Regulation of Nursing and Midwifery Practice Regulation of the practice of nursing and midwifery in Australia is a shared responsibiÂlity. The national regulatory authority, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), is accountable for public protection by ensuring that licensed nurses and midwives are safe, competent and ethical practitioners by determining standards for education and practice. Individual nurses and midwives are accountable for ensuring that they meet these standards and practice within the regulatory framework established by state, territory and federal legislation and other non-statutory mechanisms.
National Decision Making Framework for Nurses
Although legislation in Australia provides for the protection of nursing and midwifery titles, which include nurse, registered nurse, registered midwife, enrolled nurse and nurse practitioner, it does not specifically define or protect every aspect of the practice of nursing or midwifery.
Continuing Professional Development Registration Standard
Instead, a set of nationally agreed codes, standards, frameworks and guidelines provides the professional practice framework which governs the practice of nursing. The framework contains the following elements developed prior to 1 July 2010. For nurses: National Competency Standards for Registered Nurses, Enrolled Nurses and Nurse Practitioners Codes of Professional Conduct for Nurses in Australia Codes of Ethics for Nurses in Australia A Nurse’s Guide to Professional Boundaries
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Nursing and Midwifery in NSW
National Framework for the Accreditation of Nursing and Midwivery Courses For midwives: National Competency Standards for the Midwife Code of Professional Conduct for Midwives Code of Ethics for Midwives And, with the commencement of national registration on 1 July 2010, many newly developed national standards and guidelines from the NMBA have been included for both nurses and midwives:
Standard on Recency of Practice Registration Standard Guidelines for Mandatory Notifications Guidelines for Advertising of Regulated Health Services Re-Entry to Practice Policy Guidelines for Professional Indemnity Insurance These codes, standards, frameworks and guidelines have been formally adopted by the NMBA (see references) to form the complete professional practice framework for nurses and midwives in Australia. The framework provides guidance to nurses and midwives in their practice and provides the public with information on the standards of practice that may be expected from licensed nurses and midwives in Australia. The NMBA expects nurses and midwives to conduct