I have been working as an Enrolled Nurse (EN) for five years and I have just completed my Registered Nurse (RN) degree and have now registered as an RN. As a result, I now seem to have both EN and RN registrations. Is this correct?

The short answer is yes. In accordance with national law, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia recognises that some practitioners may hold both EN and RN registrations. This is referred to as concurrent registration.

You should be aware of the different registration requirements of both roles and the differences in responsibilities and scopes of practice between the roles.

You can continue to maintain both your EN and RN registrations, but you must complete your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) currently a minimum of 20 hours for each registration. You must also maintain your recency of practice obligations, currently the equivalent of 450 hours as an RN and 450 hours as an EN over the past five years.

Consideration should be given to whether retaining your EN registration is necessary given that problems can arise if your CPD is not completed and an audit is undertaken.

Further details and information about concurrent registration can be obtained by visiting the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) website or contacting the Association.