The NMC Code sets the professional standards that nurses, midwives and nursing associates must uphold. It is organised into four themes: prioritise people, practise effectively, preserve safety, and promote professionalism and trust. Fitness to Practise concerns are measured against it, so reflection and evidence should be linked to the relevant standards.
Key takeaways
- Four themes: prioritise people, practise effectively, preserve safety, promote professionalism and trust.
- The current Code was published in 2015 and updated in 2018 to include nursing associates.
- It applies to your conduct as a whole, including online and in some situations outside work.
- Section 23 covers cooperating with investigations and telling the NMC and employers about cautions and charges.
The Code can feel abstract until you connect it to everyday practice. It is the shared language of safe, professional care, and in a Fitness to Practise case it is the benchmark decision-makers use. Knowing it well helps you reflect precisely and explain what you have learned.
What are the four themes of the NMC Code?
The Code is built around four themes, each made up of numbered standards: prioritise people (sections 1 to 5), practise effectively (6 to 12), preserve safety (13 to 19), and promote professionalism and trust (20 to 25).
Prioritise people
Put the interests of people using or needing services first. Treat people with kindness, respect and compassion, listen and respond to their preferences and concerns, respect their right to privacy and confidentiality, and act in their best interests, including around consent and capacity.
Practise effectively
Assess needs and deliver care based on the best available evidence, communicate clearly, work cooperatively, share skills and experience, keep clear and accurate records, be accountable for your decisions to delegate, and have appropriate indemnity arrangements.
Preserve safety
Recognise and work within the limits of your competence, be open and candid when things go wrong (the duty of candour), act without delay if you believe there is a risk to patient safety or public protection, raise and escalate concerns, advise on and administer medicines within the limits of your training, and be aware of and reduce potential for harm.
Candour is covered in more depth in duty of candour vs dishonesty.
Promote professionalism and trust
Uphold the reputation of your profession at all times, including in how you use social media. Uphold your position as a registered professional, fulfil all registration requirements, cooperate with all investigations and audits, respond to complaints, and provide leadership to make sure people's wellbeing is protected.
The Code is not a stick to beat you with. It is the shared language of safe practice.
Does the Code apply outside work?
In part, yes. The Code asks you to uphold the reputation of your profession at all times. Conduct outside work, including online, can raise fitness to practise concerns where it affects public confidence or suggests a risk, for example dishonesty, violence or discriminatory behaviour.
What does section 23 require if I am investigated?
Section 23 asks you to cooperate with all investigations and audits. It includes telling the NMC and your employers as soon as you can about any caution or charge, conditional discharge or conviction (other than protected ones), and telling employers about any restrictions on your practice.
See should I self-refer to the NMC? for how this works in practice.
How do I use the Code in my reflection?
Identify the specific standards your concern relates to, explain in your own words what each requires, and show how your practice now meets it. Specific references, such as “record keeping (section 10)”, are more convincing than general statements about the Code.
Our Code of Conduct course has a module for each theme, and the Code reflection workbook gives you structured prompts for each. Then follow how to structure a reflective statement.
Frequently asked questions
Prioritise people, practise effectively, preserve safety, and promote professionalism and trust.
The current Code was published in 2015 and updated in 2018 to include nursing associates. Check the NMC website for the latest version.
Parts of it do. You are expected to uphold the reputation of your profession at all times, including online.
Nurses and midwives registered in the UK and nursing associates registered in England.
