Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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There are many initiatives currently underway to improve nursing staff levels throughout the country. These include the retention of 2015 degree programme graduates, offering full time permanent contracts, and a national and international recruitment campaign. In addition the conversion of agency usage to permanent staffing in line with agreed processes is being pursued.

A nurse registered in Ireland, is not required to complete a return to practice course in order to reactivate a registration with NMBI following a period overseas. To reactivate a registration in Ireland the nurse is required to send a letter to NMBI and pay the appropriate fee.

An employer has discretion to require a nurse to complete a "return to practice" course if the nurse has been out of practice. NMBI recommend that this is completed by nurses who are out of practice for over 5 years. The completion of a return to practice programme currently is not a mandatory or legal requirement to obtain registration with NMBI.

If the nurse is applying for initial registration they may, if a shortfall have been identified in their education programme, be required to complete a period of adaptation and assessment which must be successfully completed prior to registration. This programme is a minimum of a six weeks.