The HSE National Radiation Protection Committee (NRPC) has published the findings of its National Survey of Nurse and Midwife Referral Practices for Radiological Procedures.

NMBI provides guidance for developing nurse education programmes to refer service users for medical radiological procedures. The standards and requirements apply to education bodies and their practice partners, and inform the development, delivery and evaluation of nurse educational programmes for medical radiological and other imaging procedures. You can read the guidance on our website.

Last year, the NRPC commissioned the survey to establish the extent and governance of nurse and midwife referrals for radiological procedures in hospital and community services in Ireland. 

The aim of endorsing nurse and midwife referrers for radiological procedures is to improve the service user’s experience.

The survey, issued to Designated Managers in all public hospitals and community diagnostic imaging services, confirmed that the nurse referrer was authorised to refer patients for radiological procedures within their documented scope of practice. It found that nurses and midwives were supported by the service user’s treating consultant and endorsed by the local Radiation Safety Committee (RSC), and that these referrals were assessed by the practitioner before proceeding. It also highlighted that there was an increasing need for nurses to take on the extended role of referrer to meet service demand.  

The full survey report and recommendations are available on the HSE website.