Why do Nurses have to Register with the NMC?

Why do Nurses have to Register with the NMC?

Nursing is a challenging, yet incredibly rewarding job.

As a nurse, you are a vital cog in the healthcare machine – the compassion, consideration, and empathy you show to patients in need is essential to their overall care experience, and their recovery and wellbeing.

So, who regulates nurses – and midwives – and the care they give, to ensure it is delivered at the highest possible standard? The answer is the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

This blog with share information on the NMC – what they do, how to join their register and more:

We have a wide range of UK-based nursing and midwifery roles on the Migrate app. You can browse through them, here.

What is the NMC and Why Must I Join?

The NMC is the regulator for nurses and midwives across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. At the heart of what they do is ensuring the better and safer care for patients, by supporting healthcare professionals on their register to deliver the highest standard of care.

Once you have a nursing degree (recognised by the NMC), and a minimum of 12 months’ experience (within the last two years), to practice as a nurse, midwife, or nursing associate in the UK, you must then register with the NMC. This is to make sure healthcare staff have the skills needed to care for people safely, with integrity, expertise, respect, and compassion.

How do I Join the NMC Register?

There are a few different ways to apply to register with the NMC, depending on which part of the register you want to join (either as a nurse or midwife, or as a nursing associate) and where you trained…

The main things you’ll need to do to join the NMC register are:

• Check that you’re ready to register

• Complete an eligibility / qualification application

• Take the Test of Competence (ToC)

• Complete the registration application

• Wait for the evaluation of your NMC application

For more information on these different stages of the process, visit the NMC website.

If you trained outside the UK, you’ll need to get a personalised checklist from the NMC website, to collect the evidence needed to complete your application. This will help you to work out what guidance you’ll need to read ahead of applying, who you might need to contact, and what evidence you’ll need to present to complete your NMC registration.

The total cost to join the NMC register (fees and tests) is £1,170, which also includes the cost of the Computer Based Test (CBT) and Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). This fee won’t include the cost of your visa, flights to the UK or accommodation, although many NHS Trusts do cover these costs for you. You can see a breakdown of the NMC registration costs here.

Have any questions about the NMC application process? Please don’t hesitate to contact us at hello@migratehr.com – our customer support team will do their best to help.  

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