NMBI has approved a revised policy for registration as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP).

There are now two paths to register as an ANP, and these will be operational from 1 September 2019.

Path One:

All applicants who successfully complete the NMBI approved Masters of Science in Nursing (Advanced Practice Nursing) programme may apply for registration as an ANP, in the same way as a nurse who has obtained any other registerable post-graduate qualification.

Submission of a portfolio and attendance at a panel review are no longer registration requirements for nurses who complete the approved NMBI programmes.

The step-by-step process for Path One will be updated on the NMBI website in late August and the policy will be operational from 1 September 2019. Applications will not be accepted prior to 1 September 2019.

Path Two:

Nurses who have attained the NMBI competencies and capabilities of advanced practice through a developmental pathway can apply to be recognised as an ANP. This policy is in line with the principles of the “Policy on the Development of Graduate to Advanced Nursing and Midwifery Practice” (Department of Health, 2019).

Applications will then be reviewed against the criteria and standards of NMBI for advanced practice on a case-by-case basis. Applicants must meet NMBI standards for registration to have their name placed on the Advanced Practice Division of the Register.

The step-by-step process for Path Two will be updated on the NMBI website in late August and the policy will be operational from 1 September 2019. Applications will not be accepted prior to 1 September 2019.

The revised policies reflect the Nurses Rules, S.I. 218 of 2018 Education and Training Rules and S.I. 220 of 2018 Recognition of Professional Qualifications.