NMC The NMC Code: Professionalism 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to the NMC Code, what is your responsibility when delegating tasks to others?
- Full responsibility transfers to the person you delegate to
- You retain responsibility for the delegation decision and must ensure the person is capable (Correct answer)
- You share equal responsibility regardless of each person's competence
- Delegation decisions are the employer's responsibility, not yours
Correct answer: You retain responsibility for the delegation decision and must ensure the person is capable
The Code holds registrants accountable for the appropriateness of their delegation decisions and for ensuring the delegatee has the necessary skills and understanding.
Question 2: A nurse discovers a prescribing error that has already reached the patient. According to the NMC Code, what is the first priority?
- Completing an incident form before taking clinical action
- Taking immediate action to remedy the situation and protect the patient (Correct answer)
- Identifying who made the error before involving clinical staff
- Notifying the NMC before addressing the clinical situation
Correct answer: Taking immediate action to remedy the situation and protect the patient
The Code requires practitioners to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of the person in their care above administrative processes when a patient is at risk.
Question 3: How frequently must NMC registrants revalidate to maintain their registration?
- Every year
- Every two years
- Every three years (Correct answer)
- Every five years
Correct answer: Every three years
NMC revalidation is required every three years, requiring practice hours, CPD, feedback, and a reflective discussion with a confirmer.
Question 4: The NMC Code requires nurses to 'preserve safety.' Which scenario best exemplifies this principle?
- Documenting observations neatly in the patient's record
- Flagging a medication dose that appears significantly outside normal range before administering (Correct answer)
- Completing mandatory training modules on time
- Maintaining a professional appearance at work
Correct answer: Flagging a medication dose that appears significantly outside normal range before administering
Preserving safety involves proactively identifying and acting on potential risks before harm occurs, such as questioning an unusual medication dose.
Question 5: Under the NMC Code, a nurse is required to uphold the reputation of their profession. Which behaviour would most likely violate this requirement?
- Joining a professional nursing association
- Posting derogatory comments about patients on a private social media account (Correct answer)
- Declining to work outside your area of competence
- Reporting a colleague's unsafe practice
Correct answer: Posting derogatory comments about patients on a private social media account
Even on ostensibly private social media, derogatory comments about patients damage public trust in the profession and breach the Code's requirement to uphold its reputation.
Question 6: A midwife suspects a safeguarding concern involving a child in the family of a patient. What does the NMC Code require?
- Maintain confidentiality and take no further action
- Act on concerns immediately and follow local safeguarding procedures (Correct answer)
- Only act if the midwife is a designated safeguarding lead
- Wait for the patient to disclose more information before acting
Correct answer: Act on concerns immediately and follow local safeguarding procedures
The Code requires registrants to act on safeguarding concerns immediately and to follow local and national policies to protect vulnerable people.
Question 7: According to the NMC Code, what must a registrant do when they recognise the limits of their own competence?
- Attempt the task and seek help if complications arise
- Decline to carry out the task and refer to a competent colleague or supervisor (Correct answer)
- Ask a colleague informally for quick guidance before proceeding
- Document that the task is outside their skills but carry it out anyway
Correct answer: Decline to carry out the task and refer to a competent colleague or supervisor
The Code is explicit that practitioners must refer to another competent practitioner when a task or situation falls outside their competence rather than proceeding regardless.
NMC The NMC Code: Professionalism 3
According to the NMC Code, what is your responsibility when delegating tasks to others?