November 19, 2024
NMBI has today published its State of the Register 2024 Report. As of 1 June 2024, there were 89,496 nurses and midwives registered with NMBI. This represents a 5% increase on the same time period from the previous year and is the largest number of registrants ever held by NMBI.
NMBI has today published its State of the Register 2024 Report. As of 1 June 2024, there were 89,496 nurses and midwives registered with NMBI. This represents a 5% increase on the same time period from the previous year and is the largest number of registrants ever held by NMBI.
84,213 nurses and midwives state that they are currently practising and 76,054 state they are patient-facing.
This is the third year that NMBI has published the State of the Register. Over the three-year period, the number of registered, practising and patient-facing nurses has increased. Since the Report in 2023, the number of practising nurses and midwives has increased by 6% and the number who are patient-facing has increased by 7%.
Most divisions have seen an increase in the number of registered, practising and patient-facing nurses and midwives. The largest increase was in the number of registered General Nurses (6%). Children’s Nurses and Psychiatric Nurses both saw a 1% increase.
While the overall number of registered Intellectual Disability Nurses has declined slightly (0.2%), the number of practising and patient-facing in this division has increased. The Midwives division was also down overall (3%), although the number of those practising and patient-facing has increased.
There has been a 14% increase in the number of new nurses and midwives joining the Register year on year. At the time of reporting there were 7,120 new registrants, which includes nurses and midwives who qualified in Ireland, the EU and non-EU countries.
As with last year, most new registrants came from non-EU countries, which includes the UK since 2022. The top countries of education of new overseas registrants were India (3,717), Philippines (828), United Kingdom (281) and Ghana (191).
Since 2023, there has been a 20% increase in the number of Advanced Nurse Practitioners and a 23% increase in Advanced Midwife Practitioners. Nurse Prescribers have increased by 16%, and Midwife Prescribers by 27%. The number of Public Health Nurses also increased by 1%.
Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly commented on the report, stating, "Year on year, the number of new registrants has increased by over 14%. The number of nurses and midwives registered with the NMBI has never been higher and this report reflects the continued growth in the profession which this Government has supported over the last 4 years.
“I welcome the notable increase in the number of registrations in the advanced practice divisions. Advance Practice is an important career pathway for nurses and midwives and the continued growth in registrants reflects the ongoing investment from this Government in supporting these career opportunities.”
Chief Nursing Officer, Rachel Kenna, added, “For the third year in a row, the data from this Report is providing valuable information for policy makers. Working in partnership with the NMBI and other regulators is a key step for the Department in terms of overseeing flexible and innovative approaches to regulation that supports nursing and midwifery professionals and enhances public safety.”
NMBI President, Dr Louise Kavanagh McBride, said: “This report offers a comprehensive overview of the nursing and midwifery professions in Ireland and aims to inform positive change within the healthcare sector for the benefit of the professions and the public. The data in this report is essential to our stakeholders for future planning and provides insights into the emerging trends in the Irish healthcare system. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank our registered nurses and our registered midwives for their continued commitment and dedication.”
NMBI Interim Chief Executive, Carolyn Donohoe, remarked, “The 2024 State of the Register paints a positive picture and is a valuable tool for workforce planners, policymakers and our stakeholders, as they work to improve healthcare in Ireland and ensure that it benefits the public now and in the future. It is encouraging to see that our Register continues to grow and is at the highest level it has ever been.”
The State of the Register 2024 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 NMBI website.
The data is based on the information collected by NMBI as part of the annual renewal process. Data is compared annually in June each year and covers the 12-month period from 1 June 2023 to 31 May 2024.