Protecting the public...

The NMC's primary mandate is to protect the public by registering, regulating and monitoring nurses and nursing practice. I don't think it insinuates that nurses are dangerous but that we do care for the most vunerable members of the community and therefore there must be some regulation and monitoring of this practice.

Without the regulation of the NMC there is the potential for less than adequate nurses to practice. THe NMC does not Enhance practice, the individual practitioners do that, but it does provide professional standards which we must adhere to and therefore attempts to protect the public from practitioners who may not be fit for practice. If you look at the code of conduct it is all about the safety and digity of our patients / clients.

I am not saying it is an ideal organisation - what organisation is? - but it's mandate is to protect the public by registration and monitoring practitioners.

I don't think that the term Protecting the public through professional standards is derogatory I think it merely states what the NMC is about.

Protecting the public?!! Sounds like nurses would be dangerous if not for the NMC! Anyone got an opinion?

Any 'profession' requires regulation. Unfortunately, any group or individual plying their trade without regulation is liable to fraudalent behaviour (e.g. dodgy tradesmen) and likely, in the case of healthcare workers, to be a danger to the public.

Nurses are often dangerous enough even whilst being regulated.

'Protecting the public through professional standards and having a large slice of real estate in central London which we could sell to reduce the already ridiculous registration fees and help our registrants out' may be a better, if not slightly longer and less catchy, slogan.

Cheers

OG