Membership
If you are on the Active Register of An Bord Altranais in the RGN or RPHN divisions and are currently working as a Practice Nurse alongside a GP in the Republic of Ireland, you are eligible for membership of the Irish Practice Nurses Association.
For more details on the eligibility criteria and information on how to join, please CLICK HERE.
Feedback from IPNA members
"The IPNA is a terrific resource for new practice nurses and for those not so new. It assists me in my professional development through regular educational meetings and the email alerts keep me up to date with what’s going on. The association is invaluable in terms of peer support and friendship as many PNs work in isolation"
IPNA member (North East)
"After 15yrs membership I am still attending meetings and learning all the time. Peer support and excellent clinical up-dates helped me to establish and maintain my role. Any isolation in practice that I felt initially was soon alleviated by shared experiences, depth of knowledge and generosity of spirit that was shown by all members. IPNA membership continues to be a positive and enriching experience for me." IPNA member (North East)
"As practice nurses, we often work alone amongst a team of other professionals. It is great to have the support of an organisation that is always there for advice and help. The Cork branch has been amazing and really enhances my enjoyment of the job. The journal is useful, the meetings are also useful and the clinical days the Cork branch have organised have been fantastic."
IPNA member (Cork)
"The Association has always provided excellent clinical and professional support and encouragement to grow as a Practice Nurse. Every meeting or conference you attend gives more ideas and you arrive back to the practice brimming with plans. Some developed brilliantly and some get lost in the list of appointments waiting. The most important value of being a member is belonging to a fantastic group of forward thinking determined professionals who support each other through good times and often the bad times. Some of my closest friendships have been formed through the IPNA." IPNA Member (East Coast)
"I have found the text alerts re education invaluable. I would never hear about these things without being a member of the IPNA. Meetings are a nice opportunity to meet other nurses and to compare the different roles we play within various practices because as we know every place of work is different!" IPNA member (Cork)
"I joined the IPNA Louth Meath group 3 years ago when I was new to practice nursing. The support I received from networking with other practice nurses was invaluable. I have remained an active member since and look forward to our meetings which are always interesting, educational and benefit me greatly. The regular emails keep me updated to new changes in practice and new courses available to attend. I would feel very isolated as a practice nurse without the IPNA." IPNA member (Louth/Meath)
Benefits of Membership
- Invitation to each monthly educational meeting of your local branch, which will include a speaker who has been carefully chosen by the branch committee to talk about a subject that is relevant to Practice Nursing in your area and update you on the latest guidelines / best practice.
- Invitation to the annual IPNA Educational Conference/AGM. All aspects of the conference, i.e. theme, speakers, clinical workshops, poster display area, research presentations, awards and exhibitors, are specifically relevant to Practice Nurses.
- Free delivery of “Nursing in General Practice”, the official Journal of the Irish Practice Nurses Association.
- Free IPNA Resource Pack and Personal Portfolio – to assist you with maintaining records of your Continuing Professional Development.
- Exclusive access to the members’ area of this website - which contains Discussion Boards on various topics, updated pages for your Professional Development Portfolio and other relevant documents.
- The option to receive e-mail and / or text messages about relevant issues, education, study days, etc.
- The option to receive information by post from sources other than IPNA regarding relevant study days, courses, products etc.
- Invaluable contact with other Practice Nurses in your area. The chance to network, share information and learn from more experienced Practice Nurses, as well as the general peer support provided by colleagues, is often cited by members as one of the most beneficial aspects of IPNA membership.
CLICK HERE for flyer on the benefits of membership.
To download a membership form, please click on the link below:
Membership Application Form for 2011
Completed membership forms should be posted, along with a cheque/postal order/bank draft made out to "Irish Practice Nurses Association" and a copy of your current An Bord Altranais Certificate, to:
Tracey Rooney, IPNA Membership Secretary, Dundrockan, Donaghmoyne, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan.