The 2022 annual registration renewal window will close on Monday, 31 January and NMBI would like to remind registrants who have yet to complete the process to do so as soon as possible. NMBI would also like to thank all of those who have already renewed.

Registrants must renew online through our portal, MyNMBI. We would like to advise all registrants that we no longer accept renewal payments by phone. You can pay online using your own debit/credit card or if you are using a card issued to another person, please ensure that you have authorisation to do so. Under new EU requirements, the card provider/bank will request authentication to complete the payment.

To renew your registration, you can log into MyNMBI using the email address that the notice was sent to and your password. If you cannot remember your password, you should select the 'Forgotten Password' button and follow the steps to reset your password. Please do not create a new account or you will not be able to access your details.

To complete the process, you will need:

• The renewal notification sent to you by email
• Your password
• Employment details (if employed)
• A valid debit or credit card

Please note that there may be times when the MyNMBI portal is slower processing details and payment, as a result of a high level of usage at any one time. If you experience this issue, we suggest that you log out and come back to the portal later.

Guides

NMBI have created a video and guidance documents to assist you through the annual renewal process. The guides can be accessed through the links below and are available on our website.

• Annual Renewal video guide
• Step-by-step booklet
• Frequently Asked Questions

Accessing your retention certificate

Once the payment is complete, you can download your annual retention certificate from the ‘My Documents’ section of MyNMBI. Please note that it may take up to 60 minutes to generate your retention certificate. You can login again at any stage to download your new retention certificate.

Support

For those who require assistance to complete the renewal process, please call: 0818 200 116 (Monday-Sunday 9:00am - 5:30pm) or email our Registration Department at regservices@nmbi.ie.

When contacting us, please provide your name, Personal Identification Number (PIN) and date of birth to ensure we can deal with your query as efficiently as possible.

Legal requirement

All nurses and midwives practising in Ireland are required to have their name on the Register of Nurses and Midwives which is maintained by NMBI and each year it is necessary to pay the annual renewal to maintain their registration.

If the annual renewal is not completed by the Monday, 31 January 2022, we are legally obliged to include your name on the list of registrants that will be considered by the Board for removal.

Voluntary removal

If you wish to voluntarily remove your name from the Register of Nurses and Midwives, (for example are taking a career break or retiring), you can do so on the MyNMBI portal. This service is free of charge and the deadline for voluntary removal is 16 March 2022.

Should you choose to return at a later stage, you can restore your registration on MyNMBI, by selecting the ‘Restoration’ option. When restoring, you will be required to pay the renewal fee only and the restoration fee will not apply.

Further details can be found on the Voluntary Removal section of our website.

Ms Sheila McClelland has been appointed CEO of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), the organisation’s President Essene Cassidy has announced.

Ms McClelland has been interim CEO of NMBI since June 2019 and during that time the County Down native has guided NMBI through a major digitisation and modernisation programme, as well as dealing successfully with the challenges brought by the pandemic.

“Following a rigorous recruitment process, on behalf of the Board, I am delighted to announce that Ms Sheila McClelland has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of NMBI,” said Ms Cassidy.

“Sheila’s wealth of experience in the public sector and her solid leadership in the modernisation of NMBI over the past two and a half years made her the stand-out candidate for the role. I want to wish her the very best as she continues to lead the NMBI team in the time ahead.”

Ms McClelland has held a number of senior positions in Northern Ireland, including Chief Executive of Carrickfergus Borough Council. She has also served as a member of the Board of Cooperation Ireland since June 2017, sits on the Board of the Community Relations Council for Northern Ireland and is Chair of the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland.

Essene Cassidy, President of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) discussed the role of the regulator, modernisation and adapting during the global pandemic in the January edition of Eolas magazine.

Below is the text of that article in full.

A modern and dynamic nursing and midwifery regulator

As the regulator for more than 80,000 nurses and midwives in Ireland, NMBI’s mission is to protect the public and the integrity of the professions through the promotion of high standards of education, training and professional conduct. We maintain a Register of Nurses and Midwives and a Candidate Register for students.

As we enter the final year of our Statement of Strategy 2020-2022, we will continue to ensure we can adapt to the evolving global healthcare environment and regulate effectively, while upholding the highest standards. Our focus remains on professional development and competence, engaging more with registrants and stakeholders, and the continued digitisation of the organisation. We also remain committed to building trust and to ensuring our role as a regulator is understood. 

Development of our new strategy will begin in 2022 and we are more aware now than ever of the need to provide leadership to registered nurses and registered midwives.

Modernisation at NMBI

NMBI is dedicated to the implementation of our digitisation agenda. Every nurse and midwife practising in Ireland must be registered with NMBI and the annual process of renewing registration is taking place online for the second year running.

As well as streamlining the process for registrants the new online portal MyNMBI also allows for the collection of data which assists us in our work to maintain standards and associated public safety and contribute to workforce planning. This is more relevant than ever with the roll-out of Slaintecare in the years ahead.

Since the start of the pandemic NMBI has moved speedily and dynamically to embrace new technology. As a Board we showed agility, as our meetings continued without disruption. Our complaint management process also moved online or hybrid format to ensure hearings could continue. Witnesses can give testimony from anywhere in the world now without having to get on a plane or into a car.

Embracing change for all stakeholders

Engagement with stakeholders, and in particular our professions, has never been better. NMBI does a huge amount of work in collaboration with key stakeholders around setting standards, supporting practice initiatives and promoting quality care provision by nurses and midwives. A key example I recall is the removal of the requirements for Collaborative Practice Agreements (CPAs) for nurse prescribers. This change has allowed our nurse prescribers to become autonomous practitioners. We also worked with the Department of Health on the advanced practice policy and revised the Advanced Nurse Practitioner pathways.

Pride in my colleagues

On behalf of the Board, I would like to acknowledge the challenges faced by nurses and midwives since the Covid-19 pandemic began and express our appreciation for the valuable contribution they have made in treating patients and maintaining ongoing healthcare services. Nursing and midwifery professionals in all their roles have always been able to adapt to change. For generations, new ideas have been embraced and welcomed, all with the sole aim of improving outcomes for our patients. When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, once again we saw our nurses and midwives adapting to change in all care settings. It has been a difficult time for many but the dedication and compassion of our professions shone through and continues to do so. It fills me with enormous pride to witness this incredible commitment to care.

More than 5,000 nurses and midwives were added to the NMBI Register in 2021, new data from the regulator shows.

In all 5,008 people became registrants over the course of last year.

The new figures show 1,530 new Irish registrants, 3,093 new registrants from outside the EU and a further 385 from EU countries.

The increasing number of registrants took the total number of registrants on 31 December 2021 to 82,217.

The increase in new registrants is significantly higher than previous years. The 2021 total is 1,290 more than 2020 when 3,718 new registrants were added.

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) CEO Sheila McClelland and senior NMBI team members welcomed the Indian Ambassador to Ireland to the regulator’s County Dublin offices this month.

His Excellency Mr Akhilesh Mishra took the opportunity of the visit to discuss the contribution made to the Irish health services by Indian nurses and midwives.

Ms McClelland said: “We were delighted to meet Mr Mishra and to discuss how Indian nationals are such a vital part of the health service here in Ireland.

“We also discussed NMBI’s plans to provide improved guidance to applicants from India and other non-EU countries wishing to practise as nurses and midwives in Ireland.”

NMBI Director of Registration Ray Healy and NMBI Head of Operations Kathyann Barrett said the visit generated new ideas on improving NMBI’s engagement with nurses and midwives from India.

Mr Healy said: “We discussed a range of new and exciting proposals which, over time, have the potential to greatly assist Indian applicants to the NMBI Register.

Ms Barrett said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with the Ambassador and plan follow-up meetings with Mr Mishra and representatives of the Indian nursing and midwifery community soon.”

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland has launched new guidance for nurses and midwives from outside the EU who are applying to join the Register and work in Ireland.

The document, which has been circulated to stakeholders and published on the NMBI website, sets out the steps to recognition of qualifications and subsequent registration. It also provides answers to applicants' most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

NMBI Director of Registration Ray Healy said: “We have consulted widely, including with Migrant Nurses Ireland and the INMO, on how best to assist applicants from outside the EU. This document is the result of that engagement and is being shared with stakeholders so that we can constantly update it as and when new queries arise.”

You can read the FAQs here and read more here.

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland is expanding the panel of Education Assessors to assist our Registration Department.

The role of the Education Assessor is to assess applications from nurses and midwives who wish to have their qualifications recognised and join the Register. The Assessor will do this by:

• Reviewing the applicant’s qualifications (including post qualification experience) relating to:
  • Those obtained outside the State;
  • Irish Qualifications via non-standard pathways; and
• Determining if they meet the NMBI Standards and Requirements for the relevant profession;
• Making a recommendation as to whether the applicant’s qualification meets the NMBI standard;
• And where necessary, making a recommendation regarding appropriate compensation measures for the applicant.

The role also involves assessing appeal files (recognition and registration applications) and making recommendations to the Registration Committee.

The term of the contract will initially be for three years. Full training will be provided and services will be paid for based on days of service provided.

If you are interested in applying, you will need to submit your proposal through the eTenders website before 3.00pm on Friday 11 February 2022.

Before applying on the eTenders website you will need to have registered with eTenders, here is a link to a guide which will help you with the registration process.

Once registered you can then apply by following this link.

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) is inviting applications from registered nurses and midwives to participate in site inspections of Education Bodies (EB) and the Associated Health Care Providers (AHCP). Our inspection team consists of both academic and clinical nursing and midwifery staff.

NMBI has a statutory responsibility to approve Education Bodies (EB) and Associated Health Care Providers (AHCP) in respect of educational programmes leading to registration as a nurse or midwife. Site inspections will involve reviews of pre-registration and post-registration specialist programmes.

Candidates from the NMBI Register who meet the criteria outlined below are invited to apply.

Criteria:

• Experience in the education of nursing and midwifery student learners from an academic or clinical setting
• No more than 3 years out of education or practice involving student learners
• Endorsed by their employer to be released from their duties to undertake NMBI site inspection
• Commitment of at least 5 days per site inspection as the minimum requirement (1 day pre-reading/preparation, 2 days for the virtual EB inspection and 2 days for the onsite AHCP inspection)

We welcome applicants from all divisions of the Register. Previous experience in audit and inspection is desirable but not essential as training will be provided to the successful applicants.

To apply, please complete the short application form and return it by email to Claire Nolan, at cnolan@nmbi.ie by Monday, 28 February 2022. You may be called for a short suitability interview and references may be requested.

We are inviting expressions of interest from public interest representatives to participate in the work of the Midwives Committee.

Public interest applicants must not be, and never have been, registered as a nurse or as a midwife in this, or in any jurisdiction.

Details of this vacancy and how to apply are available on our website.

Please share this link with anyone who you think may be interested. The closing date for receipt of applications is Monday, 21 February 2022 at 3pm.

We will create a panel of shortlisted applicants from which to fill vacancies on this committee between February 2022 and February 2023.

The role of the Midwives Committee is to provide advice to the Board in relation to all areas pertaining to midwifery practice.

NMBI is inviting calls for expressions of interest from registered practising midwives to fill a vacancy on the Fitness to Practise Committee. The successful applicant must be currently engaged in clinical midwifery practice.

We will create a panel of shortlisted applicants from which to fill vacancies in this category between February 2022 and February 2023. Details of this vacancy and how to apply are on our website.

Please share this link with anyone who you think may be interested. The closing date for receipt of applications is Monday, 21 February 2022 at 3pm.

The Fitness to Practise Committee considers complaints about registrants. Members of the committee sit in ‘panels’ for the purpose of considering complaints at inquiry. An inquiry is similar to a hearing that usually takes place in a court or before a tribunal. Members of the committee of inquiry hear and consider evidence and information presented to them.

Applications are invited for the following post:

Inquiries Legal Adviser – Fitness to Practise (Engineer Grade II)

This is a challenging and rewarding new role in the Fitness to Practise Department of the NMBI.

Reporting to the Director of Fitness to Practise, the Inquiries Legal Adviser will proactively support the progression of complaints under Part 8 and 9 of the Nurses and Midwives Act, 2011 (“the Act”) ensuring legal compliance, that natural justice and fair procedures are observed and providing guidance in relation to matters arising from the operation of the Act.

The successful candidate will also work closely with the Fitness to Practise Team in preparing for and scheduling of case management hearings (Callovers), applications and inquiries before Subcommittees of the Fitness to Practice Committee and general responsibility for the Fitness to Practise Committee including participation in training, membership and general queries.

The role will also include overseeing the monitoring of conditions imposed and providing updates to the Board.

The contract is a full time, permanent position, subject to successful completion of the probationary period.

Closing date is 12:00 noon (Irish time), Thursday, 03 February 2022.

For further information please visit the vacancies section of our website where you can find the information booklet. If you would like to apply for this position please download and complete an application form and forward to hr@nmbi.ie before the closing date and time.

A new research study has been launched on Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and the transition of Newly Qualified Nurses and Midwives (NQNM) to their professional role in four European countries (Ireland, UK, Italy and Croatia).

The cross-sectional study is being conducted by the European Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Research in CPD based in the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin in partnership with the University of Hull (UK), the University of Genoa (Italy), the Croatian Nursing Council and the Croatian Midwifery Council (Croatia).

The aim of this study is to develop a better understanding of the CPD needs of NQNMs and explore factors associated with CPD participation during the transition period for NQNMs.

There is widespread recognition that many NQNMs find it difficult to make the transition from completing their university course to taking up their first registered nurse/midwife post. Professional support through participation in CPD activities during this critical time is essential for both competence and confidence of NQNMs.

However, there is limited information about the range and extent of CPD activities NQNMs participate in during the first 24 months following graduation. It is also not well known how NQNMs participation in CPD activities is associated with job satisfaction and intention to leave the organisation or the profession.

If you would like to take part in this study, further information is available here.

The HSE National Immunisation Office has published its Covid-19 vaccination bulletin which includes important updates in clinical guidance for the vaccination programme.

This 42^nd edition includes information on the following:

• Booster or additional dose vaccination after breakthrough COVID-19 infection
• Checking a person’s age before vaccination
• Booster doses for people aged 16 years and older who are immunocompromised and have received an additional dose
• Children aged 12-15 years and booster doses
• Booster doses for those vaccinated abroad
• COVID-19 Vaccines: Important information regarding dates
• Updated report on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in pregnancy
• Covax Update
• Seasonal Influenza vaccine

To read the bulletin in full, please click here.

Previous issues can also be found on the HSE website.

Nurses and midwives to get €1,000 Covid recognition payment

Nurses and midwives who worked during the pandemic are to receive a €1,000 tax-free payment from the Government.

The Government says it is working to make the payments over the next few months.

Those workers eligible for the payment will be:

• public service health and ambulance workers
• those seconded or assigned to the HSE (for example: Defence Forces staff seconded/assigned to HSE testing centres)
• supernumerary students who were required to perform training in clinical sites
• staff in private sector nursing homes and Hospices affected by Covid-19

A pro-rata arrangement will apply for eligible part time staff.

Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said the payments were “recognition of their work in dangerous and challenging conditions during the pandemic, and for the thousands of lives saved as a result of their efforts.”

The full Government statement can be read here.

Irish Cancer Society Scholarships

The Irish Cancer Society is currently accepting applications for its Social Science, Nursing, and Allied Health Research Scholarship 2022.

The objective of the Irish Cancer Society SNAH Researcher Scholarship is to offer excellent graduates from nursing, allied health, and social sciences the opportunity to undertake structured postgraduate training in world class cancer research. Part-time PhDs are also possible for nursing applicants who will hold a concurrent clinical post during the course of the PhD. Nursing applicants who will be taking time away from their professional clinical role may apply for a stipend in line with IUA rates and inclusive of PRSI and employer pension contributions. 

Proposed projects can be in any of the following areas: a) translational biomedical research, b) clinical trials, c) survivorship, or d) strategic priorities. Applications can be made through the Irish Cancer Society Gateway Grant Tracker online system.

Further information about our open calls, including application guidelines, can be found here. 

The deadline for applications is 3pm Tuesday 22 February 2022.

Pandemic sparks surge in applicants for English nursing/midwife courses

Increasing interest in nursing and midwifery careers in Ireland due to the pandemic is also being reflected in other countries.

New figures released in England show that applications from school leavers have increased 38 per cent since 2019, with applications from mature students also up by more than a third.

A report by the Universities and College Admissions Service (Ucas) found that 69 per cent of recent applicants said the Covid pandemic had inspired them to become a nurse.

Ireland saw a huge increase in applications via the CAO last year, with 10,905 applications for 2,044 places.

You can read a report on the English research in this article from The Guardian newspaper.

History of Irish nurses in Britain to feature in second book

A retired Irish nurse has set her mind to writing a second book, chronicling the personal stories of Irish nurses who went to Britain.

Ethel Corduff, who hails from Tralee in Co. Kerry, is the author of Ireland’s Loss, Britain’s Gain: Irish Nurses in Britain, Nightingale to Millennium.

An article on the book was recently published in Britain’s biggest Irish publication, The Irish Post.

Ms Corduff announced in the interview she is developing a sequel to her first book and hopes to have it published in 2022.

The Irish Post article and interview can be read in full here.

As we start the year, we continue our series focusing on the work of the NMBI Board. In this issue, we speak with Joseph Shalbin Kallarakkal, Board member and member of the Midwives Committee and Registration Committee.  

Could you tell our readers about your background and your career to date?

I am from India and from my student life onwards I was engaged in various voluntary activities, which led me towards nursing. One occasion I still remember vividly is when I helped a road traffic accident victim to get to hospital. This and other experiences have led me to choose nursing as a profession.

I completed my nursing education in 2007 and as I was interested in emergency nursing, I began my career working in an emergency department. Later, I believed I would be good working in a management role and completed an MBA in healthcare service management. During this time, I joined a multi-specialty hospital as an Operations Manager. The hospital was going through an accreditation process with the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH), which is similar to HIQA in Ireland, and I played a pivotal role in achieving the accreditation. In 2017, I returned to clinical practice with the aim of relocating to Ireland and the following year, I began working in the emergency department at St James’s Hospital, Dublin. I am currently working in Our Lady’s Hospital in Navan and also doing a post graduate programme in emergency nursing in DKIT.  

I was elected as a Vice Chair of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation’s (INMO) international section in 2020 and I was elected to the Board of NMBI as a representative from the practice of general nursing in the same year, taking up the role in 2021.

You recently joined the Board of NMBI. Why did you choose to run for election?

As I mentioned earlier, I relocated to Ireland in 2018 and I continued engaging with various voluntary activities in India and in Ireland. When I arrived here I noticed that overseas nurses and midwives are coming to Ireland with two different work permits, doing the same job and earning the same salary. Unfortunately, my general work permit had fewer benefits than a critical skills permit and as a result, I had to wait a year before my family could also relocate to Ireland with me. While my spouse is well educated, she cannot work here and I was very concerned about this. When I looked into the rules, I noticed that the current system began about 2015 and since then many overseas nurses and midwives have faced difficulties due to this practice. Therefore, I started a campaign focusing on the problems facing overseas nurses and midwives. I wrote hundreds of letters and attended many meetings to highlight this issue and find a solution. As a result of this work, at the end of 2019 the Government realised the disparity and amended the law. Now, all overseas nurses and midwives come to Ireland on a single work permit system which is beneficial to all. Due to the work I engaged in, I became known amongst nurses and midwives and I was elected as a Vice Chair of the international section of the INMO. Later, when NMBI published a call for expressions of intertest to join the work of the Board, I was selected as a candidate from the general nursing practice and was subsequently elected to the NMBI Board.

What has your experience as a Board member been so far?

I am a new NMBI Board member and this is the first time I have been part of a professional regulator in Ireland. As a person like me who comes from a different country, joining a regulator was frightening experience, but the support I have received from the whole team has been exceptional. Every day I am on the Board is a learning experience and by being part of the decision-making process, I have gained significant knowledge. The experience I have gained has helped me to see the professions through a regulator’s eyes.

Covid-19 has led to changes in how the Board meets, what has that been like as a new Board member?

We can see innumerable vital changes across the world as a result of Covid. Most of the Board meetings moved to online platforms and this has saved lots of time but on the other hand, interpersonal communications have reduced. Online meetings are more convenient and for a new member like me who is working in a different location, it is a suitable platform for meetings. At the same time it is essential to have direct meetings and I hope we will be in a position to resume these soon.

As someone who has recently been elected to the Board, could you tell our readers a bit about the election process and the steps involved?

I am an elected representative from the general nurses practice and from my experience I found the election process straightforward and clearly explained on the NMBI website. NMBI advertise expressions of interest when vacancies arise and nominations can be submitted by eligible candidates. Candidates have adequate time to campaign and NMBI issue registered nurses and midwives a notification and voting instructions before voting begins. Registrants can cast their votes before the deadline and a candidate will be elected as per the votes received. From my work with overseas nurses and midwives, I received good support and I was delighted to be elected.

As well as being on the Board of NMBI, you are also a member of the Midwives Committee and the Registration Committee. Could you tell us a bit about each Committee and the work that they do?

Midwifery is a separate profession from nursing. A separate branch of study and practice is required to become a qualified midwife.

The role of the Midwives Committee is to provide advice to the Board in relation to all matters pertaining to midwifery practice. As with all of the NMBI committees there are Board members, lay members and midwives on the Midwives Committee. I am on the committee as a Registered General Nurse. All decisions are made after a huge amount of learning, assessment, evaluations and discussions.

The Registration Committee performs certain delegated functions regarding registration and make recommendations to the Board, when required. This committee plays a major role in assisting the Board with decisions relating to registration. The Board considers the Committees recommendations to ensure NMBI is effective and can operate in the best interests of the public and the nursing and midwifery professions. As a new member I have found the whole management team very supportive in their guidance and in providing information. I really enjoy working as part of the Registration Committee especially as I have already gone through the recognition and registration process, and I always try to contribute my best to the committee.

Why do you think it is importance for registrants to be part of the Board and Committees?

Major decisions regarding nursing and midwifery practice in Ireland are made by NMBI. Being part of the Board and Committees offers me a great opportunity to contribute to such decisions and registrants can also contribute to the professions, if they are a member. It is also a good career development platform since you are working with a professional regulator. I have found that working with a professional regulator is totally different than what I had expected. Board and Committee members have enormous opportunities to empower the professions as well as our career.

Your term of office ends in 2025. What would you like to achieve over the next three years?

The coming years are vital as we are facing innumerable changes across world due to Covid-19 and its after-effects. I would like to be a major contributor to the professions and apart from that, I hope that my experience with NMBI will significantly enhance my career development.

For anyone who may be interested in joining the NMBI Board or one of the NMBI Committees, what advice would you give them?

It is a great privilege to be a part of a professional regulator like NMBI. It does require a high level of commitment and time but there is a great team who offer excellent support. There is a large amount of reading and preparation required before each meeting as decisions are made and each Committee will have different requirements to fulfil. Overall, it is a great platform to enhance your expertise and develop your knowledge and skills and I would encourage anyone to join.