TO:         NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

                PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH

                NURSING EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

                ALL STAKEHOLDERS

SOUTH AFRICAN NURSING COUNCIL – EASTER HOLIDAYS CLOSURE

Please be informed that the South African Nursing Council (SANC) offices will be closed from 12h00 on Thursday 28 March 2024 and will reopen at 8h00 on Tuesday 02 April 2024.

We would appreciate it if you could inform all persons in your institutions accordingly.

Please note that the doors will close by 11h00 on Thursday 28 March 2024 to ensure we assist clients who are already in the building by closing time.

We wish you safe travels over the Easter Weekend.

Yours sincerely

________________

PROF NG MTSHALI

REGISTRAR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO)

DATE: ___________________________________

Click the link below to download the Circular as a PDF

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TO:         NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

                PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

                NURSING EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

                ALL STAKEHOLDERS

SUBJECT: OFFERING OF A PROGRAMME IN BACHELOR OF HEALTH SCIENCES IN THE FIELD OF NURSING SYSTEMS SCIENCE

1. PURPOSE

• The purpose of this Circular is to alert the National Department of Health, Provincial Departments of Health, Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs) and all Stakeholders about offering of a programme in Bachelor of Health Sciences in the field of Nursing Systems Science by one of the universities in the Gauteng province. This programme is meant for practicing nurses whereas the programme is not accredited by the SANC nor yield professional registration by the South African Nursing Council (SANC).

2. BACKGROUND

• The South African Nursing Council (SANC) is a statutory body which functions in terms of the Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No. 33 of 2005). It has a responsibility to establish, improve, monitor and control the conditions, standards and quality of Nursing Education and Training within the ambit of the Nursing Act and any other applicable laws. It is the mandate of Council as stipulated in the Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No. 33 0f 2005) Section 4(2)(f) to: Accredit Nursing Education Institutions and nursing education programmes and monitor all assessments by education and training providers in accordance with the Act or any other law. The scope of this mandate covers university-based nursing departments, public and private colleges.

• The SANC has noted that there is a published programme namely “Bachelor of Health Sciences in the field of Nursing Systems Sciences” which is offered by one of the Universities in Gauteng Province since 2023. It is indicated that the programme is a fully online qualification pegged at NQF level 7 specifically designed for practicing nurses who want to grow their academic qualification and obtain a degree that is the pathway to further academic achievement and specialisation. The programme is, however, not accredited by the SANC but by the Council on Higher Education (CHE).

• Although the programme is meant for practising nurses, it doesn’t have the clinical/practical component.

• The practicing nurses are alerted about the following:

• It is an individual choice for nurses to pursue this programme but based on full understanding of what the programme entails.

• Completion of the programme does not yield professional registration with the SANC (i.e. Nurses will not be registered with the SANC and receive a certificate).

• Although the programme is pegged at NQF level 7, successful completion of the programme will not automatically enable the nurses to access the Postgraduate Diploma programmes. In terms of how nursing qualifications are pegged on the Higher Education qualifications sub-framework, an Advanced Diploma in Midwifery qualification is a pre-requisite to access Postgraduate Diploma programmes and unfortunately the above-mentioned programme does not cover the requirements of a midwifery qualification.

3. COUNCIL RESOLUTION 

• The Council in its ordinary meeting held on 25-26 January 2024 resolved that a circular must be issued to alert the nurses about the programme and its implications (i.e. nurses must not anticipate that they will be registered with the SANC after completing this “Bachelor of Health Sciences in the field of Nursing systems Sciences).

For any clarity-seeking questions in respect of this circular, you are advised to contact Ms SJ Nxumalo; Deputy Registrar at (012) 420 1059, or email address [email protected].

_________________________                 

PROF NG MTSHALI

REGISTRAR & CEO

SOUTH AFRICAN NURSING COUNCIL

DATE: ______________________

Click the link below to download the Circular as a PDF

Download PDF