The HSE’s Covid-19 vaccination programme has been expanding in scale and pace since the rollout began in December 2020 and now students in health professions are being recruited to join the vaccinator workforce. These  students will be contributing to the national effort and playing a key role in protecting the population.

NMBI has published the second edition of the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Nurses and Registered Midwives (the Code) to embrace recent legislative changes.

The purpose of the Code is to guide nurses and midwives in their day-to-day practice and help them understand their professional responsibilities in caring for patients in a safe, ethical and effective way. 

Professor Michael Rigby has joined the Board of NMBI, after being nominated by the Health Information and Quality Authority.

Professor Rigby has held professorial posts in the UK, Ireland, and Sweden and has extensive experience in health service development and delivery, and in research into health policy and management.

On 14 May NMBI said a fond farewell to our great colleague Dr Judith Foley RGN, RCN, RNT, BNS, MEd, PG Cert Psychology, EdD, FFNMRCSI. Judith was part of the NMBI team for 18 years, working as an Education Officer and spending 5 years as Director of Education Standards for Nursing.

Through her knowledge, experience, dedication and commitment Judith made a vitally important contribution to the work of NMBI and has left a lasting impact on the organisation.

A new National Quality Clinical Learning Environment audit tool and guidelines have been designed for use in all higher education institutions (HEIs) and associated healthcare providers (AHCPs) where pre-registration nursing and midwifery students are placed during their training. 

The audit tool and guidelines were developed by a working group composed of representatives from HEIs, AHCPs, Trade Unions and NMBI professional standards and education staff.

NMBI has developed a new audit tool to support short clinical placements for pre-registration nursing and midwifery students during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Following a review of the current process for auditing selected short clinical placements a new method was identified to support learning opportunities for students.

NMBI has launched the first edition of standards and requirements for Intellectual Disability Nurse Post Registration Education Programmes.

These new standards and requirements provide guidance for higher education institutions and associated healthcare providers for the preparation of curricula and delivery of Intellectual Disability Nurse post-registration education programmes.

5 May has been recognised and celebrated as International Day of the Midwife around the world for many years. This year, for the second year in a row, we marked the day amid a global pandemic.

Midwives play a vitally important role in Irish society, providing support to women and their families at a time of profound change in their lives.

Each year May 12 is celebrated globally as International Nurses Day, to coincide with the birth of Florence Nightingale. Nightingale was best known as the founder of modern nursing and for her efforts to reform healthcare by improving hygiene practices and using evidence to improve practice.

A round up of the latest news stories including:

• Final Evaluation Report demonstrated the many benefits of Advanced Nursing Practitioners
• Funding of €1.58m provided for 24 additional Lactation Consultants
• Reeves Day Surgery Centre officially opened at Tallaght University Hospital

The Health Products Regulatory Authority has published the 103rd edition of its Drug Safety Newsletter. The special edition includes information about the EMA review of very rare cases of thrombosis in combination with thrombocytopenia following the Covid-19 vaccine Janssen.

Olivia Somers, CMS Lactation Specialist at Portiuncula University Hospital