The impact of Nursing and Midwifery Council revalidation on the professional identity of academic staff in a higher education institution: A qualitative study

AIMS: To explore Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) revalidation as a process experienced by nursing and midwifery academics and its impact on their sense of professional identity. BACKGROUND: The introduction of revalidation nurses and midwives in the UK in 2016 caused some anxiety amongst registrants in higher education. DESIGN: A qualitative study using a purposeful sample involving thematic analysis of semi‐structured interviews with academic staff. METHODS: Ten registrants completed a semi‐structured interview in a higher education institution. RESULTS/FINDINGS: Clinical credibility: participants were self‐conscious about time away from practice but retained strong links with clinical settings reviewing evidence and reports of current practice. The revalidation process: staff were generally positive about NMC revalidation. Professional identity: participants identified as nurses and midwives first and academics second. CONCLUSIONS: The findings replicate previous studies about professional identity among healthcare professionals in higher education; this study reports the contribution of revalidation amongst nurses and midwives in higher education institutions.