In early June, we hosted a group of delegates representing nursing from various US states. 

The group was led by Carol Huston, a nurse educator and former Director of School of Nursing and Professor Emerita at California State University.

The group included nurse educationalists, clinical and advanced practice representatives and a student nurse. They met with our Education, Policy and Standards Department in our offices in Blackrock.

The meeting allowed for cross-cultural information sharing and learning. We discussed the similarities and differences between Ireland and the United States with regards to the training and education of healthcare professionals, as well as Code of Conduct and scope of practice. The conversations included:

• Nursing education in Ireland, specifically innovative teaching strategies.
• The move to community health nursing in Ireland, in line with Sláintecare.
• Preceptorship models, and the importance of nurturing the culture of nursing between student nurses and experienced nurses in Ireland.
• The retention and recruitment challenges to the nursing and midwifery professions in Ireland.
• Developing new pathways into the professions of nursing and midwifery.

We look forward to continuing to engage with international colleagues to support the education of nurses and midwives in Ireland.