The post-registration framework for registered nurses and midwives was
set up to provide flexible continuing education programmes for regist
ered nurses, For those students who already have the basic professiona
l qualification specific to their area of practice, professional devel
opment programmes are intended as a vehicle for improving their own pe
rsonal professional competence, However, for those individuals who wis
h to gain further qualification or to change from one practice context
to another, it is argued that the framework does not adequately addre
ss their needs, At present, preregistration diplomates emerge from the
Project 2000 programme with a qualification which enables them to wor
k in one specific area of practice only, This early specialization is
not in line with current and projected USA and European thinking (Cast
ledine 1995) and may lead to a reduction in the-broad base of nursing
knowledge, It is further argued that pre-registration programmes shoul
d provide a generic base of nursing theory and practice, whereas speci
alist knowledge and practice should be the main thrust of post-registr
ation work, The authors argue that initial development of nurses in sp
ecialist areas at pre-registration level restricts their ability to re
spond to rapidly changing health care needs later in their careers, Th
e post-registration framework should be a flexible vehicle by which in
dividuals can gain expanded knowledge in a particular field of practic
e or can change professional direction if they wish, Thus, nurses woul
d have the freedom to develop in a way that is most appropriate to the
ir changing individual needs.