The Australian Government and NSW Health are updating information regularly. This information is a guide only. Please check the relevant government websites regularly.

Can a registered nurse, enrolled nurse or midwife, who is not an Authorised Nurse (or Midwife) Immuniser, administer COVID-19 vaccines?

Yes, all registered nurses, enrolled nurses and midwives may possess and administer vaccinations, including COVID-19 vaccination, as part of their normal duties when they have an order from an authorised person.

However, only suitably trained and qualified people can administer vaccines routinely.

All registered nurses and midwives administering any vaccine must be familiar with the procedures as outlined in the Australian Immunisation Handbook regarding preparation, route of administration, preparation of the person receiving the vaccine, vaccine injection techniques and injection sites.

AHPRA has provided additional FAQs here, noting that www.health.gov is the official site for the latest information about the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Does a registered nurse, enrolled nurse or midwife need to undertake the COVID-19 Vaccination Training Program to administer the vaccine under the order from an authorised person?

Yes, all registered nurses, enrolled nurses and midwives must successfully complete the additional COVID-19 Vaccination Training Program developed by the Commonwealth Department of Health in partnership with ACN.

What is an Authorised Nurse (and Midwifery) Immuniser?

An Authorised Nurse Immuniser is a registered nurse or midwife who has been appropriately trained and accredited to deliver immunisation services and administer vaccines as an Authorised Nurse Immuniser.

See the NSW Health Authorised Nurse Immuniser Policy Directive PD2020_050

Who provides nurses and midwives with the authority to immunise?

The Chief Health Officer of NSW is the duly appointed delegate of the Secretary, NSW Health, provides the authorisation under the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008 (NSW). On 19 February 2021, the Chief Health Officer authorised

How does a nurse or midwife become authorised?

• A registered nurse or midwife must have successfully completed the NSW Department of Health Immunisation Accreditation Program for Registered Nurses prior to 2001, or
• An interstate immunisation education program, as approved by the Australian College of Nursing (ACN) prior to December 2020, or
• Am immunisation course for registered nurses and midwives that conforms to the National Immunisation Education Framework for Health Professionals, following accreditation by Health Education Services Australia (HESA) and published on the list of approved courses on the HESA website, or
• An interstate immunisation education program that conforms to the National Immunisation Education Framework for Health Professionals, as approved by an education provider following the accreditation of their course by HESA and listing of their course on the HESA website

Who is HESA?

HESA is Health Education Services Australia.

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) was requested by the Commonwealth Department of Health to establish a single point of entry for immunisation education provider courses seeking to be accredited against the National Immunisation Education Framework for Health Professionals (The Framework).

The ANMAC Board has established a separate entity, Health Education Services Australia (HESA), to separate ANMAC’s role in providing the accreditation functions under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (2009) from services provided to other entities.

A list of accredited programs can be found here.

There are currently 3 nationally accredited providers: ACN, Benchmarque and the University of Melbourne. The list is subject to change as new providers are accredited.

The list does not include interstate or territory immunisation programs approved by ACN prior to December 2020.

What vaccines can an Authorised Nurse (or Midwife) Immuniser administer?

An Authorised Nurse Immuniser can only administer vaccines listed on the NSW Authority for Registered Nurses and Midwives – see the NSW Health Immunisation providers webpage.

Can an Authorised Nurse (and Midwife) Immuniser also administer SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19) vaccine?

Yes, but only if the Authorised Nurse (or Midwife) has successfully completed the following additional training:

• Core COVID-19 training modules from the COVID-19 Vaccination Training Program developed by the Commonwealth Department of Health in partnership with ACN; and
• Additional COVID-19 training modules from the COVID-19 Vaccination Training Program and is listed below:
  1. For the purposes of supply and administration of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, the training module for this vaccine
  2. For the purposes of supply and administration of Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine, the training module for this vaccine

Poisons and therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008, as updated by the NSW Chief Health Officer on 19 Feb 2021.