13 June 2007

Processing of Applications for:

	Registration with the South African Nursing Council prior to successful completion of the four-year programme covered by the Regulations Relating to the Approval of and the Minimum Requirements for the Education and Training of a Nurse (General, Psychiatric and Community) and Midwife Leading to Registration (Government Notice No. R.425 of 22 February 1985)
	Re-entry into the Council examination to rewrite failed examination papers/portions

1.    Background

1.1    Requirements for Registration

The Nursing Act, 1978 (Act No. 50 of 1978) specifies the requirements necessary to practice in any category of nursing. These include the certificate of a qualification in support of documents submitted with the application for registration.

In accordance with the Regulations relating to the approval of and the minimum requirements for the Education and Training of a Nurse (General, Psychiatric and Community) and Midwife (Government Notice No. R.425 of 22 February 1985) as amended, conditions for registration (admission to the register) include:

	successful completion of the course/programme
	complying with the programme objectives/outcomes
	any other requirements for the award of the qualifications concerned.

1.2    National Qualifications Framework NQF Council’s response to Objectives and Principles of the NQF

In 1999, the South African Nursing Council responded to a national call for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in line with the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) policy on retention of credits.

It approved issuing of certificates of professional registration for learners who had not successfully completed the course and had not acquired an academic qualification from their respective training institutions.

The purpose and spirit of such a concession was to assist learners who had undergone the whole programme and exhausted the legislated duration of the course, including provider concessions but had not passed all the subjects/courses of the programme to qualify for registration as a Nurse (General, Psychiatric and Community) and Midwife.

2.    Problems and Implications

An undesirable trend has developed over years, where learners abandon the programme without registering for all the courses and before completion or fulfillment of requirements of all sub-disciplines within the four year programme.

Such a practice is not in line with the initial purpose and spirit for which this concession was put in place in 1999.

The observed adverse effects are as follows:

	Compromised registration of some components of this programme i.e. Midwifery and Psychiatric Nursing Science. This directly affects service delivery in respect of these areas.
	Issuing of a Certificate of Registration by the Council without the learner having achieved a qualification affects the learner’s employability outside South Africa and raises indictment issues on the quality of nursing education in South Africa.

3.    Purpose of this policy framework

The purpose of this document is to:

	create a legitimate route towards professional registration, supported by programme regulations
	put in place a transitional arrangement until the new qualifications in line with the new Scope of Practice are available and registered on the NQF.
	outline a process of re-entry into the Council examinations to re-write final examination papers/portions
	waiver all previous communications in respect of this concession, following termination of the four year programme and re-writing of examinations

4.    Process of handling applications for registration/enrolment

Upon termination of training from this programme the following provisions shall be observed towards registration and enrolment:

4.1    Enrolment as a Nursing Auxiliary

This will be carried out administratively in accordance with the exemption provisions of the Regulations relating to the course leading to enrolment as a Nursing Auxiliary (Government Notice No. R.2176 of 19 November 1993, Section 7 (1)):

Conditions and Requirements are as follows:

	application shall be considered if it is within 5 years of termination of training
	declaration from the person in charge of school certifying that the theoretical and practical requirements equivalent to the requirements of the regulations published under Government Notice No. R.2176 of 19 November 1993 have been attained
	completion of at least one year training of the four-year course
	the candidate must have passed an examination in General Nursing Science and Art I
	completion of at least 1000 hours of clinical practica
	record of training shall be submitted to the Council by the relevant nursing school
	completed form for registration/enrolment
	payment of prescribed fee

4.2    Enrolment as a Nurse

This will be processed administratively in accordance with exemption provisions of the Regulations for the course leading to enrolment as a Nurse (Government Notice No. R.2175 of 22 November 1993, Section 7(1))

Conditions and Requirements:

	application will be considered if it is within 5 years of termination of training
	completed form for registration/enrolment
	payment of prescribed fee
	certificate (declaration) from person in charge of school on attainment of the theoretical and practical requirements equivalent to the requirements of the regulations published under Government Notice No. R.2175 of 22 November 1993
	completion of at least two years of the four-year course
	the candidate must have passed an examination in General Nursing Science and Art II or its equivalent
	completion of at least 2000 hours of clinical practica
	record of training shall be submitted to the Council by the relevant nursing school

4.3    Registration as a Nurse

There are no regulations providing for such registration following termination of training from the four-year programme.

The result is that no academic qualification can be awarded by the nursing education institution on termination of training

The following process will therefore be followed on termination of training after the third year or during the fourth year of training, or at the end of the fourth year where outcomes of the course have not been achieved:

4.3.1    Enrolment as a nurse

4.3.2    Approved school shall, upon receipt of an application to the school by the learner:

Register (Restore) the candidate as a learner into the Bridging Course (Government Notice No. R.683 of 14 April 1989) in order to give a legitimate student status. This will be done in accordance with regulations regarding registers for students i.e. Government Notice No. R.3735 of 14 November 1968 as well as provisions of Government Notice No. R.683 of 14 April 1989.

NB: Termination of Training Record must be submitted for the four year course as restoration cannot be effected on the Council’s system if the candidate is still registered as a learner in another programme.

Evaluate accumulated knowledge and skills through a formalized RPL process by comparing with the subject content (learning outcomes) of the Bridging Course for Enrolled Nurses leading to Registration as a General Nurse (Government Notice No. R.683 of 14 April 1989)

4.3.3    Progress of learners:

If the:

	Evaluation reflects that requirements for registration as a general nurse have been fulfilled: the school submits practical marks in line with requirements of the course the candidate may challenge the final examination of the Bridging Course for Enrolled Nurses, towards registration as a Nurse
	Evaluation reflects gaps in terms of subject content: facilitation to close gaps will be undertaken by the school. duration of academic support will depend on identified gaps (compiled portfolio of evidence is kept by the school).

4.3.4 Submission to the Council by the School:

	Completed application form for resumption of training, at resumption of training
	Applicable fee (restoration as a student)
	Application for entry into final examination of the Bridging Course, if the student qualifies for immediate entry into examinations
	Practical assessment marks
	Declaration from the person in charge of the school that outcomes of the Bridging Course have been met either during the four year course or during the facilitation phase of RPL process at the school

NB: Time Frame:

Application will be accepted within three (3) years after termination of training. This requirement is due to rapid changes in education.

5.    Registration of single supplementary basic qualification(s)

	No further single registration except General Nursing ( through the Bridging Course ) shall be granted after termination of training from the four-year programme
	Single qualifications such as Midwifery, Psychiatry and Community Health Nursing shall be pursued separately after registration as a General Nurse and in accordance with relevant regulation(s) for each programme. In such cases, principles of RPL will be implemented where some of the minimum requirements as set out in the relevant regulations were fulfilled within the four year programme.
	This will ensure portability of credits and avoid repetition of learning content already covered.

6.    Re-writing of failed examination papers/portions

A candidate who has failed a portion/paper in the Council examination for the first time follows the process outlined below:

	Re-entry into any of the two consecutive examinations after publication of the examination results
	An examination application form and prescribed fee must be submitted to the Council.
	These submissions must be made within the prescribed time frames
	Credits of the passed portion/paper will be retained
	A candidate who has failed twice may be offered academic support by the Nursing Education Institution (NEI) in preparation for the third re-entry into an examination.  The school will keep and maintain records of such academic support
	A candidate who after three attempts (full academic year) fails the examination, reregisters for the course and resumes training.

7.    Conclusion:

This policy revokes all other communication and policies in respect of the above concession following termination of training and in respect of rewriting of Council examinations

8.    Implementation:

The implementation date of this policy framework is 01 January 2008.

Any enquiries regarding this matter may be referred to

Deputy Registrar – Professional Affairs (Telephone: 012 420-1059)

OR

Manager – Examination/Registration Section (Telephone: 012 420-1044)

Email: [email protected]

Your cooperation in this regard will be appreciated.

(Signed)
S A Mchunu (Ms)
for Registrar and Chief Executive Officer

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