“The ultimate value of life depends on awareness and the power of contemplation rather than mere survival” (Aristotle, n.d.) Reflection is a process that begins by looking back at a situation by thinking about it, learning from it and then using the new knowledge to help you in similar situations in the future. We must evaluate through reflection to examine whether change is necessary. We can then decide what action is necessary and what we will do the next time we are faced with a similar situation. It might not necessarily be something you did wrong, it might even be that you were happy with the outcome of a situation where you had some input and would do it again. It may have been something you did differently that had a positive outcome and CPD is now an important part of ongoing registration with the NMC and is essential to maintaining professional standards. In order to revalidate, nurses must write 5 reflective reports within a 3 year period and each reflective report must explain what the nurse has learned from the CPD activity and explain how it relates to the Code of Conduct and in particular the 4 themes of Putting People First, Practicing Effectively, Maintaining Safety and Promoting Professionalism and Trust. Nurses should also discuss the written reflective reports with another NMC registered nurse covering the 5 reflective reports Section 9.2 of the NMC Code of Practice asks nurses to “gather and reflect on feedback from a variety of sources, using it to improve their practice and performance" (NMC, 2015). This is why the NMC promotes reflective practice as it ensures the nurse is practicing within their competence and in a safe way by identifying any areas for improvement in their practice. Reflective practice also makes nurses more accountable for their actions. (NMC, 2015) Reflective writing is an important feature of professional practice. Nurses must keep a record of their continuing professional development. At annual reviews nurses are able to present evidence of their development through a portfolio which should contain reflective accounts of their practice. These reflective reports will help them identify strengths and weaknesses, highlight their performance, improve their skills and highlight any areas that could be