Functions of the Board

The Nurses Board is the regulatory body established to regulate the practice of nurses and midwives in the public interest.

The Board does this with a view to ensuring that the community is adequately provided with nursing care of the highest standard; and achieving and maintaining professional standards of both competence and conduct in nursing.

Functions of the Board. Section 16 (1) Nurses Act 1999

a.  to regulate the practice of nursing in the public interest;

b.  to determine the scope of nursing practice;

c.  to approve courses of education or training that provide

     qualifications for registration or enrolment as a nurse

     under this Act;

d.  to determine the requirements necessary for registration or enrolment

     under this Act;

e.  to investigate the fitness of persons to practice as nurses in this State,

     and to investigate the professional conduct of nurses who are registered

     or enrolled under this Act;

f.   to endorse codes of conduct for nurses;

g.  to endorse professional standards, including definitions and titles;

h.  to authorise areas of specialist nursing practice for inclusion on the

     register or roll under this Act;

i.   to determine and recognise special practice areas for the purposes of

     this Act;

j.   to exchange information with other registering authorities for nurses;

k.  to provide advice to the Minister as may be appropriate;

l.   to carry out other functions assigned to the Board by or under this Act,

     or by the Minister.