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Frequently Asked Questions

Background

What is RCN Learn? 

RCN Learn is a new online space hosted on the RCN website. RCN Learn offers you easy access to the learning and education you need to fulfil your continuing professional development (CPD) requirements and support the delivery of safe and effective care.

Watch our video tour of RCN Learn. 

Who is RCN Learn aimed at? 

RCN Learn is designed to support the entire nursing, health and social care workforce with topics of interest to nurses, midwives, students, health care assistants, nursing associates and nursing support workers.

Why has it been developed?

RCN Learn has been developed in partnership with the RCNi following the launch of the RCN’s Education, Learning and Development (ELD) strategy. RCN Learn presents quality assured learning resources from the RCN and RCNi in one dedicated place.

Content available

How will I know the information is accurate and up to date? 

The RCN and RCNi are committed to providing a quality assured, inclusive, supportive and inspirational learning environment, for the health and social care workforce who are encouraged to share their knowledge, skills and experience. 

Each resource has been developed by clinical experts, and/or professional leads who are experts in a particular area. All resources have been peer-reviewed and quality assured and are regularly audited to ensure they reflect the latest evidence-based practice. Resources will be mapped to the NMC Future Nurse Standards.

Watch our video tour of RCN Learn. 

What resources and courses can I access on RCN Learn? 

RCN Learn offers you a wide range of resources to support your professional development, including the tools to support revalidation and career progression. Learning resources, modules and programmes count towards CPD hours of study and annual training requirements, while some larger modules may offer academic credits.

How can I search for resources and courses on RCN Learn?

At the top of the RCN Learn landing page you can enter any keywords you want to search with into the main search bar. To filter your search further, click on ‘View all courses and resources’ where you search by subject, type of learning (course or resource) and access level (those registered with a free account, RCN member, or RCNi Plus subscriber).

What formats are the resources and courses available in?

Learning is available in a range of formats, from online information and toolkits, to podcasts, videos and webinars. Courses include bite-size learning modules, face-to-face learning, blended and online learning. To access a course, you will be directed to the correct page.

How do I save content to my dashboard?

To add content to a favourites list, click on the star icon featured on the bottom right of each resource. These items will then be accessible from your personal dashboard.  To remove from your favourites, click again on the star icon to unselect it.

Access to RCN Learn

How do I access RCN Learn?

RCN Learn offers an intuitive experience that is user-friendly, easy to navigate, and works on all modern devices and browsers. The layout, font and imagery have been designed for accessibility and inclusivity and tested with members and non-members.

Watch our video tour of RCN Learn. 

Can I access courses without being an RCN member or RCNi Plus subscriber?

Yes - there are a selection of educational products and services available for purchase without the need to be an RCN member or RCNi Plus subscriber. For example, you may be able to access larger modules and programmes of learning (some accredited).

Can I keep and use my Portfolio and Revalidation Portfolio without losing anything?

Subscribers and members will still have access as long as they are part of the subscription and membership service. You can also download your information into a PDF document. 

How can I find RCN Learn via the RCN website and RCNi website?

RCN Learn will be shown in the main navigation bar at the top of the RCN and RCNi websites.

I recently qualified. How do I switch my Portfolio to a Revalidation Portfolio?

Congratulations! Switching to a Revalidation Portfolio is easy and a great way to keep track of your progress towards revalidation. On a desktop, simply select "Revalidation" below the RCNi logo, or the "Revalidation" under the drop-down menu on mobile and follow the on-screen instructions.

What are the levels of access?

RCN Learn is available to RCN members, non-members, organisations, stakeholders, and RCNi Plus subscribers. Access will require registration for all users and offers the following benefits:

Users registered with a free account can access a selection of learning resources and guidelines, save resources to read later, and browse the full list of resources and courses available on RCN Learn. Registration is free, and you only need an email and password to access.

RCN members can access hundreds of learning resources and save resources to read later. Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) registrants may also access the RCNi Revalidation Portfolio for revalidation and to log CPD hours.

RCNi Plus subscribers can access all RCNi Plus content and save resources to read later. Subscribers can benefit from thousands of RCNi peer-reviewed articles and learning modules. Subscribers can also access their RCNi portfolio for revalidation and career development, and benefit from thousands of RCNi peer-reviewed articles and learning modules.

 

Who has access to the RCNi Portfolio?

The portfolio is for RCN members who need to revalidate with the Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC) and the nursing support workforce, students and health care professionals who do not need to revalidate with the NMC.

Using the portfolio will help you to organise and document the time spent on your continuing professional development (CPD). You can also store practice-related feedback, upload certificates and documents and download your online portfolio into a PDF file.
 

Who has access to the RCNi Revalidation Portfolio?

The RCNi Portfolio is part of your RCN membership, RCNi Plus or Nursing Standard student subscription. It is designed for the nursing support workforce, students and those not requiring revalidation with the NMC.

Use the portfolio to store any CPD evidence or appraisal documents in one place and get access to peer-reviewed quizzes and articles to support your personal and professional development. The portfolio encourages personal reflection, prompted through access to a choice of reflective models. You also have the option of downloading it into a PDF.

Will the RCN, RCNi, or RCN Group submit my completed RCNi Revalidation Portfolio for me to the NMC when it’s my time to revalidate?

No. You are solely responsible for the content, completion, download, and submission of your revalidation evidence to the NMC.

The sign-in process

Do I need different login details to access the RCN, RCN Learn and RCNi websites? 

No. There will be just one set of login credentials to gain access to all RCN and RCNi webpages, and you only need to log in once in a session. You can log in with your email address or membership number. 

Watch our video tour of RCN Learn. 

Do I need to have an NMC pin to sign up as a registered user or access RCN Learn?

No – you won’t need your NMC pin to sign up for a free account. You will need it if you want to become an RCN member if you select the nurse membership option; however, it is not required for student memberships or nursing support worker memberships. 

How do I sign in to RCN Learn?

To access learning resources and guidelines on RCN Learn, you only need to log in once using the password you used to register. If you are an RCN member, please log in with your email address or membership number and password. If you are an RCNi Plus subscriber, you should use your RCNi Plus login.  If you are an RCN member and an RCNi Plus subscriber, you will now use your RCN login across both sites.

What should I do if I forget my password? 

If you forget your password, you can click on the ‘Forgot your password’ link on the log in page. This will send you an email with a re-set link where you can type in a new password. 

What should I do if I have a problem trying to access RCN Learn?

Please contact us and provide us with your RCN member or free account details, together with the date and time you tried to access the content, and any screenshots of error messages.
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