Annual Practising Certificates (APC)

Who needs one?

Anyone who is practising as a nurse must hold a practising certificate. Nurses who practise without a practising certificate may be referred to a professional conduct committee.

Definition of practising

The Council is required to define practising, to determine whether a nurse has maintained the required standard of continuing competence and whether a nurse requires a practising certificate.

Nursing practice is using nursing knowledge in a direct relationship with clients or working in nursing management, nursing administration, nursing education, nursing research, nursing professional advice or nursing policy development roles, which impact on public safety.

Explanatory note

This means that if a person has the responsibilities of a nurse as defined by the Nursing Council scopes of practice and is using his or her nursing knowledge in a direct relationship with clients he or she should hold a practising certificate.

If a nurse is employed in one of the other roles set out in the definition he or she may not require a practising certificate unless his or her role impacts on public safety.

Purpose of the definition

The purpose of this definition is to ensure that nurses who are in a direct nursing relationship with clients or whose role impacts on public safety are required to comply with the mechanisms put in place by the Act to ensure that nurses have maintained the required standard of competence to protect public safety, such as ongoing professional development and completing hours of practice.

It is not intended to include nurses who no longer have nursing responsibilities but who choose to continue working in the health care sector. The definition may include some practitioners who are working as nurses but whose employers have not previously required them to hold practising certificates.

Eligibility

Applications for practising certificates are always considered on an individual basis. If you have any questions regarding your eligibility or whether you require a practising certificate in your current role, please contact the registration section of the Nursing Council.