About Us

Note:

AN BORD ALTRANAIS

An Bord Altranais (The Nursing Board) is the statutory regulatory body for the nursing/midwifery profession in Ireland. Its main functions relate to the promotion of high standards of professional education and training and professional conduct among nurses/midwives including:

• the maintenance of the Register of Nurses
• the control of the education and training of student nurses/midwives and the post-registration education and training of nurses/midwives
• the operation of fitness to practice procedures
• the ensuring of compliance with European Union Directives on nursing and midwifery.

The present Board was established under the Nurses Act, 1985. It consists of twenty-nine members, seventeen of whom are nurses and midwives elected by the nursing profession and the remainder, appointed by the Minister for Health and Children, are representative of the Department of Health and Children, the medical profession, the management of the health services, educational interests and the general public.

Upon successful completion of an education programme, a student nurse/midwife may apply to register in the appropriate part of the Register maintained by An Bord Altranais. The attention of applicants is drawn to the provisions of Section 28 (5) of the Nurses Act, 1985, whereby:

Nothing in this section shall operate to prevent the Board from refusing to register the name of any person, who is otherwise entitled to be registered, on the grounds of the unfitness of that person to engage in the practice of nursing.

Nursing/Midwifery is both a physically and mentally challenging profession. In any event where the Board considers an application for registration it will consider any information relating to the professional conduct and/or fitness of an applicant to engage in nursing/midwifery practice.

The Board may only consider such applications at the point of application for registration. Decisions pursuant to Section 28 (5) of the Nurses Act, 1985, are not made at point of entry to a nursing/midwifery education programme or at any time during a nursing/midwifery education programme.

In any such consideration, the Board may also consider any prior convictions of an Applicant.

In any such consideration, the Board will consider each case on an individual basis, and the Applicant will be invited to make written representation to the Board in the matter, will be invited to attend such Board meeting to make such representation, or may be represented at such meeting.

Any Applicant subject to a decision by the Board to refuse registration pursuant to Section 28 (5) of the Nurses Act, 1985, may apply to the High Court for cancellation of this decision pursuant to Section 28 (7) of the Act.

Please contact An Bord Altranais in regard to any general queries that you may have in regard to this section of the Act. Any personal queries in regard to this section of the Act should be brought to the attention of your nurse Education Programme Director at your point of entry to training or at any time during your nurse/midwife education programme.
 
NURSING CAREERS CENTRE

Set up under the management of An Bord Altranais in November 1998, the Nursing Careers Centre (NCC) is responsible for:

THE PROCESSING OF MATURE CODE APPLICATIONS TO THE PRE-REGISTRATION HONOURS DEGREE PROGRAMMES

The NCC is committed to the principles of good recruiting practice. These principles involve fair and impartial selection of the best candidates for the pre-registration honours degree programmes. In carrying out this function, the NCC works closely with:

• the Central Applications Office (CAO) to which application is made
• the Higher Education Institutions
• the Public Appointments Service (PAS) regarding the written assessment
• the personnel involved in the interview.

THE PROMOTION AND MARKETING OF NURSING

In carrying out this function, the NCC works closely with all the key stakeholders involved in the education and training of student nurses/midwives, including the Department of Health and Children, personnel in healthcare agencies, the national promotion and marketing liaison group, personnel in Higher Education Institutions, and personnel in the second-level education sector, including guidance counsellors, and many others.

THE PROVISION OF INFORMATION TO REGISTERED NURSES AND MIDWIVES

The NCC has developed the publication Nursing/Midwifery: Career Development. Post Registration Courses, outlining various post-registration education opportunities for Registered Nurses and Midwives. Refer Further Education on this website.