NMBI launches Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Nurses and Registered Midwives

NMBI is pleased to launch the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Nurses and Registered Midwives. This is the key revised guidance document for nurses and midwives in Ireland.

NMBI has revised the Code, focusing on public safety by ensuring registered nurses and registered midwives practise safely, while upholding the integrity of the professions.

The Code now contains six principles – Respect, Accountability, Competence, Trust, Collaboration and Leadership - an increase from the previous five principles. Leadership is introduced as a new more explicit principle. 

Áine Lynch, NMBI Vice-President said “The Code is the key guide for over 90,000 registrants in Ireland. It is designed to protect nurses and midwives whose profession it is to care for others and who make a positive and beneficial impact on the Irish healthcare system and in particular on the delivery of patient care.” 

Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD said: “I very much welcome and commend NMBI for revising the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics which allows for better patient care as it has been revised to reflect the changing healthcare environment, including the use of technology, which will support national healthcare reform. It continues to empower nurses and midwives to articulate their values very clearly in every healthcare setting.”

The revised and updated Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Nurses and Registered Midwives incorporating the Scope and Professional Guidance, was approved by the Board of NMBI in November 2024. 

NMBI is mandated by law to do this - The Nurses and Midwives Act 2011, as amended, states that “The Board shall specify standards of practice for registered nurses and registered midwives, including the establishment, publication, maintenance and review of a code of professional conduct for registered nurses and registered midwives”.

Every registrant needs to know, understand and comply with the Code to keep their practice safe, and are measured against the Code.

NMBI Interim Chief Executive, Carolyn Donohoe described the Code as the primary, authoritative guide to professional practice. 

“Healthcare is more complex with people presenting increasingly more complex needs and vulnerabilities, this new modern Code will become the bedrock for safe, compassionate practice across the country,” she said.

The review of the Code was led by NMBI Interim Director of Education, Policy and Standards, Lorraine Clarke Bishop. The aim was to set clear, relevant standards in line with the modern expectations of the public and of service users. The review also acknowledged the significant changes in nursing and midwifery. 

“By integrating the Scope and other the key guidance documents into the Code, we believe we have developed a more concise and user-friendly resource for our registrants,” said NMBI Interim Director of Education, Policy and Standards, Lorraine Clarke Bishop. 

“As our primary authoritative document, the Code is key to patient safety. It will guide ethical decision making when caring for patients, service users and their families. We believe the Code promotes the professional values that underpin safe, effective, evidence-based practice,” said NMBI Interim Chief Executive, Carolyn Donohoe.

The changes to the revised Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics  

The Code now incorporates and replaces the following documents:

• The Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Nurses and Registered Midwives (2021)
• The Scope of Nursing and Midwifery Practice Framework (2015)
• Ethical Conduct in Research (2015)
• Recording Clinical Practice (2015)
• Social Media and Social Networking (2013)

There six principles in the Code, an increase from the previous five principles. Leadership is introduced as a new principle and the principles are now described with one word: 

• Respect
• Accountability
• Competence
• Trust
• Collaboration
• Leadership

There is a values statement under each principle that is grounded in ethics.