What references does a nurse need for a new post?
How far back to go, who should give the reference and what to ask, whether you hire for the NHS, a care home or a nursing agency.
What references does a nurse need?
For NHS posts, nurse reference checks should cover at least three consecutive years of employment or training, in writing, including the current or last NHS employer. Care providers registered with CQC need evidence of conduct in previous health or social care work under Schedule 3. Ideally one referee is a senior nurse or manager who saw their clinical practice. An NMC register check sits alongside.
Nurse reference checks: how far back to go
The answer depends on where the nurse will work.
NHS trusts, bank and agency work for the NHS
The NHS Employers reference standard asks for three consecutive years of employment and/or training, obtained in writing. A nurse moving from another NHS organisation needs, at minimum, a reference from their current or last NHS employer. See NHS reference requirements.
Care homes, nursing homes and home care
Under Regulation 19 and Schedule 3, CQC registered providers need satisfactory evidence of conduct in previous employment in health or social care, or with children or vulnerable adults. Where a previous role involved that work, you also need verification, as far as reasonably practicable, of why it ended. See CQC Regulation 19.
Newly qualified nurses
Use the university or practice placement lead for the training period, plus any healthcare work during study. Character references can fill the rest.
What a nurse reference should ask.
Dates and attendance are a start. A clinical appointment needs more.
Clinical practice
Medicines management, record keeping, escalation of a deteriorating patient and clinical judgement.
Patient care and dignity
How they treat patients, families and colleagues, and how they handle pressure on a busy shift.
Conduct and incidents
Any disciplinary action, capability process or patient safety incident the referee can share.
Safeguarding and fitness to practise
Whether the referee has any concern about them working with vulnerable people, or practising as a nurse.
Two minutes to send. We do the rest.
Add the nurse and their referees, choose your template, and RefAssure collects consent before contacting anyone.
- Candidate consent and signature collected online first
- Referees use a secure link on any device, with no login
- Chased with 5 emails and up to 2 texts over 12 days
- Half of references on RefAssure come back within 24 hours
Nurse reference questions
More in the full FAQs.
How many references does a nurse need?
Enough to cover the required period. For NHS posts that is three consecutive years, which is often two references. Care providers commonly ask for two, including the most recent employer in health or social care.
Who should a nurse use as a referee?
A ward manager, matron or senior nurse who supervised their practice is ideal. A colleague at the same grade is weaker evidence. The referee should give their name, job title and contact details.
Do I still need references if the NMC register is clear?
Yes. The register shows published restrictions, not day to day practice or concerns handled locally. Do both. See NMC PIN checks.
Does RefAssure have a nursing template?
Not a built-in one. You add the questions your organisation expects to a template once, or upload the form you already use as a PDF or Word file and it becomes a template in about 20 seconds.
How quickly can I get nurse references back?
Across 229 completed references, the median was about 23 hours and half came back within 24 hours. About 4 in 10 arrived after an automatic reminder had gone out.
Related guides
Nurse references without the chasing.
Your first reference is free. Then from 80p, no monthly fee.