Professional, statutory and regulatory body (PSRB) accreditation

All professional programmes are required to be approved by their governing Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB). Each PSRB has its own standards for professional education that must be met in order for the programme of study to qualify for accreditation. To successfully complete a professional programme each student will be required to meet the required programme standards.

This programme is compliant with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) Standards for Education and Training (NMC (2018) Realising professionalism: Standards for education and training).

Recording your professional qualification

It is advisable to register with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) as soon as you can after finishing your programme.

If you wait more than 6 months to do this, you will be required to provide additional information as part of the registration process.

You should register within 5 years of completing the programme. After this time you may be required to complete additional education or training to be able to register.

Review of good health, conduct and character status

The Fitness to Practise Committee will review your records throughout your programme and prior to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). It is your responsibility to notify your supervisor of any changes to your health or character status (e.g. cautions or convictions, pending charges) at the point they occur during your programme of study. You must then indicate that there has been a change to your health or character status or your professional indemnity cover annually whenever you re-enrol.

Towards the end of your programme, the Department is required to consider any issues that have arisen during your programme relating to your health and character which may influence your eligibility to register with the NMC. A process of declaration regarding good health and good character by you the student and your personal supervisor is therefore reviewed by the Fitness to Practise Committee.

If there are any issues of concern, on either health or character grounds, about your eligibility to register with the NMC, the Fitness to Practise Committee will discuss this with you to seek your consent to disclose information to the NMC and apply the Fitness to Practise policy where appropriate.

For full information visit the Fitness to Practise Committee website.

Working whilst studying

The Department recognises that you may choose to supplement your funding by gaining employment in a variety of work settings. You are reminded that your primary commitment during your programme is to the academic and clinical requirements of the programme. You must not undertake paid employment at times when you are expected either to be on duty in clinical practice or in attendance at theoretical sessions in the Department (this includes timetabled periods of private study). Failure to comply with this requirement will be regarded as a serious disciplinary matter.

The Department guideline is that the student’s working week should not exceed the EU Working Time Directive of 48 hours when both programme requirements (theory and where relevant practice) plus hours of paid employment are combined. Working in excess of this could result in issues of safety for students and clients.

You are also reminded that pursuit of paid employment should not jeopardise your ability to participate fully and safely in all aspects of the programme. For example, working a night shift as an employee immediately prior to going on day duty as a student nurse or midwife would be regarded as unsafe practice.

You should notify your supervisor of any employment outside your programme and requests for references from employers will be completed by supervisors following discussion with you. You are reminded that, when you are engaged in such employment, you are employees and, as such, are subject to the rules and regulations of the employer. In such situations you should not represent yourself as a student of the Department of Health Sciences and should not in any circumstance wear your student nurse uniform.