NMC - Nursing Midwifery Council Professional Duty of Candour Questions and Answers

Question 1

A nurse administers a patient's morning medication an hour later than prescribed due to a busy ward. The patient suffers no observable harm. According to the professional duty of candour, what is the most appropriate action?

Accepted Answer

Inform the patient about the delay, explain why it happened, and apologise for the error.

Answer

The professional duty of candour requires nurses to be open and honest with patients when something goes wrong, even if no harm has occurred. This includes apologising, explaining what happened, and being transparent about the error. Not informing the patient would breach this fundamental professional responsibility.

Question 2

Which of the following statements best distinguishes the professional duty of candour from the statutory duty of candour?

Accepted Answer

The professional duty applies to individual registrants and is triggered by any harm or distress, while the statutory duty applies to organisations and is triggered by 'notifiable safety incidents' of moderate to severe harm.

Answer

The professional duty of candour is a responsibility for individual healthcare professionals (like nurses and midwives) to be open and honest when any level of harm or distress is caused, or even when there was the potential for it. The statutory duty of candour applies to healthcare organisations as a whole and is legally triggered by specific 'notifiable safety incidents' that result in moderate harm, severe harm, or death.

Question 3

A newly qualified nurse discovers a medication error made by a senior colleague. The senior colleague insists it is a minor issue and that telling the patient will only cause unnecessary distress. What should the newly qualified nurse's primary action be, in line with the duty of candour?

Accepted Answer

Respectfully explain the professional duty to be open and honest and escalate the concern to the nurse in charge if the colleague refuses to act.

Answer

The professional duty of candour includes fostering a culture of openness and honesty. The nurse should first encourage the colleague to do the right thing. If that fails, they have a professional responsibility to escalate the concern to ensure the duty to the patient is met. This supports both patient safety and the professional standards expected of all registrants.

Question 4

According to joint NMC and GMC guidance, what is the correct approach to offering an apology to a patient after a care incident?

Accepted Answer

An apology should be offered as soon as possible, and it is not an admission of legal liability.

Answer

The joint guidance from the NMC and GMC is clear that an apology should be given as soon as something has gone wrong. It explicitly states that offering an apology is not an admission of legal liability and is a crucial part of being open and honest with the patient.

Question 5

A patient experiences a fall while being assisted by a student nurse. A full assessment reveals no injuries. The student is very distressed. As the supervising registered nurse, how do you apply the principles of the professional duty of candour?

Accepted Answer

Explain to the patient what happened in a factual and honest way, apologise for the event, and involve the student in the conversation to support their learning.

Answer

The duty of candour requires an open and honest explanation of what happened, an apology, and reassurance about what is being done. This situation is also a crucial learning opportunity. Involving the student (with support) helps them understand their professional responsibilities and fosters a culture of transparency. It is not about blaming, but about honesty and learning.

(NMC) Nursing Midwifery Council Practice Test

(NMC) Nursing Midwifery Council Practice Test

NMC - Nursing Midwifery Council Professional Duty of Candour Questions and Answers