November 23, 2023
NMBI has today published its State of the Register 2023 report, revealing a total of 79,489 nurses and midwives currently practising in Ireland. The figure represents a 5% increase in the number of practising, compared to 75,871 last year.
NMBI has today published its State of the Register 2023 report, revealing a total of 79,489 nurses and midwives currently practising in Ireland. The figure represents a 5% increase in the number of practising, compared to 75,871 last year.
The report, which is now published annually, provides a detailed breakdown of the number of nurses and midwives registered in Ireland. All nurses and midwives who wish to practise in Ireland must be registered with NMBI.
This year’s report indicates a steady growth in nurses and midwives registered in Ireland, underscoring the resilience of both professions and the sustained interest in critical healthcare roles. The data shows that, as of 1 June 2023, there are 84,948 nurses and midwives registered; a 4% increase on the previous year and the largest number of registrants held by NMBI. There are 70,969 nurses and midwives in patient-facing roles (an increase of 7%).
The 2023 figures show a 27% year on year (6,257) increase in new registrants joining the NMBI Register. New registrants include nurses and midwives qualified in Ireland, the EU and non-EU countries. The highest percentage increases in new registrants are in the General Nurses Division and the Midwives Division.
The majority of new registrants in the past year came from non-EU countries. In the period of this report, 1,584 new registrants qualified in Ireland (up 2%), 4,542 qualified outside the EU (up 50%) and 131 qualified in EU countries (down 64%). Since 2022, UK registrants are no longer included in EU figures.
Nurses and midwives educated outside of Ireland play an essential role in the Irish health system. In 2023, the top overseas countries from which new registrants came were India (3,272), Philippines (560), United Kingdom (232) and Zimbabwe (169). There were 250 new registrants from the UK in 2022 as opposed to 232 in 2023.
From 1 June 2022 to 31 May 2023, NMBI issued 10,679 Decision Letters, to overseas applicants. Getting a Decision Letter is an essential step in the process of overseas nurses and midwives applying to join the register. For most applicants, it allows them, to fulfil a required compensation measure, before applying to join the Register.
Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly commented on the report, stating, "This is a very welcome report and of interest to all of those involved in healthcare in Ireland. These figures from the State of the Register 2023 are a testament to the work of NMBI in supporting and enhancing our nursing and midwifery professions. We can see the policy on Advance Practice coming to fruition, as the report shows a 23% increase in Advanced Nurse Practitioners and a 43% increase in Advanced Midwife Practitioners. Having access to these figures enables policymakers to ensure that Ireland's healthcare system is fit for purpose today and into the future".
Chief Nursing Officer, Rachel Kenna, added, ‘I am particularly pleased to see a 7% increase in the numbers of nurses and midwives working directly with patients. Nurses and midwives play a pivotal role in the provision of coordinated, safe and high quality care, and seeing the increase in numbers at the point of the patient reflects positively that we are planning appropriately and effectively for the future of patient focused care delivery across the health care system."
NMBI President, Dr Louise McBride, said: "The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland is pleased to publish this year’s State of the Register report. We are delighted to see the nursing and midwifery professions growing. These numbers not only represent statistics but real individuals dedicating their lives to the betterment of healthcare in Ireland. The data in this report is essential for ensuring that we maintain and improve the standards of care and safety that we aspire to as professionals. I commend the NMBI team, and I encourage all nurses and midwives to read this report and reflect on its implications for their practice."
NMBI CEO, Sheila McClelland, remarked, “The State of the Register report provides valuable insights into the profile, trends and challenges of our nursing and midwifery workforce. It is our hope that it will help policy makers and service providers to plan and resource our services in a way that meets the current and future needs of our patients, service users and communities.”
The full State of the Register 2023 report provides an in-depth look into the registration data for the nursing and midwifery professions in Ireland.
It is available for download on the State of the Register section of our website.