Mandatory Training

• Mandatory training is the core foundation upon which registered nurses, midwives, and healthcare support workers build their clinical knowledge, professional judgement, and compassionate, person-centred care.
• It is fundamental to mitigating identified risk for all parties and ensures the protection of patients, staff, and the general public.
• Compliance with Mandatory Training reinforces the commitment of nurses, midwives, and healthcare support workers to safe, ethical and effective, evidence based practice.
• Essential education and development activities, ensures employers meet their legal obligations and prioritise the health & safety and well-being of patients, staff, and the general public when delivering high-quality, evidence based care.
• Mandatory training requirements will vary between organisations and may even vary within organisations depending on service specific requirements.

Mandatory training is sub-categorised into three areas:

1. corporate – training applicable to all staff regardless of role. This is due to a statutory obligation where the law defines that training must be undertaken. Examples of corporate training are Health & Safety awareness, Fire Safety awareness.
2. role specific – training deemed Mandatory of all nurses, midwives and healthcare support staff. While the training title is generic- the level which is undertaken may vary depending on the role. Examples of role specific training are Adult and Children Safeguarding, Medicines Management, Life Support training, Breastfeeding.
3. essential/best practice – training deemed ‘Mandatory’ within specific service areas or teams to facilitate service delivery. Examples of essential/best practice training are Haemovigilance, Central Venous Access, Enteral Feeding, Safety Interventions, Fetal Monitoring.

Mandatory training is for all nurses, midwives and healthcare support staff, regardless of job role and must be completed in line with organisational policy.

Where a career pathway has been developed by NIPEC, information on mandatory education requirements will be included. Click here for career pathways.

Training can be accessed:

• using a learning management system (LMS) offered by your organisation. This is an online learning system with pre-loaded programmes usually known as ‘e-learning’ and may offer the ability to book face to face training programmes. This method of learning provides a way to undertake required learning at a time appropriate and convenient to the learner.
• ‘In-house’ training is defined as a teaching activity that follows a quality assurance process in accordance with organisational policies and procedures. It is developed and delivered within the learners own organisation. Further support with In-House Teaching Activities is available via the NIPEC website.
• Education providers such as the Clinical Education Centre (CEC) deliver elements of mandatory training. These may practical or and theory based delivered either online or face to face.
• Organisations may access external training providers to meet organisational need.

Each organisation will have a detailed schedule of learning courses/programmes that must be undertaken in line with organisational policy. Adherence to the organisation learning schedule is a key responsibility of any staff member.