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Structure

The Council has a Registration Committee, an Education Committee with three Examination Sub-Committees, a Preliminary Investigation Committee, a Professional Development Committee, a Continuing Nursing Education Committee and an Accreditation Committee to help discharge its four main functions and to formulate policies and strategies to cope with future developments of the nursing profession.

The organization chart of the Council is as follows :

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Functions of Committees and Sub-committees

A. Registration Committee

1. To assess applications for registration and enrolment and to recommend approval or refusal of these applications;
2. To recommend requirements, where applicable, which will enable approval of registration and enrolment;
3. To assess applications for restoration of names to the register of nurses / roll of enrolled nurses and to recommend approval or refusal of these applications;
4. To recommend requirements, where applicable, which will enable approval of restoration of name to the register of nurses / roll of enrolled nurses; and
5. To consider issues of the practising certificate.

B. Education Committee

1. To make policy recommendations in respect of basic and Continuing Nursing Education;
2. To monitor the Examination Sub-committees
3. To make recommendations on the assessment methods for Licensing Examinations;
4. To make recommendations on curriculum guidelines and implementation requirements in line with international trends/standard;
5. To implement, monitor and review the Continuing Nursing Education System;
6. To advise on the progress and improvement of policies in relation to basic and Continuing Nursing Education; and
7. To monitor the voluntary participation of registered nurses and enrolled nurses in Continuing Nursing Education.

    Examination Sub-Committee

1. To be responsible to the Nursing Council through the Education Committee for maintaining the required standard in the Licensing Examinations for Registration and Enrolment;
2. To ensure the proper conduct of the Licensing Examinations for Registration and Enrolment;
3. To nominate chief examiners and examiners for the approval of the Education Committee; and
4. To keep under review the existing examination process, and to make recommendations to the Education Committee for improvements when necessary.

1. to make preliminary investigations into complaints or information touching conduct as required by the Regulations; and
2. having investigated into the complaint/information, to make recommendations to the Council for the holding of an inquiry under the Ordinance.

D. Professional Development Committee

    To advise the Nursing Council on:
    a.   the delineation of the domain of nursing practice;
    b.   the Code of Professional Conduct for Nurses in accordance with international
          standard;
    c.   the general standard of professional practice;
    d.   the development trends in nursing practice and education; and
    e.   the policies and strategies to cope with future developments including
          the delivery and development of the health care services in the Council's
          perspective.

E. Accreditation Committee

1. To provide independent authoritative advice on academic and professional standards in an institution by carrying out accreditation, that is
   1. validating or revalidating any nursing programme for the purpose of registration conducted by the institution; and/or
   2. reviewing the general academic and professional standards of the institution.
2. To promote good practices of accreditation and quality assurance, and to assist in maintaining and monitoring academic and professional standards.
3. To advise the Council on matters pertaining to academic accreditation and academic and professional standards.
4. To carry out such other functions connected with academic accreditation and evaluation as may be permitted or assigned to the Accreditation Committee by the Council.
5. To advise the Nursing Council on the accreditation of Continuing Nursing Education providers and the appointment of programme accreditors and to monitor their performance.

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Registration and Enrolment Procedure

According to the Ordinance, any person who wishes to practise as a registered nurse or enrolled nurse in Hong Kong must be registered or enrolled as a registered nurse or enrolled nurse with the Nursing Council of Hong Kong.

Applications for registration/enrolment should be made on the prescribed application form. Such form and the application notes are obtainable from either the Secretariat of the Council at first floor, Shun Feng International Centre, 182 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong or the Central Registration Office, Boards and Councils Office at 17th floor, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

Counter service opens from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday, and from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Application form and application note can also be downloaded from this website.

The prescribed fee for a Certificate of Registration or Certificate of Enrolment for locally trained applicants is HK$360. As for applicants trained overseas, the prescribed fee for a Certificate of Registration or for Certificate of Enrolment is HK$1,035. No fees will be charged before approval of the application.

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Registration and Enrolment Requirements

A. Registered Nurse

1. An applicant trained outside Hong Kong :
   1. should have completed a course of theoretical and practical training for nurses at a hospital-based nursing school for a period of not less than 3 years; or
      a pre-registration nursing programme of not less than 3 academic years at a university, college or polytechnic; or
      any other programmes of nursing, specially designed for candidates having a different qualification or experience while joining the programme as approved by the Council from time to time, e.g. conversion programme for enrolled nurses;
   2. must possess a valid certificate to practise nursing issued by such certifying body as may be recognized by the Council from time to time as evidence of competency to practise nursing; and
   3. must pass the Licensing Examination for Registration, and if required, to undergo such further training as the Council may specify.
2. An applicant trained in Hong Kong :
   1. should have completed 3 years' nursing training, in which he should have undergone systematic instruction in each of the subjects prescribed for the licensing examination for registration, in a recognized training school; and
   2. pass the licensing examination for registration; or
   3. should have completed a 3 years' pre-registration nursing programme provided by a recognized training school and accredited by the council.

B. Enrolled Nurse

1. An applicant trained outside Hong Kong :
   1. should have completed at least 2 years' formal full-time training in nursing outside Hong Kong of a type acceptable to the Council;
   2. must possess a valid certificate to practise nursing issued by such certifying body as may be recognized by the Council from time to time as evidence of competency to practise nursing; and
   3. must pass the Licensing Examination for Enrolment and, if required, to undergo such further training as the Council may specify.
2. An applicant trained in Hong Kong :
   1. should have completed 2 years' nursing training, in which he should have undergone systematic instruction in each of the subjects prescribed for the Licensing Examination for Enrolment, in a recognized training school; and
   2. pass the Licensing Examination for Enrolment; or
   3. should have completed a 2 years' pre-enrolment nursing programme provided by a recognized training school and accredited by the Council.

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Licensing Examination

The Licensing Examination for registration and enrolment consists of the written and practical parts. There will be no exemption for any part of the Licensing Examination. Furthermore, the applicant must pass the written part before he/she will be allowed to take the practical part, and must pass both parts before he/she can register/enroll with the Council.

The applicant is required to make his/her first attempt of the Licensing Examination within two years from the date the Council issues its initial approval for sitting for the Licensing Examination to him/her. Application for deferment beyond the two-year limit will not be entertained.

If the applicant fails to pass any part of the Licensing Examination, he/she is required to re-sit the failed part only. Nevertheless, the applicant has to re-sit the failed part within one year from the date of his/her last attempt, except with the special permission of the Council and subject to such conditions as to training or instruction as the Council may impose.

If the applicant fails to pass the practical part of the Licensing Examination within three years from the date he/she passes the written part, he/she needs to re-sit both the written and practical parts.

If the applicant fails to pass the Licensing Examination on three occasions, he/she will not be entitled to re-sit the Licensing Examination again without the special permission of the Council. Submission of a fresh application does not mean an applicant will be given further chances to re-sit the licensing examination. The following are some of the examples cited for reference:-

Starting from 2007, only one Licensing Examination for Registration will be organized each year. The written and practical parts will be held in March and June respectively.

As for the Licensing Examination for Enrolment, the written and practical parts are held in March and August respectively.

The Secretariat will inform applicants of the details of the examination in writing directly.

The examination fee is $715 for the Licensing Examination for Registration, and $765 for the Licensing Examination for Enrolment.

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A registered or an enrolled nurse cannot practise nursing in Hong Kong unless he or she is a holder of a valid practising certificate issued by the Nursing Council.

Any registered or enrolled nurse wishing to practise nursing but not holding a valid practising certificate should send a written application to the Secretariat. The fee for a practising certificate is HK$200. The holder of a current practising certificate may apply in writing to the Secretariat for a replacement copy if the original practising certificate is lost, destroyed or defaced. The fee for a replacement copy of a practising certificate is HK$175.

A practising certificate is valid for a period not exceeding 3 years ending on 31 December. It should be renewed when expired. The Secretariat takes the initiative to remind practising certificate holders 3 months before renewal is due by issuing a "payment advice" to their last correspondence addresses as recorded in the register of nurses or roll of enrolled nurses.

Upon receipt of the "payment advice", the nurse is required to pay the prescribed fee of HK$200 by a crossed cheque and send it together with the lower portion of the "payment advice" to the Secretariat before 31 December. The Central Registration Office will then process the renewal applications.

According to section 10A(6) and section 16A(6) of the Nurses Registration Ordinance (Chapter 164, Laws of Hong Kong), any person who is required to be the holder of a practising certificate shall be deemed to have obtained the certificate when he or she has duly applied to the secretary and paid the prescribed fee for the issue of the practising certificate.

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The Council's powers in this regard are as laid down in the Nurses Registration Ordinance, the Nurses (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) Regulation and the Enrolled Nurses (Enrolment and Disciplinary Procedure) Regulation, Cap. 164, Laws of Hong Kong.

Complaint against a registered nurse or an enrolled nurse for professional misconduct should be forwarded in writing to the Secretary who will then refer it to the Chairman of the Preliminary Investigation Committee (PIC) for consideration.

The PIC decides whether to dismiss the complaint or refer it to the Council for inquiry. The Council, at the conclusion of the inquiry, will exercise its powers in accordance with the Ordinance and make such disciplinary awards as it deems fit.

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Statistics

(A) Registration and Enrolment

(B) Nurses with practising certificates

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