Being both a professional organisation and a trade union helps NONM to work better with the nursing and midwifery regulator. NONM is able to check and balance NMCM and subsequently give it a helping hand.

In Malawi, Nursing/midwifery is regulated by the Nurses and Midwives Council of Malawi (NMCM). This body regulates nursing and midwifery education, training and practice to see to it that nurses and midwives in Malawi are up to date with the profession in the ever-changing world of the 21st century.

It enhances the quality of nursing and midwifery education, training and practice through registration of qualified nurses and midwives, accreditation of education institutions, provision of supportive supervision to education institutions, regulation of content to be taught at various levels and programs and making sure that registered nurses and midwives participate in Continuous Professional Development (CPD).

As both a trade union and a professional organization NONM ensures that nurses and midwives are justly and fairly regulated. The professional part of NONM helps to make sure that it is moving in the same direction with NMCM, while subsequently providing checks and balances to the NMCM with its trade union part.