Frequently Asked Questions:
What qualifications do I need to become a Practice Nurse?

Minimum Requirements:

A Practice Nurse must be a Registered General Nurse, (i.e. on the Live Active RGN Register of An Bord Altranais).

Additional Qualifications:

The range of nursing care and extended roles which may be provided by a Practice Nurse is extensive. Each Practice Nurse, like all other nurses, must practise within his/her own Scope of Practice, (see “Scope of Nursing and Midwifery Practice Framework, 2000”, available from An Bord Altranais) and "must take measures to develop and maintain the competence necessary for professional practice" (Code of Conduct, available from An Bord Altranais). Therefore, Practice Nurses have a responsibility to ensure that they are suitably qualified and competent to undertake all aspects of their role. The autonomous nature of practice nursing means that issues pertaining to the Scope of Practice require constant reflection and vigilance on the part of the individual nurse.

Any Practice Nurse who practises midwifery must be a Registered Midwife, i.e. on the current Midwives Register of An Bord Altranais. There is also a requirement for a Practice Nurse who practises midwifery to notify their local HSE office (annually in January of each year) of their intention to practise midwifery in the community. For further information, please refer to the An Bord Altranais document “Practice Standards for Midwives”, July 2010.
 

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