Martina Hughes, Assistant Director of Nursing, Nurse Practice Development Unit at Mercy University Hospital, Cork reflects on the Code in practice.

Pictured above: Martina Hughes, Assistant Director of Nursing, Nurse Practice Development Unit with her colleagues from Mercy University Hospital

“Individuals have a right to receive safe high-quality care from competent practitioners who work within their scope of practice” (Principle 3: Competence, Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Nurses and Registered Midwives Incorporating the Scope of Practice and Professional Guidance, 2025). 

As a Pilot site for Maintaining and Managing Professional Competence (MMPC), the Nurse Practice Development Unit (NPDU) at Mercy University Hospital, Cork welcomed the launch of the new Code in February. 

We felt the Code was communicating with us in a relatable way. From the outset, the Code fitted us. It spoke our language. 

By defining and guiding what we do as a profession, the Code provides a framework for both safe nursing practise and nursing decisions. It enables us to meet our professional requirements. Patient safety is prioritised throughout the Code; it also is our safe space as nurses. 

The principles of the Code and the organisational values of Mercy University Hospital are closely aligned, and we bring these to our therapeutic interactions, to the bedside, the chair, or the bench outside, or wherever the opportunity for a therapeutic interaction takes place, the patient space. 

The Mercy Hospital's NPDU arranged information sessions on the Code following its launch. Short education sessions were facilitated from student nurses to Advanced Nurse Practitioners and every nurse in between participated. 

The sessions were held on the ‘link bridge’ which is a bright, busy thoroughfare connecting various parts of the hospital. We held the sessions at various times throughout the day, to capture both day and night staff. We decorated the area using posters, documentation, and information from the NMBI Code of Conduct. The education sessions were delivered using the Code, visual representation of the key points, focusing on the principles and conversations between Mercy Hospital's NPDU and staff. There was significant interest and curiosity about our sessions and much positive feedback followed from our patients, consultants, and members of the multidisciplinary team. 

Pictured above: Staff members from Mercy University Hospital

We explained to patients that: “their care and safety is our main concern and this Code makes sure of that”. Nursing staff commented on the clarity of the document and how it is easy to understand, the ‘must, must not and should’ aspect. They appreciated the sessions and were able to engage, ask questions and gain further clarity. Overall, an incredibly positive experience for NPDU and the wider nursing team. As the weeks have progressed the new Code has appeared in Medication Matters which is our NPDU quarterly publication based on trends in medication safety. 

Members of the team, while writing an abstract for a Care Metrics poster, instinctively linked the actions of monitoring and measuring care quality with the principles of Accountability and Competence in the Code. 

Reflecting on the Code in practice, it really is Exhibit A on the progress of nursing in Ireland.