The poll to elect three registrants to be members of the Board of NMBI closed on Wednesday, 2 October 2024.

The successful candidates are: 

The appointment of each candidate is subject to confirmation by the Minister for Health.

In September, we were delighted to attend the National Ploughing Championships to promote awareness of NMBI and the professions. We met with the public, our nursing and midwifery colleagues as well as future nurses and midwives.

Almost 250,000 people visited the championships which were held in Ratheniska, Co Laois from 17 and 19 September.

NMBI representatives were on hand to provide information about our role as a regulator, as well as engaging with second level students to promote the professions and highlight the diverse career prospects available to anyone considering a career in nursing and midwifery.

We also provided hands on CPR experience at our stand which gave attendees the chance to learn how to resuscitate someone with chest compressions.

Our team were pleased to meet with Taoiseach, Simon Harris; Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Minister Alan Dillon at the event.

We would like to thank student nurses Molly Connole, University of Galway; Katherine Cooling Reid, Trinity College Dublin and student midwife Shannon McHugh, University of Galway who were fantastic ambassadors for the professions and made a great impression on young visitors to the stand.

A special word of thanks to our colleagues from Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise; the NMPDU and Regional Hospital Mullingar for their support and giving their time to help at our stand. They are: Marie Heffernan; Fiona Moore; Jackie Farrington; Padraic Dolan; Vicki Hayes; Jennifer Lalor;  Yvonne Young; Sandra Hinchin; Sarah Roche; Shaunagh Doran; Jeremiah Nally; Cora Brennan and Grainne Keena.

We received very positive feedback and we hope that, as part of our commitment to promote the professions, we encouraged people to choose a career that makes a difference.

We will continue to promote the professions and you can keep up to date with our campaign by following us on Instagram @nmbi_ie through the hashtags: #CareerinNursing #CareerinMidwifery #ACareerThatMakesADifference

Pictured (L to R): Ciarán Buggle, Director of Complaints and Fitness to Practise, IMC; Carolyn Donohoe, Interim CEO, NMBI; Mr Justice David Barniville, President of the High Court of Ireland; Orla Crowe, Director of Fitness to Practise, NMBI and Yvonne Clancy, Interim CEO, IMC

On 27 September, in partnership with CORU; the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland; the Veterinary Council; the Dental Council and the Medical Council of Ireland, we hosted a healthcare regulator fitness to practise (FTP) conference.

The theme was ‘The Case for Reform in Fitness to Practise Matters’ and the gathering follows the successful inaugural event hosted by NMBI and the Medical Council last year.

It was a unique opportunity for those involved in regulation to discuss topics relating to the sanctions and the discourse of the FTP model.

Mr Justice Barniville, President of High Court of Ireland and Remy Farrell SC presided over the conference and facilitated the discussions.

Opening the event, attendees heard from our Interim Chief Executive, Carolyn Donohoe and the Chief Nursing Officer, Department of Health, Rachel Kenna.

Pictured (L to R): Niamh Muldoon, CEO, Veterinary Council; Joanne Kissane, Registrar and Chief Officer, PSI; David O'Flynn, CEO, Dental Council; Yvonne Clancy, Interim CEO, Irish Medical Council; Rossa Fanning, Attorney General; Carolyn Donohoe, Interim CEO, NMBI and Claire O'Cleary, Interim CEO, CORU

Speakers at the event included Patrick Leonard SC; Gary Rice, DAC Beachcroft; Tricia Skeffington BL; Eileen Barrington SC; Stephen McLoughlin, AG Law; Patricia Dillon SC; William Kennedy, IMC and Graham Mockler, Director of Regulation and Accreditation at the UK Professional Standards Authority.

Rossa Fanning, Attorney General closed the conference.

Graham Mockler, PSA UK; Stephen McLoughlin, AG Law; Rossa Fanning, Attorney General; Remy Farrell SC and William Kennedy, IMC

We would like to thank President Barniville and Remy Farrell for facilitating the discussions, and the speakers for sharing their valuable insights.

A special thanks also to everyone to CORU; the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland; the Veterinary Council; the Dental Council and the Medical Council for their support in hosting the conference.

William Kennedy, IMC; Patricia Dillon SC; Remy Farrell SC; Stephen McLoughlin, AG Law and Graham Mockler, PSA UK

The Irish Times Higher Options fair took place last month and NMBI, in partnership with our colleagues from the Office of Nursing and Midwifery Service Director (ONMSD), were there to meet with second level students from across the country.

The event took place from 25 to 27 September at the RDS in Dublin and provided secondary school students with information on choosing further and higher-level courses.

Every year, we attend Higher Options as part of our continued commitment to promote the professions and encourage students to consider a career in nursing and midwifery.

NMBI and the ONMSD, along with our nursing and midwifery colleagues, met thousands of students over the three days. We were also joined by newly qualified nurses and midwives who spoke with students about their experiences of college life and clinical practical placements.

We took part in panel discussions where panellists shared their experiences with aspiring nurses and midwives. This is one of the most popular aspects of Higher Options and we were delighted to see a high level of interest again this year. We would like to thank all the panellists for sharing their insights and for helping us to promote the professions.

We would also like to thank the ONMSD for their continued support of this event.

If you know someone who is interested in a nursing or a midwifery career, they can find out more on our website.

We have published two new position statements on the Guiding Principles for Telehealth Nursing and Midwifery, and Practice Learning Experience for Undergraduate Nursing and Midwifery Registration Programmes.

Guiding Principles for Telehealth Nursing and Midwifery

Telehealth relates to any service where healthcare is delivered remotely using technology. Telehealth can improve efficiency in delivery and access to health care. In recent years many nursing and midwifery services are delivered via telehealth, with services including triage, advice, support, consultation for minor ailments, home nursing and nursing diagnoses. Telehealth is quickly evolving in healthcare and is often challenging to regulate.

NMBI supports the American National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) Guiding Principles for Telehealth Nursing (2022) which were developed following extensive research and consultation to provide a regulatory solution to borderless healthcare delivery for registered nurses and midwives.

These evidence-based principles were developed with international regulatory bodies to augment public protection and provide a basis for increased communication, enhanced understanding, and shared research across jurisdictions. As an associate member of the NCSBN, NMBI is endorsing these practice principles for nurses and midwives working in telehealth in Ireland.

Practice Learning Experience for Undergraduate Nursing and Midwifery Registration Programmes

Practice learning experience is an integral part of undergraduate nursing and midwifery education programmes that lead to registration with NMBI. Practice learning environments positively impact a students' professional development by enabling them to apply theory to practice, develop new skills and gain competence.

NMBI has developed guiding principles that support education bodies and associated practice partners who wanted to explore more innovative and flexible ways of providing alternative approaches to achieving learning outcomes.

You can read each of the position statements in full here.

Last month, members of NMBI spoke at the Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation’s (CLEAR) 44th Annual Educational Conference in America.

The conference, which took place from 16 to 19 September in Baltimore, Maryland, brings together more than 500 members of the regulatory community from across North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

CLEAR promotes regulatory excellence through conferences, educational programs, webinars, seminars and symposia. The organisation provides networking opportunities, publications and research services for those involved with, or affected by, professional and occupational regulation.

Our Interim Chief Executive, Carolyn Donohoe and our Director of Registration Dr Ray Healy spoke about the use of information and communication technologies to improve health, healthcare services and facilitate wellness.

Ray also took part in panel discussions about supporting regulation of a global workforce and advancing ethical international recruitment of healthcare workers amidst global staffing shortages.

Our Liaison Officer, Niamh McDonald gave a presentation about the implementation of compassion in regulatory investigations and spoke about how NMBI is utilising undertakings and/or consents to bring fitness to practise (FTP) complaints against nurses and midwives to an earlier conclusion. She provided an analysis of the type of cases in which the process was used and how NMBI can use an evidence-based approach to improve the overall outcome for public safety and practitioner wellbeing.

We are mandated by the Nurses and Midwives Act 2011, as amended to set and publish standards and requirements for specialist nursing and midwifery education programmes.  

In July this year, our Education, Policy and Standards Department began work to revise the standards and requirements for post-registration specialist education programmes. As part of our work in developing this document, we held a one-day workshop with a group of subject experts on 30 September.

The group consisted of representatives from clinical specialist practice; the Chief Nursing Office at the Department of Health; the HSE; Centres of Nursing and Midwifery Education; the Office of the Nursing and Midwifery Services Director; the Technological Higher Education Association; the Irish Universities Association; Quality and Qualifications Ireland and public representative bodies. 

The workshop was a productive collaboration with our colleagues and we thank them for their input. The draft document is being prepared for the public consultation.

Pictured (L to R): Carolyn Donohoe, NMBI Interim CEO and Dr Louise Kavanagh McBride, NMBI President

Our President, Dr Louise Kavanagh McBride and Interim CEO, Carolyn Donohoe were invited by the Italian Federation of Nursing Regulators (FNOPI) Executive Board to attend the 2nd International Congress of Nursing Regulators. The congress focused on ‘Nursing Regulation to Sustain Health Innovation’ and was held in Rome on 10 October.  

Pictured (L to R): Sylvie Crawford, College of Nurses of Ontario, Canada; Carolyn Donohoe, NMBI Interim CEO; Dr Louise Kavanagh McBride, NMBI President; Christine Penney and Cynthia Johansen, British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives, Canada.

NMBI presented on the Irish regulatory position in relation to education, workforce and advanced practice, as part of a Europe wide panel with Italy, Portugal, Greece, France and Germany. 

A second day was hosted by the Italian Department of Health and a fellow Irish nursing colleague from the faculty of RCSI presented on World Health Organisation research collaboratives and colleagues from UCD presented on advanced practice in Ireland. 

Pictured left (L to R): Fiona Timmons, UCD Head of School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems and Dr Louise Kavanagh McBride, NMBI President

Our Fitness to Practise Department has been working hard to progress the Compassion Project and promote our emotional support service for everyone involved in the fitness to practise (FTP) process.

Early this year, Niamh McDonald was appointed as NMBI’s new Liaison Officer and is available to provide general information and support about:

• the complaints process
• specific requirements or accessibility arrangements, and
• other organisations that can help.

Her role is different from a Case Officer who manages a complaint and communicates directly with those involved. She cannot discuss the evidence or any details of the complaint.

To help our readers understand the FTP process, we spoke to Niamh about the supports that are available to everyone involved.

Can you tell our readers about the different support services available and who can access them?

We are aware that the process can be a worrying and stressful time for those concerned. There are two main services available, a 24/7 emotional support careline and structured counselling services.

The service aims to support registrants, witnesses and complainants appropriately through the fitness to practise proceedings.

It is available if you have had a complaint raised about you, or indeed you have raised a concern to the NMBI or if you are a witness in an investigation. The service is available from the start to the end of the process and any time in between. Once the NMBI process is complete, the service can be available to you, if required, to support you with the outcome and to help you move forward. This support may include signposting you to other organisations.

What can people expect when they contact the emotional support careline?

The emotional support careline is a free and confidential careline that you can contact 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a week for in the moment support completely free and confidential. You can talk to a trained support worker about how you are feeling, this could be about an ongoing NMBI investigation or about the events that gave rise to these concerns. You might also want to talk to somebody about how it has impacted you.

The support worker will listen and guide you through what can be a difficult time. If it is practical help and advise you need, they will talk you through your options. The service is free, independent and non-judgemental.

The support worker will not be aware of any details relating to the investigation unless you wish to share it with them. No information is shared with us or our legal team from them.

Can you tell us about the counselling service?

If you require it, you can attend six sessions of structured counselling services. This is a short-term therapeutic approach that is intended to target specific goals within a limited number of sessions. The counselling service aims to provide quick and effective solutions to address the immediate concerns of the individual. The providers will try to arrange the first session within two weeks of the referral being made. 

Therapy can be delivered face to face, in person, by video or telephone.

How do people access support?

Access can be made on a self-referral basis. You can call or email the service. The contact details are below. 

If you have hearing problems, you should email them and they can arrange to put additional supports in place to assist you. If you require assistance in another language, you should email the provider with your request and they will arrange for the initial call to be made in your native language.

When you speak with the qualified counsellor, they will offer either in the moment support and if appropriate, an assessment will be done. If needed, you will be matched with a clinically appropriate counsellor to schedule an appointment.    

It is important that witnesses, registrants and complaints should always refer to their Trade Union, if you are a member, for all legal matters relating to the FTP process.

Contacting the emotional support service

• Freephone: 1800 849 163

If you are calling outside the Republic of Ireland, dial +44 121 435 0089. Please note that local charges may apply.

• Email: assist@cicwellbeing.com

You can contact the NMBI Liaison Officer at liaison@nmbi.ie or call 087 758 8369.

Further details on how to access the support service, as well as details of other organisations and agencies in Ireland that can provide advocacy or support services, can be found on our website.