NMBI has launched the pilot of the Professional Competence Scheme which requires nurses and midwives to demonstrate maintenance of professional competence.

Members of our Education, Policy and Standards Department are currently providing regional information sessions about the Professional Competence Scheme (PCS) to the volunteer pilot sites. These sessions have been facilitated by Regional Centres of Nursing and Midwifery and Centres of Education within the pilot site organisations.

There are 33 pilot sites across all provinces of Ireland. Nurses and midwives who volunteered to participant in the pilot scheme are representative of all divisions of the Register.  Participants of the pilot PCS are working in the private and public sector, acute and community care setting, as well as industry and education. The first regional information session for pilot sites was held on 9 January 2025 in the Midlands area.   

To date the feedback has been very positive with registrants involved stating: 

NMBI will evaluate the scheme regularly during the pilot year. 

For any queries relating to the NMBI Professional Competence Scheme, please email mmpc@nmbi.ie 

About the Professional Competence Scheme

In 2022, NMBI began developing the Professional Competence Scheme. In 2023 and 2024, we held a public consultation on the draft Professional Competence Scheme Guideline for Registered Nurses and Registered Midwives. An analysis of the data from the consultation phase has been fundamental in refining the pilot Professional Competence Scheme, ensuring it is both practical and feasible for registered nurses and midwives to use. 

Part 11 of the Nurses and Midwives Act 2011, as amended, which is yet to be enacted, relates to the maintenance of professional competence. 

It outlines the duties of:

• Registered nurses and midwives to maintain professional competence and demonstrate professional competence to the satisfaction of the Board. 
• NMBI to develop, establish and operate one or more than one scheme for the purpose of monitoring the maintenance of professional competence of nurses and midwives  
• Employers to facilitate the maintenance of professional competence.  

The requirement to maintain professional competence will:  

• promote the continuous improvement of quality of care and patient safety  
• facilitate nurses and midwives to keep their professional practice safe and relevant  
• enable nurses and midwives to develop new practice and skills in line with changing population health needs, and  
• respond to changes and advances in nursing and midwifery.  

As a third-year mental health nursing student currently enrolled at University College Cork (UCC), it’s fair to say I didn’t take the easiest route in pursuing my career as a mental health nurse. My healthcare journey began in 2018 when I completed the QQI Level 5 Nursing Studies course at Cork College of Commerce.

As a mature student seeking to pursue a career in nursing within a Higher Education Institute (HEI) in Ireland, you must successfully pass an aptitude test conducted by NMBI. Unfortunately, I was not offered a place through the Central Applications Office (CAO).

I didn’t actively pursue nursing due to work commitments over the next two years.. However, in 2022, I was more driven and determined than ever to give it one final attempt and pursue my dream of becoming a mental health nurse, a career I had always been deeply passionate about. My passion comes from a love for caring for people and making a positive impact on their lives and recovery journeys.

Fortunately, in 2022, after reapplying and dedicating myself fully to preparing for the aptitude test, I was finally successful. Third time lucky! That same year, I received a first-round CAO offer to study mental health nursing at UCC. To say I was thrilled when I received the email would be an understatement.

Now in semester two of my third year, I can honestly say that pursuing a career in mental health nursing has been the best decision I’ve ever made. Looking back, there were countless opportunities to give up after facing setbacks, but I’m so glad I persevered. Mental health nursing has always held a special place in my heart, and the job satisfaction I gain during my college placements in various mental health settings is invaluable. Knowing that I’ve done my best to make a positive impact on the lives of service users each day brings me immense joy and fulfilment.

Since enrolling at UCC in 2022, I have achieved significant theoretical and practical experience through lectures and placements in different mental health settings. During the summer of 2024, I participated in a summer undergraduate research project, in which I was proud to be recognised and received the UCC undergraduate Research Student of the Year Award. For the academic year 2024/2025, I am honoured to be a student ambassador for UCC with the NMBI.

I would like to conclude by expressing my gratitude to the lecturers at UCC, whose support has been huge in my journey towards becoming a mental health nurse. I can’t thank them enough.

We have published a new guidance booklet for nurses and midwives who have been referred to inquiry before the Fitness to Practise Committee.

The guide explains how the inquiry process works and provides information about:

• the terms we use
• the grounds of referral
• what happens before, during and after your inquiry
• how to prepare and attend an inquiry
• the outcomes of an inquiry
• undertakings and consents
• sanctions, and
• how to appeal a decision.

The booklet was developed as part of our commitment to provide a compassionate approach for everyone involved in the Fitness to Practise process and includes information about the supports available.

The Inquiry Information Booklet for Registrants is now available to read on our website.

Last month, we published our first State of Complaints 2023 report. 

The report provides an overview of the fitness to practise process and covers the period from 1 January to 31 December 2023. As part of the publication, data was reviewed for all matters concluded in 2023.

As of 31 December 2023, there were 89,308 nurses and midwives registered with NMBI. In 2023, NMBI received 75 complaints about the fitness to practise of a registered nurse or midwife. This represents 0.088% of the total number of nurses and midwives on the Register. 

Of the 75 complaints, 36 were received from employers, 35 from members of the public and 4 from the Board of NMBI. 

In 2023, 39 matters were dealt with by undertakings and/or consents (14) and non-prima facie cases (25) at the Preliminary Proceedings Committee stage. This represents 0.044% of the total number of nurses and midwives on the Register. 

In 2023, 40 inquiries were held by NMBI. Of these inquiries, 20% of the registrants were male and 80% were female.

Seventeen sanctions were imposed by the Board in addition to the undertakings in the period covered in the report. 

NMBI President, Dr Louise Kavanagh McBride, said: “I am delighted to publish our first State of Complaints report. As part of our Statement of Strategy 2023-2025, we committed to compiling and publishing our findings about complaints to NMBI and fitness to practise inquiries. The data in this report will assist us to make improvements that will benefit everyone involved in the fitness to practise process.” 

NMBI Interim Chief Executive, Carolyn Donohoe, remarked, “This publication provides a snapshot of matters concluded for 2023. It is important to highlight that most of our registrants uphold the principles of the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Nurses and Registered Midwives and only a very small number of nurses and midwives were the subject of a complaint. In the years to come, we intend to gather more in-depth data with the aim of developing learnings which can be widely circulated. We believe this data will provide registrants with a greater understanding of the fitness to practise process. In addition, the information will assist us in streamlining our processes.” 

The report is now available on our website.

We have published the site inspection monitoring report for the Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland, University of Medicine and Health Sciences.

The report provides an ongoing monitoring update of the site inspection conducted by NMBI in May 2024. The report is collated six months after the Board approve the site inspection and is based on information provided by the RCSI in collaboration with their practice partners.

As part of our role as a regulator, we assess and approve all undergraduate programmes leading to registration in nursing and midwifery. To ensure these education programmes are of a high standard, we conduct site inspections of university and college departments as well as their partner placement sites. These reports provide an in-depth look at each education programme and include a summary of the commendations, conditions and recommendations for best practice in professional education.

We would like to thank the RCSI and their practice partners for their collaboration with the process.

The report is now available to read on our website.

We would like to advise all mature applicants applying for nursing or midwifery undergraduate degree programmes of the information for 2025. 

If you know a mature applicant who is considering a career in nursing or midwifery, please share this information with them. 

If they are applying as a mature student, they must be 23 years of age or over by 1 January 2025.  

The CAO has provided useful information specifically for mature applicants which can be found on the CAO website. The closing date for applicants to the CAO is 5pm on 1 February 2025 however, the CAO does have a late application facility which will be available from 12pm on 5 March 2025 until 5pm on 1 May 2025.  

Applicants must have a valid Central Applications Office (CAO) application number and must be successful in the three assessment tests which will be available to take later in the year. 

Registration for the nursing and midwifery assessment tests is expected to open in mid-March and the tests are due to take place at the end of April. Please note that this is subject to change and we advise all mature applicants to check the NMBI website for updates as the test dates will be published in the coming weeks. 

For further information, please refer to our 2025 Entry Requirements for Mature Applicants guide.

The Board of NMBI has made decisions as to the consent to censure and/or undertakings applicable under section 65 of the Act arising from two complaints.

The findings are published in full on NMBI's Findings and Decisions page.

We are inviting expressions of interest from registrants and members of the public to fill a number of vacancies on our Fitness to Practise Committee (FTPC). There are currently three vacancies for registrants and four vacancies for members of the public on this committee.

• Registrant applicants must hold current registration with NMBI in both nursing and midwifery and be engaged in clinical practice.
• Public interest representatives must not be, and never have been, registered as a nurse or as a midwife in this or in any other jurisdiction.

How to apply

1. Read the information booklet carefully.
2. Submit a cover letter setting out your suitability for the role. If you are a registrant quote your NMBI PIN in your cover letter.
3. Attach a CV of not more than two pages including the names and contact details of two referees (not related to you).
4. Return by email to Orla Coady at ocoady@nmbi.ie by Wednesday, 26 February 2025 at 12 noon.

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.