Is the ‘nurse’ title finally about to be protected in law?

A review of professional regulation may at last mean only those registered can call themselves nurses, a move campaigners say is important for patient safety

There is growing hope that the title ‘nurse’ will finally become protected in law.

It comes after a long-running campaign by nurses to safeguard use of the term just as other roles in health and care have their professional titles protected.

Who can call themselves a nurse?

The term ‘registered nurse’ is protected under the 1997 Nurses, Midwives and Health Visiting Act . To use it, an individual has to be registered as a nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

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