Endorsement for scheduled medicines for registered nurses (rural and isolated practice)

The Registration standard: Endorsement for scheduled medicines for registered nurses (rural and isolated practice) is now retired.

All states and territories in Australia now enable rural and isolated practice registered nurses (RNs) to supply, obtain and administer certain scheduled medicines under local medicines and poisons legislation, policies and protocols. This means that RNs no longer need to hold an endorsement to supply scheduled medicines, although they do need to work within their relevant state and territory legislation and workplace requirements. These changes ensure that the model of care enabled by the previous RIP endorsement can continue without the need for regulation by the NMBA.

For RNs who previously held the RIP endorsement

Reference to the retired RIP endorsement was removed from the register of practitioners as of 1 February 2025 and the option to renew this retired endorsement will no longer be provided as part of the NMBA’s 2025 registration renewal process.

The NMBA recognises the role RNs who previously held the endorsement have played in providing timely, localised nursing care in rural and isolated practice settings where access to other health professionals may have been limited and we thank you for your continued commitment to the delivery of safe care in these settings.