NMC CBT flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Normal adult respiratory rate

At rest, a healthy adult breathes 12 to 20 times per minute; rates outside this range are recorded as abnormal and prompt further assessment or escalation.

Adult CPR compression ratio

For a single or two-rescuer adult arrest, deliver 30 chest compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths, at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute.

Sepsis red flag signs

New confusion, systolic blood pressure at or below 90 mmHg, respiratory rate 21 or more, or heart rate above 90 suggest sepsis and require urgent senior review.

Pressure ulcer category 1

Category 1 pressure damage is non-blanchable erythema of intact skin; the area does not turn white when pressed, unlike reactive hyperaemia.

Oliguria threshold

Urine output below 0.5 millilitres per kilogram per hour for two consecutive hours indicates oliguria and should be escalated for fluid and renal assessment.

Stages of labour

First stage runs from onset to full cervical dilatation, second stage from full dilatation to birth, third stage from birth to placental delivery.

WHO five moments

Hand hygiene is performed before patient contact, before an aseptic task, after body fluid risk, after patient contact, and after touching surroundings.

SBAR handover

SBAR structures clinical communication as Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation, giving a concise, consistent summary that reduces omission of key information.

Capacity four-stage test

A person has capacity if they can understand the information, retain it, weigh it in making a decision, and communicate that decision by any means.

Elements of valid consent

Valid consent requires the patient to have capacity, to be given sufficient information about the proposed intervention, and to decide voluntarily without coercion.

Teach-back method

The clinician asks the patient to explain the information in their own words, confirming understanding and revealing gaps that need further explanation.

Active listening techniques

Active listening uses open questions, paraphrasing, reflecting feelings, summarising, and appropriate silence to show the patient they are heard.

SPIKES framework

SPIKES guides breaking bad news: Setting, Perception, Invitation, Knowledge, Emotions, and Strategy with summary. It structures a sensitive, patient-led conversation.

Interpreter use rule

Use a professional, independent interpreter for clinical discussions; avoid using family members, and never use children, to protect accuracy and confidentiality.

Documentation standard

Records must be made promptly, be factual, clear and accurate, avoid speculation, and be signed with the clinician's name, role, and date.

Closed questions use

Closed questions invite short yes or no answers and are useful for confirming specific facts, but limit the detail a patient can offer.

NMC Code four themes

The Code sets out four themes: prioritise people, practise effectively, preserve safety, and promote professionalism and trust, applying to all registrants.

Revalidation cycle

Nurses and midwives revalidate every three years, submitting practice hours, continuing professional development, feedback, reflective accounts and a confirmer.

Revalidation CPD requirement

Over each three-year cycle, registrants record 35 hours of continuing professional development, of which at least 20 hours must be participatory.

Practice hours requirement

Nurses and midwives must record 450 practice hours per three-year revalidation cycle; nursing associates record 300 hours over the same period.

Indemnity requirement

Holding an appropriate indemnity arrangement covering professional practice is a condition of NMC registration, whether from an employer or a private policy.

Duty of candour

When harm occurs, clinicians must be open and honest with the patient, apologise, explain what happened, and describe what will be done to remedy it.

Accountable delegation

A registrant may delegate only tasks within the delegate's competence; the delegator remains accountable for the decision to delegate and its oversight.

Fitness to practise

The NMC investigates concerns about misconduct, competence, health, or convictions that impair a registrant's ability to practise safely and effectively.

Professional boundaries

Registrants must maintain clear boundaries, avoid exploitative relationships, and not use their position for personal, financial, or sexual gain.

Negligence four elements

A negligence claim requires a duty of care owed, a breach of that duty, causation linking the breach to harm, and actual damage suffered.

Four ethical principles

Beauchamp and Childress describe autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice as the core principles guiding ethical decisions in healthcare.

Gillick competence

A child under 16 may consent to treatment if they have sufficient understanding and intelligence to fully comprehend the proposed intervention.

Deprivation of Liberty

Safeguards apply where a person lacking capacity is under continuous supervision and control and not free to leave, requiring authorisation.

Safeguarding escalation

Suspected abuse or neglect must be reported to the local safeguarding lead; the patient's wishes are central but consent is not required to raise a concern.

Incident reporting duty

Errors and near misses must be reported through the local incident system promptly, and the patient informed and supported where harm has occurred.

Mental Health Act detention

Detention under the Mental Health Act 1983 generally requires an application supported by two medical recommendations, except in defined emergency provisions.