The Short Title of this Act is “The Nurses Registration Act, 1901.”

In this Act, unless inconsistent with the context,

The Registrar shall from time to time cause the names of all duly qualified nurses to be registered in a book to be kept by him at his office for that purpose, and to be called “The Nurses Register of New Zealand.”

Such register shall show the name and address and qualifications of each nurse entered therein, and where and when she was trained.

A copy of the register shall be published in the Gazette annually in the month of January.

Every person who, on the coming into operation of this Act, holds a certificate of three consecutive years’ training as a nurse in a hospital, and proves to the satisfaction of the Registrar that during her training she received systematic instruction in theoretical and practical nursing from the medical officer and matron, is entitled to registration on payment of a fee of ten shillings, and on application to the Registrar on or before the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred and two:

Provided that nurses who are absent from the colony in the Imperial service shall be allowed to apply under this subsection at any time within three years of the coming into operation of this Act.

Every person who, on the coming into operation of this Act, has had four consecutive years’ training as a nurse in a hospital, and passes an examination in theoretical and practical nursing by examiners appointed by the Governor under this Act, is entitled to registration on payment of a fee of one pound towards the cost of examination.

From and after the coming into operation of this Act every person who has attained the age of twenty-three years, and is certified as having had three years’ training as a nurse in a hospital, together with systematic instruction in theoretical and practical nursing from the medical officer and the matron of that hospital, and who passes an examination from time to time held by examiners appointed under this Act, is entitled to registration on payment of a fee of one pound.

Every person is entitled to registration, on payment of a fee of one pound, who holds a certificate from the medical officer or authorities of any hospital out of New Zealand recognised by the Minister under any regulations under this Act, if equivalent in training and examination to what is required from New Zealand nurses under this Act.

For the purpose of enabling nurses who previous to the coming into operation of this Act hold certificates issued by any hospital authority, or who may have had not less than four years’ experience as nurses, and who do not come within the foregoing provisions, to be registered under this Act, the Minister may make regulations prescribing the qualifications or form of examination required and the fee to be paid for the issue of a certificate which shall entitle the holder to registration under this Act:

Provided that no such certificate shall be issued after the thirty-first day of December, one thousand nine hundred and two.

A certificate given after the coming into operation of this Act by the medical officer of any hospital shall not entitle the holder thereof to registration unless a course of at least twelve lectures has been delivered in that hospital in each of the three years’ residence therein of the holder of the certificate.

When a nurse is duly registered she shall receive a certificate in the prescribed form, together with a badge bearing her name and the date of registration.

Every person who procures herself to be registered under this Act by means of any false or fraudulent representation, or by the production of any false certificate or testimonial, is liable to a penalty of five pounds, and her name shall be erased from the register.

Any registered nurse who is convicted of any indictable offence shall have her name erased from the register by order of the Governor in Council, and any registered nurse who is proved to the satisfaction of the Registrar and any Stipendiary Magistrate to have been guilty of grave misconduct shall be liable to have her name erased from the register by order of the Governor in Council.

All fees and penalties received under this Act shall be paid into the Public Account and form part of the Consolidated Fund, and all expenses of administering this Act shall be paid out of moneys appropriated by Parliament for that purpose.

The Governor may from time to time

Appoint fit persons to be Examiners under this Act, and fix the remuneration of such persons; and

Make such regulations as are necessary to carry this Act into effect.

In all appointments of nurses in hospitals under the control of Boards constituted under “The Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act, 1885,” preference of employment in regard to future vacancies shall be given to registered nurses: Provided that nothing herein contained shall be construed to interfere with the employment of probationer nurses in such institutions.

This Act shall come into operation on the first day of January, one thousand nine hundred and two.