Those OH practitioners who are not automatically listed on the new NMC register were urged to review their CPD to make sure it will be approved.
Although OH nurses with current recordable arrangements in OH nursing have been migrated automatically to part 3 of the register, those who are not qualified as specialist practitioners will have to undertake ‘transitional arrangements’ to ensure they are listed.
Carol Bannister, OH adviser at the RCN, told delegates the start date for the arrangements had not yet been announced but warned practitioners to make sure their arrangements for PREP, CPD and mentoring are NMC-approved.
“When you are spending money on a course, ask the question: ‘Has this course been approved by the NMC Council?’,” warned Bannister. “Don’t be surprised half way through the course to find yourself doing an amazing degree that you can’t use.”
Under the arrangements for migrating nurses without current recordable qualifications, nurses must have a practice teacher as a mentor so they can demonstrate they have met NMC requirements in an alternative way.
“It’s not just anybody in practice,” Bannister said. “A mentor will have to meet the standards of the NMC for a practice teacher.”
Bannister urged OH practitioners to vote in RCN Council elections, where there were two OH nurses standing who could support efforts to ensure qualified nurses are able to get on the list.
Educational programmes in OH will have more rigorous standards for mentorship and applicants for the register will have to produce a portfolio to map academic knowledge and application to practice.
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