NMC lapsed registration

[Restorationqween]

Hello I hope someone can help. I just checked my registration on NMC and it came back as lapsed. Naturally I have now cancelled any shits I was scheduled.to work
I have read what I must do and am really scared. It's my own fault, I was under the impression that my payment was due in August but it was actually July. My PIN lapsed on the 31st of July, today is the 24th of August. I am working zero hours contract with NHS Professionals.
Has anyone ever experienced this and if so please let me know what to expect. It's a bank holiday weekend and can't do anything untill Tuesday.
I have already chosen my referees. How long does it take to get back on the register?
I am already judging myself. I am going through a divorce and am just overwhelmed. Please be kind. Thank you for your help

Like most nurses/HCPs your open and honest nature shows. Unfortunately, the NMC won't care much about that, and I think your 'niceness' only serves to exploit you in this business (sadly). It's a mistake - you won't be the first or last. I wouldn't 'gush' about how sorry you are. I'd just keep it all factual. "Due to an oversight, my registration lapsed on (date) I am currently not working as a registered nurse until the reinstatement of my PIN, the following hours were worked on these dates whilst my pin had lapsed". trusts I know, send staff reminder letters a month beforehand. Maybe suggest it to your employer? They'll be eager not to have it happen too many times. It's likely an utter pain for them. Also set up direct debit - it will solve the problem. Don't sweat it or over apologise for a human error. Your employer would have dealt with this before. Move on when it's done and chalk it up as another lesson learnt

I know you mean well, and it's kind of you to take the time to write a long post to answer the OP.

But It comes across as a scared, meek and vulnerable woman (nurse) over explaining themselves for a human oversight. The OP needn't make gushing, emotive responses to beg for forgiveness. We wouldn't expect a corporate businessman to do this. So, why a female nurse ? I already sense her vulnerability, so personally I'd go down the factual, objective route to address it, fix it, own it and move on.

I do agree with PPs, @itstheendoftheworldasweknowitnow that reflection is totally inappropriate and unnecessary

I didn’t write it, I asked chat GPT to using the RCN guidance here: https://www.rcn.org.uk/Get-Help/RCN-advice/nmc-readmission-practising-without-registration

If you’re asking if I think highly trained professionals should have to grovel and plead extenuating circumstances when in fact all they have done is make an entirely human admin error then I can wholeheartedly assure you that I don’t.

Especially when the governing body in question’s processes are so flawed that it has recently undergone an external scrutiny process which has been damning, to say the least.

What the OP needs is for this situation to be resolved asap and the advice from the RCN is to apologise, explain, and demonstrate insight.

What I have done is show her one way of doing this that will be quick, effective, in line with guidance and require minimal emotional effort.

Sometimes in life what is required is to jump through pointless hoops to fulfill a bureaucratic process. This is one of those cases. The priority is getting op back on the register and the approach I have suggested is what the union recommend.

@Tonight37 actually, you’re incorrect. It’s not inappropriate at all.
The NMC specifically ask for a reflective statement and the RCN advises nurses to

• Use the first person (i.e. ‘I’), avoid jargon and use full names and job titles of colleagues. Don’t include patient names.
• Include the circumstances leading up to your registration lapsing including any mitigation such as sickness, financial difficulties or family crisis.
• Show that you understand your professional obligation to maintain your registration. If you acted quickly and dealt with the situation promptly, say this.
• Offer a sincere apology (if appropriate), for example if you’ve lapsed in error or are applying for readmission following a caution or conviction.
• Provide assurance that this won’t happen again, explaining how you’ll maintain your registration in the future. It can help to consider the impact on your patients, your colleagues, your employer, the reputation of the nursing profession.
• Include a brief explanation of what being a nurse means to you and your hopes for your future career.
• Consider your own feelings. Try to explore what you were feeling at the time and afterward. Did these feelings change? This can include feelings such as shame, embarrassment, guilt, regret, relief (that no one was harmed).
• Never blame anyone else for your actions or treat the events lightly.

Faintly ridiculous and borderline humiliating, yes - but entirely appropriate because it’s what the NMC ask registrants to do.

Unfortunately, this is why nursing isn't taken seriously as a profession, and why pay rises aren't considered seriously.

There's much martyrdom.

This is where I don't understand society. A person commits a serious crime, we're all for analysing their motive. "Did they feel excluded from society? Are we doing enough as a society? " Etc etc. we try to understand the "baddest" of people. A nurse forgets to renew her registration and it's like she has to sit in a corner on her knees and grovel what a "good little nurse" she is. It just sits wrong with me. Like kicking the puppy. Picking on the soft target.

Add this to the Facebook memes of nurses looking down sorrowfully with bruised faces, soaking their swollen fit in a pot of water with a patronising hand on their back - this is why nurses fail to be taken seriously as competent, pay worthy practitioners. This martyrdom.

That’s not true. Mine is due end of September and I’ve had about 3 emails so far.

OP, it will be fine, you’ve taken ownership and decisive action. In future set up a direct debit so this doesn’t happen again. You aren’t the first person this has happened to, nor will you be the last. I hope they get you back on the register soon but if the people it’s happened to that I have known it has taken up to a month. They’ve been able to work at a lower band though to keep some money coming in.

@Halloumiheaven its paternalistic bullshit and misogyny. And outdated concepts of vocation.
The fact that this is reflected in the NMCs processes really winds me up.

I just checked my emails and you’re right, sorry - I have had a reminder. I stand corrected!
I pay mine by direct debit for this very reason…
I did however have a colleague who missed hers and it was such a fuss getting her back on, I felt so sorry for her because it was a pure admin error on her part.

Absolutely 👏

Being a caring, honest and generally good person should be the essential undercurrent of being a nurse.

But it isn't why nurses are underpaid. I think the general public would be very surprised at what many nurses actually have to know and do to keep up with current practice. It's a whole other thread!

But as you rightly say, it's outdated, patriarchal conditioning that's still being applied to a female dominated profession. (Because we're women and that's acceptable treatment for us)

Everytime a nurse puts up those martyred memes of sore noses behind a mask, or tears following a shift or those gushy persuasive hyperbolic posts of not having a wee for 12 hours or not having time to eat- I groan inside. Plays straight into the above.

I’m not sure I agree entirely - the memes drive me mad too but to blame nurses for posting them/perpetuating them/identifying with them feels a bit victim blaming to me. The problem comes from higher up, I think.

Prof Alison Leary is fascinating on how nursing has undermined itself https://qni.org.uk/people/professor-alison-leary/

Normally there is an automatic block that prevents you from booking any shifts if you there are any issues with your registration or DBS and mandatory training. I didn't get any notification that my registration had lapsed. I am guessing they haven't been notified

Halloumiheaven, no I won't be gushing niceness. I am only being my total self ,the normal me here so that I get the full help I need. There is the real me and a business/professional me. But I absolutely agree with that point. I just feel this is the place to just be myself.

I guess the main insight you can show is set up a direct debit. I had a close call once and realised on the day payment was due and rang up, they took my payment over the phone.

NMC communication is very poor. Unless you log on to their website emailing isn't really their thing I find. I would even suggest that when it gets to you not being allowed to practice for any reason an official letter is in order. Most people are not going to check the NMC website unless there is a reason usually to check up on validation matters . I have been nursing 18 years and never had this happen. I work for the NHS Professionals rather that a proper job because I have an autistic son and NHSP offers me the flexibility I require. This year is different as I am going through divorce so the stress is real. I am only saying this just to show that outside being nurses we are human too, going through life and challenges that affect us in different ways.
I won't be paying quarterly anymore I will return to annual. One date to remember. I will keep you posted. There aren't a lot of posts like this so I would want this to help someone. I really am appreciative of your help and that's why I express it so much.Lord knows we don't always get enough of it in our posts. Thank you and I will keep you posted.

I won't be paying quarterly anymore I will return to annual. One date to remember.

As I said upthread, you can pay quarterly by DD - I've been doing this for years.

For the life of me I can't understand why everyone doesn't do DDs, quarterly or annually.

I bet Drs don’t get this shit from the GMC.
Thanks for updating x

I don’t like DDs ….I have very few…..gas/elec, union, broadband and Alexa…..everything else including nmc I pay yearly as I go…..not everyone is the same

@itstheendoftheworldasweknowitnow I understand your point. I just think the more nurses take on 'the victim' mentality, the more it provokes being treated like victims. Nobody is ever going to get paid more for sacrificing having a wee and displaying tears in an online picture because they're short staffed. It's a cold hard fact. "There, there, have a free pen from RCN little nurse" type response provoked.

The reality is, many nurses now are expected to obtain masters degrees, especially if progressing. Most courses, such as prescribing do not mean a pay increase. Once the undertaking of a band 7 and above, many band 6s are taking this on and remaining band 6. There is a pay disparity when compared to other allied professions. Do more, get less. In my opinion, I just think nurses need to go down more the objective route not the emotive. "I'm willing to be in urinary retention and stay 4 hours past my leaving off time" sends a very powerful message to the exploiters. If you show you're willing to do that, they'll keep on having you do that. Problem solved. Nurses are quickly and easily guilt tripped by "ah, but what about the patients, don't you care about the patients? Cue falling over ourselves to prove we do. It's very manipulative.

"Respect me" not "pity me" needs to be the message.

@Kitkat1523 I am a band 7 in nhs, I check my staffs registrations.

I know you do….you already said.
but like I said….if you agency / NHSP then there’s not going to be anybody looking out for you cos you won’t have management supervision the same.
im a band 7 …..I don’t line manage anyone though….I have management supervision from an 8B ….it’s a core question every time…..but I have a permanent contract

Consider your own feelings. Try to explore what you were feeling at the time and afterward. Did these feelings change? This can include feelings such as shame, embarrassment, guilt, regret, relief (that no one was harmed).

Wow, it really is humiliating isn’t it, good god. I wonder whether they self reflect on their antiquated processes and the feelings that arise from the lack of effort to resolve them.

its really grim, isn’t it. I can’t think of another profession that would ask you to mortify yourself like this.

It’s general advice for anyone submitting reflection into a wide range of reasons why their fitness to practise may be called into question though. It’s not specific to those who forgot to pay their fees.

In many cases it is appropriate for a registrant to explore their feelings around an event and how they might avoid something similar happening in the future. And pretty much every regulated profession will have something similar.

I agree. We are a caring profession and we give a lot of ourselves but the body that represents us doesn't always mirror us. Despite everything going on in my life I have so much empathy and nurse from my heart. But you put it so well...for what we do humiliation is the last thing we need. To err is human