Privacy Policy

1. Purpose of this Website

This website provides public information about the Cook Islands Nursing Council and supports the online registration and renewal process for nurses, midwives, and nurse practitioners in the Cook Islands.

The website allows members of the public to search the public nursing register and allows registered users to securely submit information required for registration, renewal, compliance, and Council review.

2. Information We Collect

The Cook Islands Nursing Council may collect personal, professional, registration, compliance, and payment-related information through this website.

• Full name, date of birth, gender, nationality, and residency status
• Contact details, including address, phone number, and email address
• Registration number and scope of practice
• Nursing and midwifery qualifications, institution details, and graduation dates
• Employment details, workplace, role, start date, and employment type
• Registration type, including first-time registration or annual renewal
• Years of practice and practice history
• Continuing Professional Development information
• Competency evidence and supporting documents
• Police clearance or overseas Annual Practicing Certificate where required
• Declaration responses and uploaded verification documents
• Payment and order information relating to registration or renewal fees

3. How We Use Your Information

Information collected through this website is used for Council purposes, including:

• Creating and managing nurse user accounts
• Processing registration and renewal applications
• Reviewing professional and registration information
• Confirming eligibility for registration or annual practicing license renewal
• Managing CPD and competency evidence
• Reviewing compliance and supporting documents
• Communicating with applicants about their registration or renewal
• Recording declarations and confirmations
• Processing online payments and generating receipts
• Maintaining the public nursing register
• Supporting audits, reviews, reporting, and Council administration
• Protecting public safety and maintaining professional standards

4. Public Nursing Register

The website includes a public nursing register that allows members of the public, employers, and organisations to verify registration information.

Only selected registration information is made visible to the public. Publicly visible information may include Registration Number, Last Name, First Name, Scope of Practice, Registration Status, Expiry Date, and any public limitations or conditions where applicable.

Private information such as personal contact details, uploaded documents, payment records, and confidential application information is not intended to be displayed publicly.

5. Nurse User Accounts

Nurses, midwives, and nurse practitioners may create an account to access the secure registration and renewal portal.

Each registered user is responsible for keeping their account login details secure. Users should not share their username or password with others.

The website is designed so that nurses can only access and update their own registration information. Administrative users authorised by the Cook Islands Nursing Council may access submitted information for review, approval, reporting, and Council administration.

6. Uploaded Documents

Users may be required to upload supporting documents as part of registration, renewal, CPD, competency, compliance, or verification requirements.

Uploaded documents may be reviewed by authorised Council administrators. These documents may include sensitive information and will be used only for Council-related registration, renewal, compliance, audit, or verification purposes.

7. Online Payments

The website may collect payment-related information when users purchase registration, renewal, or other Council-related products or services.

Payments are processed through an external payment gateway or merchant banking service. The Cook Islands Nursing Council website may record order information, payment status, receipt details, transaction references, and related payment confirmation information.

The website does not intend to store full credit card or debit card details. Payment card information is handled by the relevant payment gateway or merchant service provider.

8. Email Notifications and Receipts

The website may send automated emails relating to account creation, registration or renewal activity, payment confirmations, receipts, application updates, Council review outcomes, password reset requests, and other website or registration-related notices.

Users are responsible for providing a correct and active email address.

9. Disclosure of Information

The Cook Islands Nursing Council may disclose information where necessary for legitimate Council purposes, including:

• To authorised Council administrators and reviewers
• To payment gateway or merchant service providers for payment processing
• To website hosting, technical support, or system service providers
• To employers, referees, education providers, or regulatory authorities for verification purposes where required
• Where required by law, regulation, audit, investigation, or official process
• Where necessary to protect public safety or maintain professional standards

The Cook Islands Nursing Council does not sell personal information.

10. Data Security

Reasonable steps are taken to protect information submitted through the website from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

Security measures may include user login controls, role-based access, restricted administrative access, website security tools, hosting protections, and secure payment processing through external payment services.

However, no online system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Users should take care when submitting information online and should keep their account details confidential.

11. Accuracy of Information

Users are responsible for ensuring that the information they provide is true, accurate, complete, and up to date.

Providing false, misleading, incomplete, or fraudulent information may result in an application being declined, registration being delayed, restricted, suspended, cancelled, or further action being taken by the Cook Islands Nursing Council.

12. Accessing and Updating Your Information

Registered users may log in to their account to view and update their submitted information where website access allows.

If information cannot be updated through the website, users should contact the Cook Islands Nursing Council for assistance.

The Council may retain previous records where required for registration history, audit, compliance, payment, legal, or administrative purposes.

13. Cookies and Website Analytics

This website may use cookies and similar technologies to support normal website functions, login sessions, security, shopping cart functions, payment processing, and website performance.

Cookies may also be used by WordPress, WooCommerce, security tools, analytics tools, or payment gateway services.

Users may disable cookies in their browser settings, but some website features may not function correctly without them.

14. Third-Party Services

This website may rely on third-party services, including website hosting, WordPress plugins, payment gateway services, email delivery services, analytics tools, and security tools.

These third-party providers may process limited information as required to deliver their services.

Where users proceed to an external payment page, merchant portal, or third-party service, the privacy policy and terms of that third-party provider may also apply.

15. Retention of Information

The Cook Islands Nursing Council may retain personal, professional, registration, compliance, payment, and audit information for as long as required for Council purposes, legal obligations, regulatory records, audit requirements, dispute handling, public safety, or administrative needs.

Records may be retained even after a user account is inactive, where required for registration history, Council decision-making, compliance, or legal purposes.

16. Contact

For privacy-related questions, registration information updates, or requests relating to personal information held by the Cook Islands Nursing Council, please contact the Council.

17. Changes to this Privacy Policy

The Cook Islands Nursing Council may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to the website, registration processes, payment systems, legal requirements, or Council procedures.

The updated version will be published on this website.