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Profession-specific course

Professionalism and Professional Standards for Nurses and Midwives

Applying the NMBA Codes of Conduct and Standards for Practice in Everyday Care

  • 2 CPD hoursEstimated learning time
  • 15-question assessmentPass mark 80%
  • Online, self-pacedStart any time
  • CertificateFor your CPD records

Written for

About this course

Nurses and midwives work under a dense set of professional standards: codes of conduct, standards for practice for each type of registrant, a decision-making framework for scope and delegation, and registration standards you declare against every year. Most people know these documents exist, but fewer can say how they apply when a roster is short, a colleague asks you to co-sign a drug register, a patient's observations trigger escalation, or a renewal form asks whether you meet recency for both nursing and midwifery.

This course turns the NMBA's professional standards into practical decisions. It explains how the documents fit together, works through the seven domains of the codes of conduct, and shows how to use the RN, EN, midwife and nurse practitioner standards to assess your own practice. It then covers scope and delegation, speaking up about unsafe staffing, CPD and recency evidence that would satisfy an audit, honest declarations and seven-day notifications, documentation, medicines accountability and escalation.

It is current to October 2026, including the designated registered nurse prescriber endorsement that took effect in September 2025 and the 2026 reviews of the RN and EN standards and of recency and CPD standards.

Who this course is for

  • Registered nurses in hospitals, aged care, community, primary care and remote settings
  • Enrolled nurses who want to understand their scope and their relationship with the supervising RN
  • Midwives, including those in continuity-of-care models and private practice
  • Nurse practitioners and nurses preparing for endorsement as designated RN prescribers
  • Nurse unit managers, educators and preceptors who supervise others
  • Nurses and midwives returning to practice or preparing for a CPD and recency audit
  • Overseas-qualified nurses and midwives new to Australian professional standards

What you’ll learn

  • Navigate the standards

    Explain how the codes of conduct, standards for practice, decision-making framework and registration standards fit together and apply to your role.

  • Decide scope and delegation safely

    Use the decision-making framework to accept, decline or delegate activities and document your reasoning.

  • Stay audit-ready

    Keep CPD and recency evidence that shows planning and reflection, make honest declarations and know the seven-day notification events.

  • Act accountably on a shift

    Write accurate records, handle medicines lawfully, escalate deterioration promptly and respond openly when things go wrong.

Learning objectives

  • Explain how the National Law, the NMBA and Ahpra regulate nursing and midwifery, including co-regulation in NSW and Queensland.
  • Describe how the codes of conduct, standards for practice, decision-making framework and registration standards fit together.
  • Apply the seven domains of the codes of conduct to everyday practice.
  • Use the RN, EN, midwife and NP standards for practice for self-assessment, and explain current endorsements.
  • Make and document safe decisions about scope of practice and delegation.
  • Plan and record CPD and recency evidence that would satisfy an audit, and make honest declarations.
  • Keep accurate records, handle medicines accountably and escalate deterioration promptly.
  • Respond professionally when care is unsafe or something goes wrong.

Scenarios covered

Practice situations you reason through, step by step, in the course.

  • The drug register signature

    A colleague asks an enrolled nurse to co-sign a Schedule 8 entry for a dose she did not see drawn up. You practise a clear refusal and a safe alternative.

  • Alone overnight in aged care

    An agency EN finds the RN is available only by phone. You test the arrangement against the EN standards and decide what to clarify and escalate.

  • Two registrations, one recency problem

    A nurse who also holds midwifery registration has not practised midwifery for six years. You work out the honest renewal declaration and options.

  • The escalation that waits

    Observations meet the criteria for a rapid response, but a colleague suggests waiting. You apply the deterioration standard and a structured handover.

  • Delegating medicines in a residential home

    An RN needs a care worker to give regular medicines while she attends a fall. You check law, policy, training and the resident's condition.

  • The loan offer

    A community nurse is offered money by an older client. You apply the boundaries expectations in the code and recognise possible financial abuse.

Course contents

6 sections, 23 lessons, then the final assessment.

  1. Section 1: How Nursing and Midwifery Are Regulated3 lessons
    • 1.1 The National Law, the NMBA and Ahpra
    • 1.2 The NMBA Document Set and How It Is Used
    • 1.3 When Conduct or Performance Falls Short
  2. Section 2: The Codes of Conduct in Everyday Practice4 lessons
    • 2.1 Structure and Status of the Codes
    • 2.2 Legal Compliance and Person-Centred Practice
    • 2.3 Professional Behaviour: Boundaries, Conflicts and Online Conduct
    • 2.4 Teaching, Research and Your Own Health
  3. Section 3: Standards for Practice: Registered Nurses, Enrolled Nurses, Midwives and Nurse Practitioners4 lessons
    • 3.1 Registered Nurse Standards for Practice
    • 3.2 Enrolled Nurse Standards and the RN Relationship
    • 3.3 Midwife Standards for Practice
    • 3.4 Nurse Practitioners and Endorsements
  4. Section 4: Scope of Practice, Delegation and Supervision4 lessons
    • 4.1 The Decision-Making Framework
    • 4.2 Delegating and Accepting Delegation
    • 4.3 Practising Safely in New, Remote and Expanded Roles
    • 4.4 Speaking Up When Scope or Staffing Is Unsafe
  5. Section 5: Registration Standards, CPD and Honest Declarations4 lessons
    • 5.1 The Registration Standards You Declare Against
    • 5.2 CPD That Means Something
    • 5.3 Recency, Returning to Practice and Dual Registration
    • 5.4 Declarations, Audits and Notice of Certain Events
  6. Section 6: Documentation, Medicines and Accountability for Care4 lessons
    • 6.1 Records as a Professional Standard
    • 6.2 Medicines Accountability
    • 6.3 Recognising and Escalating Deterioration
    • 6.4 When Things Go Wrong
  7. Final assessment and written reflection15 questions

Assessment and certificate

  1. Work through the course

    Study each section at your own pace, including the case illustrations and apply-it questions.

  2. Pass the assessment

    15 scenario-based questions. You need 12 correct (80%) to pass.

  3. Write your reflection

    A short written reflection on how the learning applies to your own practice.

  4. Download your certificate

    Shows your name, the course, the date and 2 CPD hours. Anyone can check it on our verification page.

What you keep for your CPD records

  • A certificate of completion recording approximately 2 CPD hours of estimated learning time
  • A written reflective account linked to the NMBA standards for practice
  • A quick-reference checklist for scope, delegation, records and renewal
  • A CPD planning activity you can add to your portfolio

How certificates and CPD records workVerify a certificate

Primary sources

The course is built on these official documents. Check them for the current version.

Questions about this course

Does Ahpra or the NMBA accredit or approve this course?

No. It is an independent educational course. It is not accredited, not approved and not endorsed by Ahpra, the NMBA or any professional body. Under the NMBA CPD standard you choose activities relevant to your practice and record the time you actually spend.

How many CPD hours do nurses and midwives need in Australia?

The current NMBA standard requires at least 20 hours of CPD each registration year, recorded in a portfolio with planning and reflection. Some endorsements require additional hours. The CPD and recency standards were under review in 2026, so check the NMBA website for any changes.

What is the recency of practice requirement?

Practice equivalent to at least 450 hours within the past five years. Dual registrants need 450 hours in each profession, and practitioners with an endorsement need recency relevant to each endorsement.

What is the difference between the code of conduct and the code of ethics?

The NMBA codes of conduct set out the behaviour expected of nurses and midwives. The ICN and ICM codes of ethics, adopted by the NMBA, describe the values of each profession. This course focuses on conduct and standards; a separate course covers ethics.

Who is accountable when an RN delegates to an enrolled nurse or care worker?

Under the decision-making framework the delegating nurse is accountable for the decision to delegate and for supervision, while the person who accepts the delegation is responsible for their own actions and for saying if they are not competent.

Does the course cover the designated RN prescriber endorsement?

Yes, at the level of professional responsibilities. It explains the requirements of the registration standard that took effect on 30 September 2025 and how jurisdictional medicines law still applies.

Will this course meet a condition on my registration?

Not by itself. If a condition or undertaking requires education, Ahpra usually needs to accept the course before you start. Confirm with Ahpra or the NMBA, and your insurer or professional association, first.

How long does the course take and how is it assessed?

About 2 hours, including reading, apply-it activities, a reflective account and 15 scenario-based questions with a pass mark of 12. Record the time you actually spend.