Press Release 1/2021: The SANC – Appreciating the value of nurses and midwives especially during the Covid-19 pandemic


25 August 2020

TO:News Editor
FROM:Ms SA Mchunu
Registrar and CEO


The SANC – Appreciating the value of nurses and midwives especially during the Covid-19 pandemic

The world is experiencing its biggest crisis in more than a hundred years, with the saving of lives at the forefront of every thought and action.

In the midst of this pandemic is healthcare workers and more specifically, nurses and midwives. 
Often the sacrifices that they make are done under impossible conditions, at the cost of their own health and safety, and at the cost of time not spent with their loved ones.

Although the SANC is not an employer or a union, and thus cannot interfere in employer-employee matters, it appreciates the nurses’ and midwives’ commitment and sacrifice and thus supports a call to provide them with personal protective equipment, ensuring their safety at all times. As regulator of the profession the SANC also supports the need for as many nurses as possible to assist during the pandemic.

The Council of the SANC resolved at its meeting in July 2020, that an increase in the annual fees for the year 2021/2022 (normally payable from July –December 2021 for 2022), will be waivered. The annual fees for the next payment cycle (2021/22) will therefore be the same as this current cycle.

This could not be implemented during the current payment cycle due to a legislated process and timeframe for the SANC budget. The SANC budget is drawn and submitted to the Minister of Health at least three months before the beginning of the following financial year. The current budget was submitted by the end of December 2019 already. 

This waiver is introduced to pledge its solidarity with nurses and midwives who are at the forefront of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The Council acknowledges that nurses and midwives render services at great sacrifice to themselves and families, and expresses its condolences to families, friends and employers who have experienced the loss of their loved ones.

Says Sizo Mchunu, SANC Registrar and CEO: “We express our deepest sympathy and sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of those nurses who have succumbed during the fight against Covid-19. You are the true heroes of the pandemic, with sacrifices made to the end. We salute you and we honour you. To this end, the SANC would like to announce its plans for a Wall of Remembrance in the internal garden at the SANC premises. The wall will contain the names of those nurses who have succumbed during the Covid-19 pandemic. What better way to honour these heroes than in a peaceful garden at the headquarters of the regulating body for nurses. Details will be provided to nurses as soon as possible.”

During the months of this pandemic in South Africa, we have seen nurses become the eyes and ears of patients’ family and in many instances the only ‘family’ the patients under isolation had. We cannot begin to fathom the emotional impact this has had on the nurses, while at the same time also seeing their friends and colleagues succumb to the virus. “The SANC calls on Employers to ensure that trauma counselling is readily available and Post Traumatic Stress addressed in its infancy”, says Ms Mchunu.

Nurses of South Africa, we salute you. We honour you. You have proved yourself not only worthy but exceptional. You truly are the embodiment of the SANC slogan for nurses: #bethatnurse.
 

ENDS

Issued by:
Mrs. Adri van Eeden
Senior Manager: Marketing and Communication
South African Nursing Council 
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.sanc.co.za 
Tel: 012 426-9542

Official Spokesperson and person to be quoted:
Ms. S Mchunu
Registrar and CEO: SA Nursing Council

For more information or to arrange for an interview with the Spokesperson, please contact Mrs. Adri van Eeden on Tel. (012) 426-9542 or email: [email protected] 

Press Release 6/2020: Appreciating the value of nurses and midwives especially during the Covid-19 pandemic

Press Release 6/2020: The SANC – Appreciating the value of nurses and midwives especially during the Covid-19 pandemic


25 August 2020

TO:News Editor
FROM:Ms SA Mchunu
Registrar and CEO


The SANC – Appreciating the value of nurses and midwives especially during the Covid-19 pandemic

 

The world is experiencing its biggest crisis in more than a hundred years, with the saving of lives at the forefront of every thought and action.

 

In the midst of this pandemic is healthcare workers and more specifically, nurses and midwives. 
Often the sacrifices that they make are done under impossible conditions, at the cost of their own health and safety, and at the cost of time not spent with their loved ones.

 

Although the SANC is not an employer or a union, and thus cannot interfere in employer-employee matters, it appreciates the nurses’ and midwives’ commitment and sacrifice and thus supports a call to provide them with personal protective equipment, ensuring their safety at all times. As regulator of the profession the SANC also supports the need for as many nurses as possible to assist during the pandemic.

 

The Council of the SANC resolved at its meeting in July 2020, that an increase in the annual fees for the year 2021/2022 (normally payable from July –December 2021 for 2022), will be waivered. The annual fees for the next payment cycle (2021/22) will therefore be the same as this current cycle.

 

This could not be implemented during the current payment cycle due to a legislated process and timeframe for the SANC budget. The SANC budget is drawn and submitted to the Minister of Health at least three months before the beginning of the following financial year. The current budget was submitted by the end of December 2019 already. 

 

This waiver is introduced to pledge its solidarity with nurses and midwives who are at the forefront of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The Council acknowledges that nurses and midwives render services at great sacrifice to themselves and families, and expresses its condolences to families, friends and employers who have experienced the loss of their loved ones.

 

Says Sizo Mchunu, SANC Registrar and CEO: “We express our deepest sympathy and sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of those nurses who have succumbed during the fight against Covid-19. You are the true heroes of the pandemic, with sacrifices made to the end. We salute you and we honour you. To this end, the SANC would like to announce its plans for a Wall of Remembrance in the internal garden at the SANC premises. The wall will contain the names of those nurses who have succumbed during the Covid-19 pandemic. What better way to honour these heroes than in a peaceful garden at the headquarters of the regulating body for nurses. Details will be provided to nurses as soon as possible.”

 

During the months of this pandemic in South Africa, we have seen nurses become the eyes and ears of patients’ family and in many instances the only ‘family’ the patients under isolation had. We cannot begin to fathom the emotional impact this has had on the nurses, while at the same time also seeing their friends and colleagues succumb to the virus. “The SANC calls on Employers to ensure that trauma counselling is readily available and Post Traumatic Stress addressed in its infancy”, says Ms Mchunu.

 

Nurses of South Africa, we salute you. We honour you. You have proved yourself not only worthy but exceptional. You truly are the embodiment of the SANC slogan for nurses: #bethatnurse.
 

ENDS

 

Issued by:
Mrs. Adri van Eeden
Senior Manager: Marketing and Communication
South African Nursing Council 
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.sanc.co.za 
Tel: 012 426-9542

 

Official Spokesperson and person to be quoted:
Ms. S Mchunu
Registrar and CEO: SA Nursing Council

For more information or to arrange for an interview with the Spokesperson, please contact Mrs. Adri van Eeden on Tel. (012) 426-9542 or email: [email protected] 

 

Circular 9/2020: Rescheduling of postponed May 2020 examinations conducted by the South African Nursing Council

Circular 9/2020: Rescheduling of postponed May 2020 examinations conducted by the South African Nursing Council

13 August 2020

 

TO: National Department of Health
  Provincial Departments of Health
  Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs)
  All Stakeholders

Rescheduling of postponed May 2020 examinations conducted by the South African Nursing Council

 

1. PURPOSE

The purpose of this Circular is to:

1.1 Inform the National Department of Health, Provincial Departments of Health, Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs) and relevant stakeholders about the resolution of the Council regarding the re-scheduling of the previously postponed May 2020 SANC- conducted examinations;

1.2 Inform the Heads of the NEIs on the amendment of Circular 9/2019; and 

1.3 Provide NEIs with a revised schedule for the next examinations.

2. BACKGROUND

The SANC published Circular 9 of 2019 on the 11th of December 2019, to which a schedule of examinations for 2020 was attached. The SANC later communicated a postponement of examinations that were to be conducted in May 2020. This was subsequent to the pronouncement by the State President, of an extension of the national lockdown to the end of April. The lockdown was further extended beyond April 2020. 

The SANC has always acted strictly in compliance with the Government’s regulations and directives published under the Disaster Management Act, 57 of 2002. It needs to be noted that, it was through these regulations that sectors and services were classified as essential services. It was through the same regulations that the implementation of the Risk Adjusted Strategy was implemented, gradually allowing controlled reopening of the country’s activities. It is regrettable that a few of our own professionals may have misread and/or misunderstood the Government’s legislation and guidelines, the SANC could not deliberately disregard Government’s legislation and thus it is in compliance with same that the current situation has unfolded and herewith further addressed.

The South African Nursing Council (SANC) had initially scheduled its national examinations for May and November 2020. Upon the pronouncement of the National State of Disaster by the President, and subsequently national lockdown on the 23rd of March 2020, the SANC was compelled to postpone the May examinations. Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs) as well as affected student nurses and student midwives were informed. Further, SANC Circular 6/2020 on postponement of examinations was sent to all stakeholders in April 2020.

Observing the Risk-adjusted Strategy on management of the COVID-19 pandemic and in compliance with regulations that provide for restrictions on gatherings (including academic) in the country as published under the Disaster Management Act, 57 of 2002 from time to time, the SANC has re-assessed the conducting of national examinations.

Other factors that were considered included the following:

• The SANC has between eighty-one (81) and ninety-three (93) approved examination centres throughout the country (depending on the qualification);
• Most of these centres accommodate more than fifty (50) students at a time, with a current maximum of two hundred and sixty-six (266) students. This exceeds the prescribed number of people in any gathering under Alert level 3 Risk-Adjusted Strategy;
• Re-opening of additional examination centres;
• Possible risk of the spread of infection especially during this period; and
• Safety of the Nurse Educators and students.

3. COUNCIL RESOLUTION 

The Council deliberated on the matter at its virtual meeting held on 29-30 July 2020 and resolved as follows:

• The postponed May 2020 SANC examinations are to be rescheduled for October 2020.

This will give ample time to NEIs and students to adequately prepare for the examination.

 

4. DATES FOR THE FORTHCOMING EXAMINATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

4.1 First Year Examination for the Bridging Course for Enrolled Nurses leading to Registration as General Nurse or Psychiatric Nurse- Government Notice No. R.683 of 14 April 1989 (as amended)

Paper 1 07/10/2020
Paper 2 09/10/2020

4.2 Final Examinations for the course leading to Registration as Midwife- Government Notice No. R.254 of 14 February 1975 (as amended)

Paper 1 05/10/2020
Paper 2 07/10/2020
Paper 3

09/10/2020

4.3 Final Examination for the course leading to Registration as Psychiatric Nurse: One-year course – Government Notice No.R.880 of 2 May 1975 (as amended)

Paper 1 05/10/2020
Paper 2 07/10/2020
Paper 3

09/10/2020

4.4 Final Examination for the Bridging Course for Enrolled Nurses leading to Registration as General Nurse or Psychiatric Nurse- Government Notice No. R.683 of 14 April 1989 (as amended)

Paper 1 21/10/2020
Paper 2 23/10/2020

4.5 Examinations for the course for the Diploma in Clinical Nursing Science, Health Assessment, Treatment and Care- Government Notice No. R.48 of 22 January 1982 (as amended) 

Paper 1 21/10/2020
Paper 2 23/10/2020

4.6 Admission Examination for Foreign Applicants for registration as a Nurse

  23/10/2020

5. IMPLICATIONS

Conducting national examinations during this period will require, among others the following:

• NEIs must comply with all relevant COVID-19 Regulations in respect of the examination venues in order to ensure that students and invigilators are protected from possible COVID-19 infection. This requires preparation and procurement of essentials that may be additional for most NEIs;
• NEIs to submit evidence of how they ensured teaching during lockdown especially during April and May 2020; 
• Examination centres with larger numbers of students are specifically instructed to ensure that all social distancing, ventilation and any other regulations and directives are complied with at the examination facility and during the exam; and
• The examination dates for November 2020 examination remains the same as communicated as per circular 9/2019

6. ENQUIRIES

For further information in respect of this Circular, you are advised to contact Ms SJ Nxumalo, SANC Senior Manager: Education & Training at (012) 420 1022 or on e-mail at: [email protected]
OR
Ms E Magagula, Manager: Assessment at (012) 426 9596 or on email at: [email protected]

 

Yours sincerely,

(Signed)

Ms SA Mchunu
Registrar and CEO
South African Nursing Council

 

Circular 8/2020: Submission of applications by NEIs for accreditation of post-graduate diploma programmes

Circular 8/2020: Submission of applications by NEIs for accreditation of post-graduate diploma programmes


6 August 2020

TO: National Department of Health
  Provincial Departments of Health
  Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs)
  All Stakeholders

 

SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS BY NURSING EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS FOR ACCREDITATION OF POST-GRADUATE DIPLOMA PROGRAMMES LEADING TO REGISTRATION AS A NURSE OR MIDWIFE SPECIALIST 

 

1. PURPOSE

The purpose of this circular is to:

1.1 Remind/alert Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs) of the promulgation of regulations relating to the above-mentioned nursing programmes, thus enabling them to submit applications for accreditation of the said programmes to the South African Nursing Council (SANC); and

1.2 Notify the National Department of Health, Provincial Departments of Health, Nursing Education Institutions and other relevant stakeholders of the availability of education and training guidelines for the programmes.

 

2. BACKGROUND

2.1 Promulgation of the Regulations Relating to the Approval of and the Minimum Requirements for the Education and Training of a Student Leading to Registration as a Nurse Specialist or Midwife Specialist by the Minister of Health, on 5 June 2020 (Government Notice No. R. 635 of 5 June 2020) enables Nursing Education Institutions to design and submit the applications, for accreditation of programmes, mentioned above.

2.2 The Council has approved education and training guidelines for the said programmes, in order to provide further guidance and facilitate the accreditation process. The guidelines are already posted on the SANC website: www.sanc.co.za

 

3. SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

3.1 Nursing Education Institutions that have completed the design of their programmes should submit their applications for accreditation of programmes to the SANC as soon as possible, as the SANC is expecting an influx of applications, considering urgent need for Nurse Specialists and Midwife Specialists in the country; 

3.2 NEIs are implored to submit complete documents at the outset in order to avoid delays caused by sending the documents back to the NEIs, sometimes more than once; 

3.3 Only hard copies shall be accepted;

3.4 The application(s) should be accompanied by proof of payment in terms of the Board Notice regarding the fees and fines payable to SANC for year 2021 as no programme will be evaluated without such proof of payment. (Find attached for ease of reference); and

3.5 NEIs are reminded of the content of the collaborative agreement between the SANC and the Council on Higher Education (CHE), sent to the NEIs on 26 August 2019. One specific provision indicated that the CHE will no longer accept any applications from nursing education providers that do not have a letter of approval from the SANC.

 

4. IMPLEMENTATION

This circular becomes implementable and valid on the date of issue.

 

5. FURTHER ENQUIRIES

For further information in respect of this circular, you are advised to contact Ms SJ Nxumalo, SANC Senior Manager: Education &Training at (012) 420 1022 or on e-mail at: [email protected] 

Yours sincerely,

(Signed)

Ms SA Mchunu
Registrar and CEO
South African Nursing Council