Practising as a nurse

An adult caregiver holding a young child beside a hospital bed, with a nurse wearing a stethoscope standing nearby. Medical monitoring equipment is positioned in front of the child, and a hospital window with a city view is visible in the background.

Nurses draw on clinical and scientific knowledge and use cultural and relational practice to support their critical thinking and nursing judgement in assessing health needs, providing care, and advising and supporting people to manage their health.

Under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (HPCA Act), every nurse practising in Aotearoa New Zealand must:

  • be registered by the Nursing Council
  • work within their scope of practice
  • meet the standards of competence for their scope of practice
  • follow the code of conduct
  • apply for and hold an annual practising certificate
  • meet continuing competence requirements.

The role of the Nursing Council is to protect the health and safety of the public by ensuring nurses are competent and fit to practise. The Council is committed to Te Tiriti o Waitangi with kawa whakaruruhau and health equity fundamental to nursing practise and patient safety.

Scopes of practice

There are three scopes of practice for nurses in Aotearoa New Zealand:

Standards of competence

Competence is the combination of skills, knowledge, attitudes, values and abilities that underpin safe nursing practice. The Council sets standards that describe the competence required of nurses registered in each scope of practice.

To practise safely, each nurse must meet the standards of competence for their scope of practice.

The Code of Conduct is followed by nurses and provides the public with an outline of what they can expect from a nurse in a professional capacity.

Nurses practising in Aotearoa New Zealand are required to hold a valid practising certificate which they apply for and renew each year.

The Council sets continuing competence requirements that nurses must meet. It is the professional responsibility of all practising nurses to meet these requirements.

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Each year, five percent of enrolled and registered nurses are randomly selected to be audited to ensure nurses are meeting continuing competence requirements. Find out what is required.

Every three years, nurse practitioners are required to provide evidence that they have maintained continuing competence when they apply for their practising certificate. If you have been selected for audit, find out what is required here. Find out what is required.