Pictured (L to R): Kathyann Barrett; Céire Rochford; Jeanne Tarrant; Sheila McClelland: Dr Louise Kavanagh McBride; Kate Cassidy; Carolyn Donohoe and Roisin McLoughlin 

The NMBI Series began in Waterford on 5 September.

Céire Rochford, Director of CNME South-East welcomed everyone to the first event in the Series which was co-hosted with the Regional Centre of Nursing and Midwifery Education, HSE South-East.

Opening the 2023 Series, Dr Louise Kavanagh McBride, President, NMBI, explained that the Series follows on from the inaugural Summer Series in 2022, and builds on the open conversations which took place during last year’s Series. “I especially want to thank the HSE Centres for Nursing and Midwifery Education for working collaboratively with NMBI to create the Partnership in Practice Series,” she said. 

Kathyann Barrett, Head of Operations, NMBI gave attendees in Waterford a first look at the State of the Register for 2023, which reports on how many nurses and midwives are registered, practising and patient-facing in the country. NMBI has a relatively new, digital system in place that allows us, with your help, to capture this data. 

We were delighted to be joined in Waterford by Róisín McLoughlin, National Education Lead, ONMSD who is new to the role, since July. Róisín gave an overview of continuing professional development training and education opportunities for registered nurses and registered midwives.

Pictured above: Attendees of the NMBI Series 2023 in Waterford

Céire Rochford explained that CNME South-East represents the voice and education needs of registrants in that area and has undertaken a training needs analysis to ensure that they are delivering on what is required.

Director of Education, Policy and Standards at NMBI, Carolyn Donohoe, told the attendees that NMBI was doing a check-in on the health and wellbeing of the nursing and midwifery workforce as well as sharing information about what resources are available regionally. “It is up to all of us, from policy makers to directors of nursing and leaders, to ensure the wellbeing of our staff,” she said.

Continuing the focus on wellbeing, Kate Cassidy Assistant Head of Service, Health and Wellbeing CHO5 (South Tipperary, Carlow/Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford) gave a lively presentation on the importance of making every contact count.

Jeanne Tarrant, NMBI Fitness to Practise Officer, gave a presentation on the latest trends in Fitness to Practise complaints, the importance of the Code of Conduct and its practical application, with Sheila McClelland, CEO NMBI stressing that the earlier we intervene the better.

The event in Waterford was filmed by Visual Narrative and can be watched back on our YouTube channel.

Pictured above: Attendees of the NMBI Series 2023 in Waterford

Pictured above: Attendees during the questions and answers sessions

Photography by Patrick Browne, Browne’s Photography.

Pictured (L to R) Back row: Jeanne Tarrant: Kathyann Barrett; Carolyn Donohoe; Priscilla Lyons;

Daniel Newman; Dr Louise Kavanagh McBride and Bernadette Galvin

Front row (L to R): Róisín McLoughlin; Dr Elizabeth Heffernan; Sheila McClelland; Elizabeth Myers:

Gillian McCarthy and Fionnula Hunt

The second event in Series was held at the Rose Hotel, Tralee, Co Kerry on Thursday, 7 September. It was co-hosted with the Regional Centre of Nursing and Midwifery Education, HSE South.

Dr Elizabeth Heffernan, Director of CNME Kerry welcomed everyone to Tralee, promising it would be an informative and enjoyable opportunity to engage with colleagues.

“As someone working in the higher education sector, it is very evident the enormous contribution made by the CNMEs including Level 8/QQI programmes that focus on life-long learning. There are great opportunities available in education and training, which are supported and funded by the Office of the Nursing and Midwifery Services Director (ONMSD),” said Dr Louise Kavanagh McBride, NMBI President.

Kathyann Barrett, Head of Operations, NMBI again shared data from the State of the Register for 2023, which NMBI now collects digitally. She outlined that from a regulatory perspective, the three pillars of NMBI’s work are annual renewal, education and fitness to practise.

NMBI CEO Sheila McClelland said: “The NMBI Series celebrates and recognises opportunities available to nurses and midwives in their professional careers. In addition to presentations on the State of the Register for 2023 and recent trends in Fitness to Practise complaints, we welcome the opportunity to hear about continuing professional development training and education opportunities for nurses and midwives in practice. It is important for NMBI to hear from nurses and midwifes on the ground, as well as clinical experts and academics. Active engagement with our registrants and stakeholders can only advance the position of nurses and midwives,” she said. 

Pictured above: Attendees of the NMBI Series in Tralee

Róisín McLoughlin, National Education Lead, ONMSD detailed the opportunities for registered nurses and registered midwives in the area of continuing professional development training and education.

On the panel discussing Continuing Professional Development Training and Education for Registered Nurses and Registered Midwives were Dr Elizabeth Heffernan, Director of Nursing and Midwifery Education and CNME Teams; Gillian McCarthy and Daniel Newman, Mental Health Nurse Tutors; Priscilla Lyons and Fionnula Hunt, Specialist Co-ordinators, Midwifery and Bernadette Galvin and Elizabeth Myers, Specialist Co-ordinators, Nursing.

Pictured (L to R) Top row: Gillian McCarthy; Priscilla Lyons and Bernadette Galvin

Bottom row: Fionnula Hunt; Daniel Newman and Elizabeth Myers

A discussion on Health and Wellbeing for nurses and midwives was once again facilitated by Carolyn Donohoe, Director of Education, Policy and Standards at NMBI.

Jeanne Tarrant, NMBI Fitness to Practise Officer, gave a presentation on recent trends in Fitness to Practise complaints, the importance of the Code of Conduct and its practical application. 

Concluding the event, Dr Louise Kavanagh McBride, President, NMBI, thanked everyone for attending describing the morning as being insightful and thought provoking.

Pictured (L to R): Jeanne Tarrant: Dr Louise Kavanagh McBride and Carolyn Donohoe

The event in Tralee was filmed by Visual Narrative and can be watched back on our YouTube channel.

Pictured above: Attendees of the NMBI Series in Tralee

Photography by Domnick Walsh, Dominick Walsh Photography.

Pictured (L to R): Carolyn Donohoe; Marissa Butler; Sheila McClelland; Róisín McLoughlin;

Kathyann Barrett and Dr Louise Kavanagh McBride

The third event took place in Galway on 12 September.

Marissa Butler, Director of CNME Galway thanked everyone for taking time out of their busy lives to attend the third event in the NMBI Series, which took place in The Clayton Hotel, Galway on Tuesday, 12 September. The event was jointly hosted by the Regional Centre of Nursing and Midwifery Education, HSE Galway.

Welcoming attendees to Galway, Dr Louise Kavanagh McBride, President, NMBI said the Board’s role is to actively engage and listen. “There is an evolving manifesto, how do we enhance, motivate and encourage people to join the profession of nursing and midwifery,” she said.

Kathyann Barrett, Head of Operations, NMBI provided another snapshot of the State of the Register and told attendees that NMBI was still analysing the data, which would be published later in the autumn. This is the second year that NMBI will provide State of the Register data. 

Sheila McClelland, CEO NMBI stressed the need to encourage and invest in training nurses and midwives.

Róisín McLoughlin, National Education Lead, ONMSD detailed continuing professional development training and education opportunities for registered nurses and registered midwives.

Pictured above (L to R): Sheila McClelland and Róisín McLoughlin

Marissa Butler, Director CNME Galway then introduced the three CNMEs represented during the Galway event. We also heard the following presentations:

• Philip Parackel Augusthinose - simulation-based education
• Emer O’Donoghue - acute services education
• Mary Walsh - midwifery services
• Grainne Glacken - public health service education
• Bridget McGrath - mental health services
• Mairead Loftus - children and young people’s services
• Barbara Cunningham Tierney - Intellectual Disability service education.

Pictured above: Speakers at the NMBI Series in Galway

Orla Crowe, Director Fitness to Practise, NMBI gave a presentation on the Fitness to Practise complaints process and Christine Hughes, Professional Advisor, NMBI presented the nine grounds for the Preliminary Proceedings Committee (PPC).

Pictured above: Attendees of the NMBI Series in Galway

On behalf of the Board, Dr Louise Kavanagh McBride, President, NMBI said “I would like to thank the ONMSD and the CNMEs who partnered with us to host the Series, as well as my NMBI colleagues and Board members,”.

The event in Galway was filmed by Visual Narrative and can be watched back on our YouTube channel.

Pictured above: Attendees at the NMBI Series in Galway

Photography by Andrew Downes, Xposure.

Pictured (L to R): Vivienne Browne; Sheila McClelland; Dr Louise Kavanagh McBride and Mairead McGahon

The fourth and final event in the NMB Series – Partnership in Practise took place at The Fairways Hotel, Dundalk on Wednesday, 22 November. The event was jointly hosted by the Regional Centres of Nursing and Midwifery Education, HSE North-East and Dublin North.

Mairead McGahon, Director of CNME Louth/Meath/Cavan/Monaghan welcomed everyone to the event and thanked NMBI for working in collaboration with the CNME on the event.

Dr Louise Kavanagh McBride, President, NMBI opened the final event in the Series 2023, following on from the three successful events in collaboration with the HSE CNMEs in Waterford, Tralee and Galway. She said as the regulator, NMBI’s focus is patient centred and about public protection.

Dr Ray Healy, Director of Registration, NMBI gave a presentation on the State of the Register 2023. (The report was published the following day.) It shows a total of 79,489 nurses and midwives currently practising in Ireland. The figure represents a 5% increase in the number of practising, compared to 75,871 last year. The report is a useful tool for workforce planning as it outlines the trends amongst registrants. 

This year’s report is particularly valuable to NMBI and our healthcare colleagues as we can now provide a comparison to last year and identify areas of growth and potential gaps.

Pictured above: Attendees of the NMBI Series 2023 in Dundalk

Sheila McClelland, CEO NMBI said we need to look at smarter ways of the retention and recruitment of nurses and midwives.

Mairead McGahon, Director of CNME Louth/Meath/Cavan/Monaghan and Vivienne Browne, Director of CNME Dublin North outlined the education and development courses on offer for nurses and midwives in the region.

The point was made that said when assessing what is on offer, in terms of Continuous Professional Development, we should keep in mind the words of Florence Nightingale who said: We must be learning all of our lives.

Pictured (L to R): Mairead McGahon and Vivienne Browne

Paraphrasing WB Yeats Dr Louise Kavanagh McBride, President, NMBI, said education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. “We need to foster and nurture our graduates,” she said.

Carolyn Donohoe, Director of Education, Policy and Standards, NMBI delivered a presentation on Health and Wellbeing for nurses and midwives, while Tara Kearns and Lorraine Savage, HSE Health Promotion Officers showcased the health and wellbeing initiatives on offer to registrants in the region.

Pictured (L to R): Lorraine Savage; Tara Kearns and Carolyn Donohoe

Pictured (L to R): Orla Crowe and Angela Walsh

Orla Crowe, Director Fitness to Practise, NMBI and Angela Walsh, Fitness to Practise Officer, gave a presentation on the Fitness to Practise complaints process and the compassion project.

Bringing the Series to a close Dr Louise Kavanagh McBride, President, NMBI underlined the importance of committing time to release staff for education and training and how change brings with it many opportunities. She described the four events as a “wonderful showcase, reflective and food for thought.” 

The event in Dundalk was filmed by Visual Narrative and can be watched back on our YouTube channel.

Pictured above: Attendees of the NMBI Series 2023 in Dundalk

Photography by Aaron Stork. Stork Media.