About CPD and AHPRA

You can browse the questions below to find what you are looking for.

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What is Continuing Professional Development (CPD)?

Continuing professional development is the means by which members of the profession maintain, improve and broaden their knowledge, expertise and competence, and develop the personal and professional qualities required throughout their professional lives.

The CPD cycle involves reviewing practice, identifying learning needs, planning and participating in relevant learning activities and reflecting on the value of those activities (ANMC, 2009)

Who sets the CPD standards for nurses and midwives in Australia?

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency is the organisation responsible for the registration and accreditation of 15 health professions across Australia.

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia requires every registered nurse and midwife to undertake a of 20 hours of Continuing Professional Development per year to maintain their registration.

For those with dual registration, 20 hours per annum is required in respect to each registration, except for nurse practitioners who require and additional 10 hours of CPD.

Go to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Fact Sheet on CPD.

Do the MNCPD modules meet the requirements for CPD activities as set out by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia?

YES.

All of the modules provided by MNCPD (as part of HealthStaffEd Pty Ltd and endorsed by HealthStaffEd) have been developed for midwives and nurses and meet all of the requirement for Continuing Professional Development activities as set out by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia

How many hours of CPD do I require each year?
  1. If you are a registered nurse or an enrolled nurse you will require 20 hours of CPD per year.
  2. If you are an Eligible Midwife, you will require an additional 20 hours of CPD for your endorsement.
  3. If you are both a registered nurse and a registered midwife, you will require 20 hours of CPD for your nursing registration and an additional 20 hours of CPD for your midwifery registration. However, if CPD activities are relevant to nursing and midwifery professions, those activities may be counted as evidence for both nursing and midwifery CPD hours.
  4. If you are a Nurse Practitioner, you will require an additional 10 hours of CPD for your endorsement.
If I am not practising, do I still need to do CPD?

Yes.

For registered nurses, registered midwives and nurse practitioners, in order to maintain your registration, CPD must be undertaken and the CPD undertaken must be relevant to your ‘context of practice’. The amount of CPD you are required to undertake is:

  1. If you are a registered nurse or an enrolled nurse you will require 20 hours of CPD per year.
  2. If you are an Eligible Midwife, you will require an additional 20 hours of CPD for your endorsement.
  3. If you are both a registered nurse and a registered midwife, you will require 20 hours of CPD for your nursing registration and an additional 20 hours of CPD for your midwifery registration. However, if CPD activities are relevant to nursing and midwifery professions, those activities may be counted as evidence for both nursing and midwifery CPD hours.
  4. If you are a Nurse Practitioner, you will require an additional 10 hours of CPD for your endorsement.
Do I need to keep evidence of my CPD?

Yes

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia recommends that you keep your evidence of CPD activities for a period of five years.

MNCPD provides all members with access to your own ePortfolio. Your ePortfolio will automatically log all MNCPD modules. You can:

  • Enter all other learning activities undertaken;
  • Record your learning planning exercise
  • Record your reflection exercise following completion of your CPD
  • Record your professional achievements
  • Upload evidence files such as certificates
  • Download, forward or share your complete ePortfolio anytime
Where can I get more information?