Whatever your reason for considering restarting your career and returning to practice, your skills and previous experience are invaluable. Return to practice programmes are usually a combination of theory and practice-based learning, with study periods and clinical practice.

Nursing and Midwifery

If you have previously been a registered nurse or a registered midwife and wish to return to the profession then you may need to undertake a Return to Practice programme. In Northern Ireland, a 12-week programme for a return to Part 1 of the register is available.

Please see some helpful signposting below that will explain what you need to do:

Royal College of Nursing – Return to practice
NIPEC – Return to practice
Royal College of Midwives – Returning to midwifery practice

The Health and Care Professions Council

If you are returning to practice and have not practised for two years or more, you are required to spend some time updating your knowledge and skills. For more details on how to do this please follow the link below:

HCPC – Our requirements if you are returning to practice
HCPC – Returning to practice: registrant case study

Northern Ireland Social Care Council

If you are returning to practice as a social care practitioner or social worker you must be registered with the Social Care Council to work/practise in the social care sector. For more advice and details please follow the link below:

Northern Ireland Social Care Council

Ulster University programmes

Ulster University provides programmes focusing on returning to nursing practice, whether this be in adult, mental health, learning disabilities or children’s nursing. The part time courses are designed to update your skills and help you reenter nursing with confidence.

Ulster University – Return to practice nursing