Approved professional development and recognition programmes (PDRP)

The Nursing Council approves PDRP as recertification programmes under section 41 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003.

Council approval means that the programme has met the Nursing Council criteria for PDRP as outlined in the framework for approval. The programme assesses that nurses meet the Council’s continuing competence requirements and the programme requirements.

Nurses who demonstrate continuing competence by successfully having a portfolio assessed via PDRP are exempt from Council recertification audit.

PDRP have been developed by employers to recognise and support individual nurses to meet continuing competence requirements and to enable a career pathway progression. The criteria for advancement through these programmes are determined by the programme and not by the Nursing Council.

PDRP requirements are different from Council recertification audit requirements in that they look at more than competence to practice. Programmes support individual nurses to develop their practice and to recognise additional contributions made by nurses to the workplace.

The criteria for advancement through these programmes are determined by the programme and not by the Nursing Council.

Nurses seeking information about PDRP should contact their employer’s PDRP coordinator.

For more information, see the documents in the downloads on this page.