Scope of Nursing Midwifery Practice Framework
Scope of Nursing Midwifery Practice Framework
Scope of Nursing Midwifery Practice Framework
Nursing and
Midwifery
Practice
Framework
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI)
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) is the
independent, statutory body which regulates the nursing and
midwifery professions in Ireland.
We protect the public by supporting nurses and midwives to
maintain standards of professional practice. For more information
about NMBI and its functions, visit our website www.NMBI.ie
Glossary
A glossary of the terms used in this document, and others
produced by NMBI, is published on our website, www.NMBI.ie
Scope of Nursing and Midwifery Practice Framework 2015 comes into effect
31 October 2015. This document replaces the Scope of Nursing and
Midwifery Practice Framework 2000.
Contents
Section 1 Introduction 2
Resources 34
References 35
Introduction
• levels of competence,
• collaborative practice;
“The Member State shall ensure that midwives are able to gain
access and pursue at least the following activities:
(e) care for and help the mother during labour and monitor
the condition of the baby in the womb using appropriate
clinical and technical means;
(g) examine and care for the newborn infant and take all
initiatives that are needed, including resuscitation, if
necessary;
(h) care for and monitor the progress of the mother in the post-
natal period and advise her on infant care so that the baby
makes the best possible progress;
Considerations in Determining
the Scope of Nursing and
Midwifery Practice
4.1 Competence
In determining their scope of practice, nurses and midwives
must make judgements about their competency to carry out a
role or activity.
Nurses and midwives who expand their roles must assume the
associated responsibility (Furlong and Smith 2005). In addition,
managers and employers share the responsibility to facilitate
role expansion, including access to further education, allocation
of necessary resources, policy development and assessment of
competence (Fealy et al. 2014).
Principle 1
Respect for
the Dignity
Y
of the Person PA
ET TIE
AF NT
TS SA
EN FE
TI T
PA
Y Principle 2
Principle 5
Collaboration Professional
with Others Responsibility and
Values Accountability
Standards of
Conduct
FETY
PATIE
T SA
NT
SAF
IEN
ET
PAT
Principle 4 Principle 3
Trust and PATIENT SAFETY Quality of
Confidentiality Practice
The following principles are the basis for making decisions with
regard to the scope of practice for an individual nurse or midwife:
Is the role/activity you plan to undertake respectful of the patients' rights and will they derive an overall benefit from your actions?
Are you willing to accept Ensure patient needs Consider what Consider the reasons why
responsibility and accountability for are met. This may be measures you need you feel unable to accept
your role or activity? through collaboration to take to develop responsibility and
or referral to other and maintain your accountability and discuss
Scope of Nursing and Midwifery Practice Framework
Proceed
Carry out the role or activity and
document the details.
Useful Websites
www.nmbi.ie (Nursing and Midwifery Board
of Ireland)
www.health.gov.ie (Department of Health)
www.hiqa.ie (Health Information and Quality
Authority)
www.hse.ie (Health Service Executive)
www.hseland.ie (HSE’s online resource for Learning
and Development)
www.irishstatutebook.ie (The Irish Statute Book database)
www.mhcirl.ie (Mental Health Commission)
www.patientsafetyfirst.ie (Website of the Patient Safety
Initiative in Ireland)
Begley C., Murphy K., Higgins A., Elliott N., Lalor J., Sheerin
F., Coyne I., Comiskey C., Normand C., Casey D., Dowling M.,
Devane D., Cooney A., Farrelly F., Brennan M., Meskell P. and
MacNeela P. (2010) Evaluation of Clinical Nurse and Midwife
Specialist and Advanced Nurse and Midwife Practitioner Roles
in Ireland (SCAPE) Final Report. Dublin, National Council for the
Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery in Ireland.
Butler M.P., Cassidy I., Quillinan B., Fahy A., Bradshaw C., Tuohy
D., O’Connor M., McNamara M.C., Egan G. and Tierney C. (2011)
Competency assessment methods - tool and processes: a survey of
nurse preceptors in Ireland. Nurse Education Practice 11(5), 298-
303.
Fealy G., Casey M., Brady A.M., Hegarty J., Kennedy C.,
McNamara M., O’Reilly P., Prizeman G. and Rohde D. (2014)
National Review of the Scope of Nursing and Midwifery Practice
Framework. Dublin, Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland.
Pulcini, J., Jelic M., Gul R. and Loke A.Y. (2010) An international
survey on advanced practice nursing education, practice, and
regulation. Journal of Nursing Scholarship 42(1), 31-39.