Continuing professional development (CPD) is a Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) registration standard and registration renewal requirement. The aim of CPD is for you to maintain and continue to develop your competency and knowledge required to keep your practice up-to-date, evidence-based and relevant.
It may require more thought and planning to achieve your required CPD hours. Here’s how to make CPD work for you.
How many hours of CPD do I need annually?
Registered nurses, midwives and enrolled nurses must do a minimum of 20 hours per year. If you hold dual registration (i.e. are a registered nurse and a midwife), you must do 40 hours per year. Nurse practitioners and Endorsed midwives must also complete an additional 10 hours.
If you’ve been registered for less than 12 months prior to the renewal of registration, pro-rata hours apply.
It is important to remember some CPD topics that you complete may contribute to registration renewal as both a nurse and a midwife.
If you are a RN and a RM, or a RN and EN, ANMF strongly encourages you to retain both registrations. This will provide you with the best employment flexibility.
How do I achieve CPD hours?
Your CPD activities must maintain your knowledge in your current area of practice, and/or improve and broaden your knowledge, expertise and your personal ad professional qualities though your professional life. Activities can include:
- tertiary, vocational and other accredited courses
- conferences, forums, seminars
- short courses, workshops, seminars and discussion groups through a professional group or organisation which may issue a certificate of compliance or completion
- mandatory workplace learning activities
- self-directed learning which can include reading journals such as ANMJ and accessing resources and reference materials, for example, seeking information on medications.
How do I define time involved in CPD activities?
One hour of active learning will equal one hour of CPD.
Do I need to do CPD while on parental leave, long-term personal leave, WorkCover or long service leave?
Yes.
What documentation do I require?
You must keep written documentation with evidence of completed hours. Documentation must include dates, provider, description of outcomes and hours. You’ll find a template in your ANMF Professional Portfolio. You can download additional portfolio pages.
You’ll only need to provide the evidence if the NMBA selects you as part of their audit process.
How long should I keep evidence for?
The NMBA recommends five years. ANMF can assist members experiencing difficulties during the audit process, please contact member assistance who can help.
Are there any exemptions?
You can write to the NMBA seeking an exemption due to exceptional circumstances. Parental leave is not generally considered for an exemption.
Free CPD online modules
ANMF members have access to over 250 free and unlimited online CPD modules covering a broad range of clinical specialities. All modules are evidence-based, peer-reviewed and updated regularly.
Six tips on making CPD work for you
- Plan out your CPD in advance so you can choose meaningful activities, and you won’t have to cram your hours in at the end of the registration year.
- Individualise CPD activities to cater for your own competency and practice. Reflect on your knowledge gaps, new skills you would like to acquire or knowledge and skills you would like to consolidate to direct which activities you choose.
- Educators are a useful resource as they may be aware of CPD opportunities relevant to your area of practice and may be able to give you feedback on areas you can improve.
- Be strategic when choosing activities. Are you planning to apply for a new position? Completing CPD relevant to the position you are interested in will show you are proactively increasing your competency in order to be successful.
- Check out our online CPD portal to see if there are any modules that interest you.
- Document CPD as you go so you can easily demonstrate what you CPD you have achieved should you need to produce it for a potential employer to review or if you are audited by AHPRA.
