As a nurse or midwife, making sure you’re across your CPD hours can seem daunting, but it shouldn’t be. Laura from the Professional Services team at the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association clears up all you need to know. 

Your registration as a nurse and/or midwife is due for renewal by 31 May 2019. When you renew your registration(s), you will be asked to make a declaration that you have met the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia’s (NMBA) Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements in the preceding registration year, being the period from 1 June 2018 – 31 May 2019.

In order to honestly make that declaration, you must ensure that you have completed the required hours for your registration. Most nurses or midwives will have to complete 20 hours per registration year for each registration they hold.

Are you a nurse or midwife who holds endorsements (e.g. endorsement as a nurse practitioner, scheduled medicines endorsement)? Be aware that you are required to complete additional CPD hours.

Where possible, your CPD activities should be based on your identified learning needs and planned to meet those needs. You should then complete the planned education and then reflect on the impact of that education on your practice. The CPD activities completed must be relevant to the context of your practice as a nurse and/or midwife.

It is imperative that you keep your own personal records for all of the CPD activities you complete.

Did you know? You are required to keep evidence of your completion of CPD for a period of five (5) years from the date of completion. If you are audited by AHPRA or if you have a notification made about your health, performance or conduct, you will be required to provide evidence of your CPD activities.

You should ensure that you are familiar with the content of:

• NMBA Registration Standard: Continuing Professional Development;
• NMBA Guidelines: Continuing Professional Development; and
• NMBA Fact sheet: Continuing Professional Development.

These documents can be found on the NMBA website: http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Registration-Standards/Continuing-professional-development.aspx

If you have questions about your CPD obligations, you can attend one of the NSWNMA’s “Your Annual CPD Obligations” ½ day seminars where NSWNMA members receive discounted rates. See below for upcoming seminars:

• Scone – Thursday 30 May
• Tweed Heads – Wednesday 17 July
• Central Coast – Friday 27 September
• Orange – Thursday 24 October
• Waterloo – Thursday 21 November
• Young – Wednesday 27 November

Or you can consult the NSWNMA’s Continuing Professional Development resource guide 2018.

If you are unsure about any of the declarations required or to seek further advice, please call the NSWNMA on 8595 1234 (metro) or 1300 367 962 (regional) before renewing your registration.

Have further questions? NSWNMA Members can contact the Association for support here. To find out more benefits of being a member or to join the NSWNMA, visit this page.