Women continue to be in the majority in these professions, making up more than 90% of all practising nurses and midwives in Ireland.

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) has published a new data report, the State of the Register 2022, providing a breakdown of the number of nurses and midwives registered in Ireland. All nurses and midwives who wish to practise in Ireland must be registered with NMBI.

This data is provided by NMBI as information for policymakers and the public, and to inform workforce planning models. It has been made possible by the digitisation of NMBI’s Register, including the application and annual renewal processes.

The data shows that, as of 1 June 2022, there are 81,431 nurses and midwives on the NMBI Register, with 75,871 self-declared as currently practising; and of these 66,471 state they are patient-facing in their role.

The report also reveals that more than 90 per cent (68,310) of all nurses and midwives registered in Ireland are women, while the majority of new registrants in the past year came from overseas, outside the EU.

The 12 months from 1 June 2021 to 31 May 2022 saw a total of 4,937 applicants joining the Register, with 1,555 of these qualified in Ireland, 3,021 from outside of the EU and 361 from EU-based applicants.

The top overseas countries for new registrants were India (2,364), Philippines (391), United Kingdom (250) and Zimbabwe (132).

Trends also indicate that the number of Irish-educated registrants is continuing to increase, with numbers from 2021 the highest since this element was first reported on in 2015, with an expected 1,800 Irish-educated nurses and midwives due to join the NMBI Register later this year (2022).

The President of NMBI, Essene Cassidy said: “As President of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) I am delighted that the Board is publishing its first ever ‘State of the Register 2022’. This publication, which will now be issued annually, has been made possible by the digitisation of the annual renewal process.

“On behalf of the Board, I want to sincerely thank our registered nurses and our registered midwives for their engagement with the online renewal in 2020 and again in 2021. The information our registrants provided has made this publication possible.”

NMBI CEO, Sheila McClelland said: “The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland is pleased to publish this report as it offers a comprehensive overview of the nursing and midwifery professions in Ireland. Nurses and midwives play a vital role in providing primary and critical healthcare, and our role in NMBI is to ensure that the care they provide is of a consistently high standard through education, registration and regulation.

“This report provides key insights for policy makers and workforce planners. These insights will also be used by NMBI in planning future education and regulation initiatives.”

NMBI Director of Registration, Dr Ray Healy said that while 1,800 Irish graduates are expected to join the Register later this year, an increasing number of applicants are coming from overseas.

Dr Healy said: “In recent months NMBI has focused on increasing the number of Decision Letters issued to overseas applicants who wish to join the Register and there has been a significant increase on 2021. Decision Letters allow applicants to fulfil a compensation measure through either an exam or a period of adaptation to bring applicants in line with EU Directive standards.

In the 12-month period covered in the report, NMBI issued 3,567 Decision Letters.

Dr Healy added: “In the full calendar year of 2021, NMBI issued 2,430 Decision Letters. Following the recruitment of additional staff, NMBI has significantly increased the number of Decision Letters issued so far this year (2022), with more than 5,000 issued to overseas applicants.”

A breakdown of registrant numbers across age brackets indicates that 55,106, or 67.7%, of practising nurses and midwives are under the age of 50, while 2,900 or 3.6% are above the age of 65.

The report also provides a breakdown of registrants across practice areas:

• General nursing continues to be the most common area of practice, with 54,797 active nurses working in this area.
• The second highest number of nurses practising are psychiatric nurses (7,377).
• There are 3,999 practising intellectual disability nurses and 3,371 practising children’s nurses.
• Despite there being 9,661 midwives on the Register, 4,561 (47.2%) of these are practising. However, it is important to note that many of those registered as midwives are also registered and working in nursing divisions of the Register and the number of practising midwives increased in the past year.

Further information on registration figures and statistics can be found by viewing the full report here.

Five new members will join the Board of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) following an election.

Voting took place between 13 and 21 September and was open to all nurses and midwives who were on NMBI’s Register on 9 August. The results were announced by the Returning Officer, Colm O’Leary on 21 September.

Four registrants were elected to the Board from the practices of psychiatric nursing, intellectual disability nursing, public health and from the area of nursing engaged in the care of older persons.

As there was only one nominated candidate in the midwifery category a poll was not taken, and the nominee was deemed to be elected.

The successful candidates were: 

NMBI would like to congratulate the new Board members and wish them well in their roles.

The appointment to the Board of NMBI of all five registrants is subject to confirmation by the Minister for Health.

NMBI is pleased to announce that as part of our mandate to protect the public, we are publishing all inspection reports of education bodies and associated health care partners, and they will be available to the public.

The inspection process was updated in 2021 and those completed last year under this new process are now available on the NMBI website. The inspection reports will be updated on an annual basis as the colleges work to achieve full compliance with the standards and requirements for third-level nursing and midwifery education programmes.

Commenting on the importance of publishing site inspection reports, Carolyn Donohoe, NMBI Director of Education, Policy and Standards said, “This is a really big change for the Irish nursing and midwifery education sector, and it is underpinned by the 2011 Nurses and Midwives Act. So, in the interest of openness and transparency, this is the best way forward for education providers, their practice partners and most importantly our students. The protection of the public is best served when information is made freely available”. When asked what will be in the report, Carolyn explained that ‘the reports take an in-depth look at each undergraduate programme leading to registration and provides a summary of the commendations, conditions and recommendations for best practice in professional education”.

As the professional regulator, the NMBI’s role is to set and monitor education programme standards and these reports are a result of the five yearly monitoring process. In the interest of endorsing a culture of continuous quality improvement, each college submits an updated report annually to give assurance of continued compliance. Site inspection update reports capturing the current progress of each college will also be published on our website. 

The NMBI inspection teams would like to thank Dundalk Institute of Technology, Munster Technological University and University of Galway for the collaborative nature in which they engaged with the inspections, and for working with us in taking the step to publish the reports. The high standards and innovation in nursing and midwifery education demonstrated in these education bodies is reflected in each of the reports which are available on the NMBI website.

NMBI’s Registration Department has set a new record for the number of Decision Letters issued to applicants.

With our health services in need of more nurses and midwives, NMBI is responsible for registering applicants educated outside Ireland who want to practise here.

An intensive process is involved in accessing each applicant from overseas (outside the EU) with the majority offered the chance to prove their nursing or midwifery skills through aptitude tests set by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) or through a period of adaptation in a hospital setting for between six and 12 weeks.

In order to carry out a compensation measure, applicants to NMBI must receive a positive Decision Letter. In the first six months of 2022 the Registration team issued more than 2,400 Decision Letters – more than in the whole of 2021. Since the end of June, another 2,600 Decision Letters have been issued, taking the total to more than 5,000.

The new record is a testament to the dedication of the entire Registration department, says Director of Registration, Dr Ray Healy.

“I want to take this opportunity to sincerely thank my colleagues for their dedication and commitment to their role which requires incredible diligence”.

“Our remit as a regulator is to protect the public and to protect the integrity of the professions, so it is essential that we carefully assess each application”.

“I am fortunate to have a great team with me too; so I want to thank each and every member of my team who ensure we maintain our high standards throughout.”

NMBI in partnership with the Office of Nursing and Midwifery Service Director (ONMSD) participated in The Irish Times Higher Options education expo from 21 to 23 September at the RDS, Dublin.

The event provides second level students with career advice and information on how to access further and higher-level courses.

NMBI's attendance at Higher Options is part of the careers support and guidance we provide for nursing and midwifery. We aim to deliver easily accessible career information, including information on education and training.

18 number of nurses and midwives were available on our stand throughout the event to answer student questions and we would like to thank the ONMSD for their continued support of this event.

Five panel discussions took place over the three-day period with panelists sharing their experiences. We were delighted to see a high level of interest from aspiring nurses and midwives 

and would like to thank each of the panelists for sharing their valuable insights. The panelists included:

• Lorraine Clarke-Bishop, NMBI
• Mary T. Devane, NMBI
• Ann Bowers, The Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital (CWIUH)
• Denise Kiernan, The Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital (CWIUH)
• Chantal Murdoch, Rotunda Hospital
• Belcy Simon, Tallaght University Hospital
• Andrea Doyle, Tallaght University Hospital
• Deepthi Chakkittakandy, Tallaght University Hospital

Further information about choosing a career in nursing and midwifery is available on our website. 

The launch of ‘An Bhean Ghlúine’ ebook and project took place at Portiuncula University Hospital yesterday as part of National Heritage Week. The project was funded by the Heritage Council and Galway County Council.

‘An Bhean Ghlúine’ or woman of the knee (midwife, handywoman) was researched and developed by Emma Laffey, a volunteer with the Skehana and District Heritage Group and a valued team member working as a healthcare assistant in Portiuncula Maternity Unit.

Emma Laffey said, “I was inspired by my lived experience and seeing first-hand the work, compassion, empathy and medical intervention required for modern maternity services to keep both mother and baby safe and well.

“My project introduces the amazing work and lives of our local community midwives during the 20th century through photographs, stories, recorded interviews and film. These remarkable women supported our local women through one of the biggest life-changing events for any woman, from being pregnant to giving birth. Although a birth is generally a very happy occasion, it can also be tainted by poverty, sickness, miscarriage, mental health issues, life-changing disabilities and even death.

“All the project material is available to view on the Skehana and District Heritage website including an ebook with the midwives’ stories and photographs; a short film about the life of Mary Kate Jennings, who was a district midwife serving the Ballinasloe area in the 1940/50s; some voice recordings from local people and families chatting about their experience with their local midwife, including Kathleen Ward who talks about the traveller community and traditions around pregnancy and birth.

“I am so grateful to all the families that gave so generously of their time with interviews and sharing family memorabilia that made this project possible. The real heroes of this project are ‘an bhean ghlúine’ or woman of the knee.”

Deirdre Naughton, Director of Midwifery, at Portiuncula University Hospital said, “In the Maternity Unit we are delighted to support this fascinating historical project by launching it here today. Emma’s project will contribute significantly to the wealth of existing knowledge regarding the role of the midwife through the ages and I am very proud of her work. It is fascinating to see how the role of the midwife has evolved; the ancient art and science of midwifery that always has had quality and safety as its central tenant.”

Marie Mannion, Heritage Officer, Galway County Council said, “I would like to commend Emma Laffey, Skehana and District Heritage Group for undertaking this very important heritage research project. Emma’s work allows us to gain a greater awareness, knowledge and understanding of the vital role played the ‘Bhean Ghlúine’ or local midwife in her local community. It also gives us a greater insight into the lives of these women and our communities in the past.”

The ebook and other research materials are available to view on the Skehana and District Heritage website.

Budget 2023: Over €23 Billion Investment Announced in Health and Social Care Services

Investment of €23.4 billion in Ireland’s Health and Social Care Services has been announced as part of Budget 2023.

The new investment is aimed to facilitate better access to affordable, high-quality healthcare for people at a time when the cost-of-living crisis is impacting everyone.

Key healthcare initiatives unveiled in Budget 2023 include:

• Recruitment of 6,000 additional staff in a variety of roles across the healthcare sector
• 650 new acute and community beds added to health service facilities by the end of 2023
• Investment of €443 million aimed at tackling hospital waiting lists
• Section 39 organisations including Nursing Homes and hospices will be eligible to receive once off additional support this winter
• Free GP care to extend to more than 400,000 people
• All inpatient hospital charges abolished from 1 April 2023
• Free contraception extended from women aged 17 to 25 to all those aged 16 to 30 years
• Financial support for access to IVF treatment

Commenting on the new measures, Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly said, "The significant investment in Budget 2023, the highest allocation of funding to the health service in the history of the state, will facilitate better access to affordable, high-quality healthcare for people at a time when the cost-of-living crisis is impacting on everyone”.

New Nurse-led Wax Clinic Opens at Letterkenny University Hospital

Letterkenny University Hospital has opened the first nurse-led Wax Clinic in the Outpatients Department. 

Staff nurse, Bridgene Bonner introduced the new clinic after completing specialised training in London and at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital Dublin. The clinic runs under supervision from Prof Nash Patil, Consultant ENT Surgeon from Sligo University Hospital as part of the satellite ENT Outpatient Service for Donegal.

Describing her work in the ENT Clinics, Bridgene said, “During the Wax Clinic I perform micro-suction of the ears which is a non-invasive method of treating impacted wax and otitis externa, a condition that causes inflammation of the external ear canal.

 “The work I do in the Wax Clinic would previously have been carried out by the doctors in the ENT Clinic which means that I am able to free up their time for more complex clinical care. I have been able to work with many long-term patients who come in for micro-suction and a lovely part of the job is seeing how they have been getting on especially the improvements from their first visit”.

The new nurse-led clinic will take place once a month and treat 8 to 10 patients in each clinic.

Nurses in England to Get Specialist Goggles to Cut Down Admin Time

New virtual reality-style goggles are to be trialled by nurses in England on home visits, in an effort to maximise the amount of time spent with patients, Sky News has reported.

Smart glasses will, in real time, transcribe appointments straight to electronic records, so the time spent doing administration tasks is reduced.

It is estimated that community nurses spend more than half their day manually inputting data and filling out forms.

The goggles include thermal imaging to help assess how wounds and injuries have healed and will allow staff to share live footage directly with hospital colleagues to get a second opinion.

You can read more on this story here.

Tributes Paid to Philanthropist who Gave Millions to Nurses

Tributes have been paid to a wealthy American who, with his wife, sold off their art collection to give millions of dollars to nurses.

Donald Jonas, whose success as a retailer enabled him and his wife to amass an impressive collection of Abstract Expressionist paintings died on July 23 at his home in Manhattan. He was 92.

Mr Jonas and his wife, Barbara, began collecting art in the 1970s, primarily for their own enjoyment before selling $44M worth of paintings to fund donations to nurses and nursing causes.

“Everyone needs nursing, and always will,” Mr. Jonas said in 2017 when he and his wife were awarded honorary doctorates by Frontier Nursing University in Kentucky. “The nurses are the backbone of our health system.”

You can read more on this story in the New York Times article here.

Denise Lawler, Board member, Chair of the Midwives Committee and member of the Fitness to Practise Committee (2011)

Could you tell our readers a bit about your background?

I have had a varied career so far. I have worked for over 20 years in nursing and midwifery, primarily midwifery, in clinical practice, education and now in inspecting and reviewing healthcare services. I trained as a nurse and then as a midwife and moved from midwifery practice into midwifery education in 2000, teaching in the School of Midwifery in the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital and later in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin where I was Head of Midwifery and Director of Midwifery Programmes for almost five years before leaving to join the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) in 2018. Over my career, I have accumulated a breadth and depth of experience and knowledge that I could never have imagined possible starting out in nursing almost three decades ago. I am so grateful for the opportunities afforded to me over that time, to the wonderful colleagues that I have had the pleasure of working alongside, to the patients I nursed and most importantly, to the women and their families that have allowed me be part of their experience of becoming a parent. Midwifery is my passion and my career in midwifery has embedded a moral and ethical framework that informs my everyday interactions and decision-making.

I believe knowledge is power and life-long learning is something that provides opportunities and possibilities, is self-motivating and empowering. On the academic front, I hold a Master of Science in Advanced Midwifery from the University of Ulster, a Master of Arts in International Relations from Dublin City University and a PhD from Trinity College Dublin.

When did you join the Board of NMBI and why?

I was nominated to the Board of NMBI by the universities and appointed by the Minister of Health in July 2015. I was reappointed to the Board for a second term in December 2017 and will finish this term in December 2022.

I worked with an inspirational midwife and colleague who was a previous member of the Board of NMBI and who always spoke highly of the Board, and the importance of making a positive contribution to the profession and practice of midwifery at every opportunity. When that colleague resigned from the Board of NMBI in 2015, I expressed an interest in joining and was nominated from the universities sector in July of that year. Over the last seven years, it has been a pleasure and a wonderful experience working alongside my nursing and midwifery colleagues and lay members of the Board and other non-Board committee members, the executive members and all the staff of NMBI in ensuring the protection of the public, protecting the integrity of the nursing and midwifery professions and promoting standards of nursing and midwifery practice.

As chair of the Midwives Committee, can you explain the importance of the committee and its work in the overall context of the Regulator?

The Midwives Committee is one of two statutory committees established under the Nurses and Midwives Act 2011. The Committee provides advice to the Board in relation to all matters pertaining to midwifery practice, which the Board shall consider when performing functions in relation to midwifery practice.

What have been your biggest achievements as a Board member?

I am not sure as a member of a Board comprising 23 members that achievements can be individual ones. However, to have influenced and contributed to the current model of regulation of nurses and midwives, and to know that in doing so you are protecting the public and promoting the highest standards for both professions does provide a sense of achievement.

During my time on the Board, I did complete a professional certificate in governance and this was invaluable in providing the theoretical foundations to inform what a well-governed, well-managed and well-led organisation looks like. The NMBI has the corporate structures and processes, the persons at executive and senior management level, together with highly competent, committed and wonderful staff to ensure it is an effective regulator of nurses and midwives currently and into the future. Knowing that the model of regulation of nurses and midwives protects the public, reduces the risk of harm, supports nurses and midwives in their practice and promotes standards in both professions does instil a sense of achievement and of having contributed to making a difference for the good. Furthermore, to know that as a Board member you have meaningfully contributed to the strategic direction and vision, and positively influenced and informed the culture, values and ethics of the organisation, while ensuring NMBI is effective in meeting its statutory functions and responsibilities is very rewarding.

What challenges have you faced during your time on the Board?

I am not sure I agree with the use of the word challenges, I think reflecting on what I have learnt over my time on the Board is more appropriate. Reflecting on the learning, I underestimated the work involved and was unprepared for the demands of and responsibilities associated with being a member of a State board such as NMBI. I did not fully understand the workings of the Board, the business and operational side of the organisation and the commitment required as a Board member. Over the last seven years, I have gained huge knowledge, skills and experience and in turn, I hope I have contributed and meaningfully impacted on the workings of the Board and NMBI.

You also chaired the Fitness to Practise Committee. Could you tell our eZine readers what role this Committee plays?

Currently, I am chair of the Midwives Committees. I was a member of the Education, Training and Standards Committee and was Chair of the Fitness to Practice Committee. The Education, Training and Standards Committee carry out the Board’s delegated functions regarding nurse and midwifery education, training, standards and ethics. The Fitness to Practise Committee is a statutory committee of the Board, established under the Nurses and Midwives Act 2011. This committee comprises 33 members, of whom 11 are Board members and 22 are non-Board members. The committee considers complaints referred to it by the Preliminary Proceedings Committee.

In previous interviews with Board members, we have heard about how they find a balance between their work on the Board and Committees, their career and their home life? How do you find a balance?

Trying to achieve a balance between work, family life and self is a challenge and one that I never seem to be successful in achieving. I am fortunate to have a supportive family who understand that at times one or more of these will take primacy but striving for a balance between all, is the goal. I do not always succeed in finding the balance but I do try. I enjoy travelling and reading, and I love to walk, it is good for the mental health. We are a gaelic football and Leinster rugby family so usually I can be found pitch-side disconnecting and recharging!

Finally, what advice would you give someone who is interested in joining the NMBI Board or one of the NMBI Committees?

If you can give it the time.… do it. There will be highs and lows, but to have the opportunity to actively contribute to creating a regulatory environment that positively benefits people receiving healthcare services, and midwives and nurses far out way any lows. The skills you will attain, the learning you gain and the many extraordinary people you will meet, both at Board and committee level, and working in NMBI are immeasurable. More importantly, you will get to contribute to the regulation of two extraordinary professions, to influence and promote the highest standards of nursing and midwifery care, while also informing and shaping further regulation and development of both professions.

Professor Colm O’Herlihy, Board member and member of the Fitness to Practise Committee (2011)

Could you tell our readers a bit about your background?

As a retired Obstetrician/Gynaecologist, I’m the only medical doctor on the Board. I’ve always had an interest in professional regulation and standards as well as being a Professor in the UCD Medical School for many years. I’ve acted as Vice Dean of the School, and on the boards of the Medical Defence Union and the representative for the Royal Colleges both in Ireland and the UK.

When did you join the Board of NMBI and why?

I joined the NMBI Board in 2018 having been seconded from the Medical Council.

As a lay member of the Board, how important is it to have diversity in representation and what value do non-nurses/non-midwives add to the decision-making process?

I have found the very wide spectrum of experience on the Board to add greatly to its discussions and decision making.

What have been your biggest achievements as a Board member? What challenges have you faced during your time on the Board?

Not surprisingly, I’ve found the biggest challenges and achievements to have kept the Board functioning throughout the recent pandemic; all the staff of NMBI have risen to the tasks magnificently.

You also sit on the Fitness to Practise Committee. Could you tell our eZine readers what role this Committee plays?

It’s remarkable how very few of the more than 80,000 Registrants appear before the Fitness to Practise Committee on which I serve. As I’ve said, I hope my experience as a non-nursing member of the Board helps to give each Registrant a fair hearing.

Finally, what advice would you give someone who is interested in joining the NMBI Board or one of the NMBI Committees?

We’re fortunate to have a long tradition of skilled nursing and midwifery in Ireland and I feel there are many excellent individuals who will contribute to its further development in the future.