April 2025

News

Chair's message
Registration
Board news
Spotlight
Keep in touch with the NMBA

Chair's message

Registration renewals are now open, and this year it looks a little different.

You will need to set up your Ahpra portal, which now uses multifactor authentication to protect your personal data.

Due to this change, our Customer Service team is busier than usual. Ahpra have created a help centre for information, guided videos and step-by-step instructions on how to set up and use our new online services.

Chat to your employers or colleagues to help guide you through the process. Sharing resources, knowledge, and problem-solving are things nurses and midwives are known for.

We will be consulting soon on proposed changes to our continuing professional development and recency of practice registration standards so keep an eye out for an invitation to provide feedback.

Next month we’ll be celebrating the International Day for Midwives and International Nurses Day. I’d like to thank every one of you for the work that you do to keep our public safe and healthy.

Finally, I want to congratulate Paula Medway on her appointment of Deputy Chair for the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

Adjunct Professor Veronica Casey
Chair, Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia

Registration

It's time to renew your registration

Renewals are open.

The first step you need to take, is to set up your new Ahpra portal and link the Google Authenticator app for multifactor authentication.

To guide you through the process, there is a dedicated resource hub with step-by-step instructions on setting up your portal and multifactor authentication.

Before you get started

Make sure you have the following before you start to set up your Ahpra portal:

a laptop or desktop computer – the portal works best on a large screen – which you can share with your colleagues if you need to.
an Apple or Android mobile phone with access to the App Store or Google Play store to download the Google Authenticator app – you will use this phone every time you log in to your portal
your password for your Apple Account or Google Account – you might need it to download Google Authenticator
your Ahpra username and password – check last year’s renewal reminder for your username (it could be your 10-digit number or an email address)

Once you're in the portal

Open the renewal form from the ‘your registration renewal is due!’ alert on your dashboard and follow the prompts to complete your renewal. At the end of the form. when you see the 'Payment successful screen, click 'Submit' to submit your renewal application.

We will email your receipt for your renewal fee. Make sure you download your receipt from this email, as it’s not saved in your portal.

Setting up multifactor authentication

Multifactor authentication is an extra layer of security to protect your Ahpra account and personal data.

You will need to use your password and the free Google Authenticator app every time you log in to your Ahpra portal.

How do we know if you are safe to practise?

When renewing, all nurses and midwives must declare that they meet the NMBA’s registration standards including professional indemnity insurance, recency of practice, continuing professional development and criminal history. You will also be required to declare any impairments that may affect your practice.

If you have an endorsement you will need to meet the registration standards for that as well.

We developed these standards as a baseline requirement that all nurses and midwives must meet to be able to practise safely. We also review these standards and guidelines at least every five years to ensure they remain fit for purpose.

What is a health impairment?

Needing glasses isn’t a health impairment. Wearing orthotics or having a hearing-aid isn’t a health impairment. Having a latex allergy isn’t a health impairment. 

A health impairment is a physical or mental condition that either does, or could, affect your ability to practise safely.  

When renewing your registration, we need to know if you have a health impairment and what you are doing to manage it. Having a health impairment doesn’t mean you can’t practise your profession; you just need to have the right supports in place to do so safely.  

Board news

NMBA regulation webinar

On Thursday 3 April, the NMBA delivered an update on nursing and midwifery regulation for key stakeholders.

Presentations on the Board's strategic priorities and key projects were well received by over 100 attendees.

Another webinar will be delivered in late 2025 as part of the Board's ongoing commitment to engaging with patients, practitioners and their representatives.

Review of the nursing standards for practice

The NMBA has started a review of the registered nurse (RN) and enrolled nurse (EN) standards for practice.  

These are the core practice standards that provide the framework for assessing registered and enrolled nurse practice.   

As part of the NMBA’s commitment to review registration standards, professional codes, guidelines and standards for practice, the review of the RN and EN standards for practice ensures the standards are current and fit for purpose.   

Public consultation on the revised standards will take place in late 2025.  

Professional indemnity insurance for privately practising midwives

We are currently in the process of a detailed review of the midwifery Professional Practice Framework to support the continuation of safe intrapartum care provided by privately practising midwives (PPMs) in a homebirth setting.

This includes the review of the Registration standard: Professional indemnity insurance arrangements and the Safety and quality guidelines for privately practising midwives. The review is designed to ensure our regulatory requirements enable professional indemnity insurance (PII) for PPMs providing homebirth services following the end of the Department of Health and Aged Care’s s284 exemption in December 2026.

We will be collaborating with key stakeholders and consulting on any proposed changes to the practice framework for midwives. Keep an eye out for an invitation to have your say.

While the exemption remains in effect, PPMs who provide homebirth services are compliant with each of the requirements articulated in the Safety and quality guidelines for privately practising midwives and remain eligible for the exemption.

Spotlight

Ahpra appoints new CEO

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency has appointed Justin Untersteiner as Chief Executive Officer.

Justin, who joined Ahpra on April 14, brings over 20 years’ experience in regulation and compliance, most recently as Chief Operating Officer at the Australian Financial Complaints Authority.

Justin was a standout candidate among a highly competitive domestic and international field. His knowledge of regulation and compliance, combined with his extensive experience in leading change and trying new approaches, makes him ideally placed to lead Ahpra into its next phase.

At AFCA, he designed and led a significant change program that included a major IT overhaul, the design and implementation of a new industry funding model, along with delivering numerous positive changes that improved the organisation's operations and efficiency.

Justin has a passion for fairness and justice, as well as a strong and demonstrated commitment to workplace equality and flexibility. At AFCA, he led a program focussed on managing an increase in complaints while improving staff wellbeing.

The NMBA looks forward to working with Justin throughout his tenure.

New case studies added to guidance for practitioners using social media

Ahpra and the National Boards have made some updates to the social media guidance to ensure it remains relevant and useful to practitioners.   

The updates include prioritising the information around public comment and trust in the professions to highlight the recent joint statement on discrimination and racism, new case studies for social media activities likely to warrant an investigation, and further professionalism pitfalls to be aware of when using social media.   

While these additions do not change the underlying guidance for practitioners, it provides further clarity on emerging issues. Ahpra and the National Boards will assess the need to conduct a full review of the guidance in the future, with an opportunity for you to provide feedback.   

Read the latest additions to the social media guidance on our website.   

Updates to New Zealand EN and RN scopes of practice

Following wide-ranging consultation, the Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ) has updated its enrolled nurse (EN) and registered nurse (RN) standards of competence and scopes of practice, which came into effect on 1 April 2025.

The updated RN scope now includes clear references to te ao Māori and culturally safe practice. It also removes the requirement for delegation and direction to ENs, instead requiring RNs to provide support and guidance to ENs and delegate responsibilities to other healthcare team members.

The updated EN scope emphasises flexibility, collegiality, and support from RNs or other registered health practitioners without mandating direct supervision.

Nurses registered under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition (TTMR) Act and their employers are reminded that the delegation and supervision requirements for RNs and ENs in Australia remain firmly embedded in the current Registered nurse standards for practice and Enrolled nurse standards for practice. RNs in Australia continue to hold responsibility and accountability for supervising and delegating nursing activities to ENs while ENs in Australia continue to work under the direct or indirect supervision of an RN.

Both RNs and ENs remain responsible and accountable for their practice in their respective roles.

Keep in touch with the NMBA

Visit the NMBA website for registration standards, codes, guidelines and FAQs.
Lodge an online enquiry form.
For registration enquiries, call 1300 419 495 (from within Australia) or +61 3 9285 3010 (for overseas callers).
Address mail correspondence to: Adjunct Professor Veronica Casey AM, Chair, Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, GPO Box 9958, Melbourne, VIC 3001.