All registered professional nurses can apply to be included on the Irish register of nurses. As long as you meet the requirements and are registered with the appropriate registration Authority in your own country, there should be no reason why you cannot register in Ireland.
Please write or fax for an application form to the Irish Nursing Board.
ADDRESS:
An Bord Altranas
31-32 Fitzwilliam Square
Dublin 2
Ireland
TELEPHONE:
(+3531) 676 0226
FAX:
(+3531) 676 3348
Cost is €126
a) Some foreign trained nurses will need to complete an adaptation course. The Irish nursing Board will decide this . The assessment of the adaptation period shall represent, in the case of a nurse, achievement of An Bord Altranais 'Competencies for entry to the Register'. In relation to periods of adaptation the Director of Nursing/Midwifery of the approved hospital of institution shall furnish to An Bord Altranais a report on each Applicant for Registration who has completed a period of adaptation in that institution and any clinical site attached thereto.
b) Do I Need An English Language Test?
You need to take the IELTS test for Ireland unless you received your nursing education in Australia, Canada, Ireland, NZ or UK. We would recommend enrolling on an English language course as soon as possible. We can also introduce you to English language schools which can help improve your English. You can check you English levels here for a quick, on-line test: Cambridge University English language test <http://www.englishjet.com/english_courses_files/test_level.asp>.
English is the primary language in Ireland. English language competence is required at a level that supports communication and enables you to practice nursing safely and effectively in Ireland. Therefore proof of English language competence in cases where English is not the first language or primary language of expression is required. You will need to provide evidence of competence through achievement of an overall band score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic Test. This score may be achieved from a combination score of the four modules; reading, wiriting, speaking and listening. To achieve an overall score of 6.5 the you must achieve a score of no less that 6.0 in both wiritng and speaking module and achieve a score of no less than 5.5 in both reading and listening module.
As part of the application for Registration you will need to arrange to have a Test Report Form issued by IELTS, and submitted directly to An Bord Altranais by the test centre where you undertook the test. Only Test Report Forms that have been forwarded by the test centre directly to An Bord Altranais will be accepted. The test must have been undertaken no more than two years prior to the date of application or you must provide evidence of having worked as a full-time nurse in an English-speaking environment since having completed the test. This will be assessed on an individual basis.
