New Guidance for Internationally Educated Nurses Published

NMBI extends a warm welcome to all Internationally Educated Nurses and we acknowledge their contribution to the Irish healthcare system. 

NMBI has published new guidance to support Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) who are completing an adaptation assessment programme in Ireland, prior to registration with NMBI. 

The guidance documents were developed to provide clarity and transparency to IENs and clinical sites to meet the standards for registration with NMBI. 

The new documents include:

• Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) Undertaking an Adaptation and Assessment Programme, Guidance for Applicants and Health Service Providers.
• The revised Competence Assessment Tool for Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) who require a period of Adaptation and Assessment.

The new documents replace the Compensation Measures for Nurses Trained Outside of Ireland (2019).

Some of the key changes in the new documents include clarification on:

• the hours required for candidate nurses
• the assessment timelines
• how the assessment process is aligned to the undergraduate process.

The guidance document for applicants and health service providers has been reformatted into sections on pre-adaptation, during adaptation and post-adaptation. 

As a regulator, NMBI must ensure that nurses and midwives who completed their education and training outside Ireland meet the EU Directive and NMBI’s Registration Standards and Requirements. To achieve this, we have created clear standards and requirements for all nurses who apply to practise in Ireland. 

The Irish healthcare system continues to benefit from the knowledge, experience and skills of IENs. The preparation and support of IENs adapting to working as members of a culturally diverse healthcare team is important to the success of international recruitment. 

NMBI aims to regularly review processes so that opportunities can be identified to make meaningful improvements. Following a review of national and international research, a series of countrywide focus groups were conducted with former candidate nurses who completed an adaptation and assessment programme, as well as preceptors and clinical support personnel who co-ordinate and facilitate these programmes. Consultations with unions and representative groups also formed an important part of the project.

The feedback received contributed to the development of these guidance documents and we would like to thank everyone involved including the project group: 

• Finola O’Brien, National Co-ordinator for Overseas Induction Programmes (Residential care Services), Assistant Director of Nursing, Adaptation Lead, Tallaght University Hospital.
• Carly Smith, Assistant Director of Nursing, Portiuncula University Hospital, Nurse Practice Development Co-Ordinator, Saolta University Health Care Group.

The new guidance is now available on our website.