. This could be giving help with personal care, helping someone to eat a meal, listening to a person who is disclosing their deepest concerns and anxieties to you, or caring for a baby who a parent has handed to you. It is sometimes easy to forget the magnitude of this responsibility that is bestowed upon you when working as a Nurse..

Make the care of people your first concern, treating them as individuals and respecting their dignity

You need to continually remind yourself that often it is the simplest things that are important in maintaining the dignity of the people you care for and work with.

Work with others to protect and promote the health and well-being of those in your care, their families and carers, and the wider community

It is vital to remember the principles of effective team working. Many nurses now lead teams from a very early stage in their career, and so need to be effective leaders. In leadership and management roles, it is crucial that you are absolutely clear about your accountability in relation to delegating care safely and effectively, and managing risk.

Provide a high standard of practice and care at all times

Nurses have a responsibility to strive for excellence and aim to deliver the highest possible standard of practice wherever they work. You need to ensure you are using the best available practice and evidence that you keep your knowledge and skills up to date.

Be open and honest, act with integrity and uphold the reputation of your profession

As a nurse you have a responsibility to uphold the reputation of the Nursing profession at all times. This applies equally to whether you work directly with patients and service users or in other environments. It also applies to your behaviour and conduct outside of the workplace.

So since 2008 when the first code was published there have been several changes in both the healthcare sector and in society.

The revised Code reflects these changes with new requirements on the following:

Fundamentals of care

This covers the essential aspects of caring for a patient, including making sure that a patient has adequate access to nutrition and hydration.

The duty of candour

Nurses and midwives should be open and honest with colleagues, patients and healthcare regulators when things go wrong.

Raising concerns

Nurses and midwives should raise concerns immediately if they are aware of a threat to patient safety or public protection.

Delegation and accountability

Nurses and midwives should make sure that they delegate tasks and duties appropriately and those they delegate to complete tasks to the required standard.

The professional duty to take action in an emergency

Nurses and midwives should take action in an emergency when off-duty, within the limits of their competence.

Social media use

Nurses and midwives should use social media responsibly, in line with NMC guidance.

The code is used nationwide and is used for the sole purpose of improving the care provided by all nurses and midwife’s. This makes sure that an excellent level of care is provided at all times and also that nurses and midwife’s are aware of what is expected by them at all times.