IGPNEA Irish General Practice Nurses Educational Association

Our vision is that every General Practice Nurse in Ireland will have equal access to appropriate quality education and the specialist role of the General Practice Nurse in General Practice will be recognised, acknowledged, and valued. We aim to support the advancement of education in general practice nursing in Ireland. There are approximately 1,800 General Practice Nurses in Ireland, who are carrying out varying tasks, such as immunisations, screening, health promotion, phlebotomy, weight management, smoking cessation, women’s health, men’s health, antenatal & postnatal care, wound management, travel vaccinations, cryotherapy, counselling, stress management, ear care, methadone maintenance' management of chronic conditions such as asthma, COPD, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, eczema, as well as clinical audits, practice protocols, CPR training, etc. 211 Practice Nurses are accredited as Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS), 2 have been accredited as Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioners (RANP) in Primary Care and 22 Practice Nurses are now Registered Nurse Prescribers (figures correct 2014). The positive impact of practice nursing on patient care is regularly noted and has been shown in audits and research. With the Department of Health & Children’s continuing emphasis and strategic plans to move many services out of hospitals and into community settings, Practice Nurses are now being presented with an increasing variety of conditions and patient needs. Continuing Professional Development enables Practice Nurses to provide evidence-based quality care, is essential before undertaking extended nursing roles and is required by NMBI (“Scope of Nursing and Midwifery Practice Framework” April 2000 and “Code of Professional Conduct for each Nurses and Midwife” April 2000). Thank you RCN: 20067700