(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The 41st joint meeting of the Executive and Education Committees and 10th Practice Committee of the Regional Nursing Body agreed to the Caribbean Examination Council’s (CXC) proposal for an October 2013 start date for the Regional Nursing Entrance Examination (RENR).

The meeting, at the CARICOM Secretariat in Guyana, on 26-28, February, reviewed and made amendments to the Regional Standard for Nursing Education as well as the Practice Standard. The revision of these standards will be completed with assistance from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Regional Office for Caribbean programme Coordination.

The objectives of the meeting were to discuss preparations for the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) managed Regional Examination for Nurse Registration (RENR); finalize the standards of nursing education; align nursing and midwifery legislation; develop a Regional policy for midwifery practice and streamline the role of nurses in school health programmes across the Region.

The draft model legislation for nurses and midwives to facilitate the standardization of regulation, registration and licensing across the Region was also reviewed. This legislation when approved by Member States will put in place the necessary legislative framework to advance the free movement of those categories of workers within the Region.

A regional Policy and strategy for midwifery practice was also initiated. A rapid assessment of the status of midwifery among CARICOM Member States, conducted by the RNB through the CARICOM Secretariat provided the evidence base for these discussions. The study highlighted key areas for standardization in a thrust for harmonizing the midwifery practice across the Region.