All You Need To Know About Working As A Nurse In Ireland

Claire currently studies nursing in the UK, however she's from Ireland. In this blog, she details all the main things you need to know about working as a nurse in Ireland!

Working as a nurse in Ireland is an amazing opportunity.

Every day is different and you know that you have had an impact on someone's life.

You return home from work, and you feel fulfilled.

Whether you're an Irish citizen or if you're from overseas and would like to work as a nurse or midwife in Ireland, here is the essential information you need to know.

Also, read our blog on how to become a nurse or midwife in Ireland for more information.

What are the branches of nursing and midwifery in Ireland?

There are four branches of nursing in Ireland:

• General Nursing

• Intellectual Disability Nursing

• Psychiatric Nursing

• Children’s and General Nursing (Integrated)

And, also:

• Midwifery

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The essentials

• The HSE - this stands for the Health Service Executive. They are solely responsible for creating the best health service in Ireland they can, with values such as care, compassion, trust and learning.

• Integrated nursing at Trinity College, Dublin  - this is a course lasting four and a half years, where you study both general adult nursing and children's nursing. You'll be qualified in both branches of nursing so this is perfect for anyone who is unsure on what type of nurse they want to be!

• Advantages of nursing - being a nurse includes many job opportunities. This includes flexibility in your role, the opportunity to progress, travel and more.

• Salary - the average salary for a nurse in Ireland is currently €38,000 a year. This is dependent on factors such as experience, what role/speciality you're in, and the location in which you work. 

• The NMBI - registration with the NMBI (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland) is essential. Each year you pay a retention fee, known as an ARF. You have to pay this fee every year in order to remain on the register and work as a nurse - if you don't pay it, you won't be able to work. In 2018 it cost €100 to renew.

If you haven't registered with the NMBI, here's how you can still work as a healthcare assistant without NMBI registration.

• There's so many more roles than just a staff nurse - I never knew how many opportunities were out there in nursing! You can practice as a nurse, you can work in research, you can work in education, you can become mentors for students; just because you're a qualified RGN, it doesn't mean you're confined to that one nursing job!

• Being a good listener is the best attribute of a nurse. It's about listening to a patient's problems and also being able to listen to issues which are unsaid. It's a bit like detective work - you have to be able to pick up on everything they say, even the smallest of things, to be able to resolve the issue and make them better.

• Communication is also key - every day you'll not only speak to patients, but you'll have to communicate with other healthcare professionals. Not just nurses, but also doctors, OTs, physiotherapists, healthcare assistants and so many more! In some ways, nursing is quite a social role.

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