South African Nursing Council

Regulations Regarding the Distinguishing Devices and Uniforms for Enrolled Nurses and Midwives and Enrolled Pupil Nurses

The Minister of Health, in terms of section 11(1) of the Nursing Act, 1957 (Act 69 of 1957), as amended, has approved of the following regulations regarding the distinguishing devices for enrolled nurses and midwives and enrolled pupil nurses, made by the South African Nursing Council in substitution for the regulations published under Government Notice R.955 of 28 June 1963:

1. (1)    An enrolled nurse or midwife shall, in all areas of clinical nursing practice, unless the Council otherwise determines, wear white epaulettes to which shall be affixed-

(a)    if enrolled as a nurse, an oval badge of dull cherry colour with the words “South African Nursing Council”, “Suid-Afrikaanse Raad op Verpleging”, in white round the edge on a blue background;

(b)    if enrolled as a midwife, an oval badge of green colour with the words “South African Nursing Council”, “Suid-Afrikaanse Raad op Verpleging”, in white round the edge on a blue background;

(c)    if enrolled both as a nurse and as a midwife, an oval badge divided in half horizontally, the top half being of dull cherry red and the bottom half of green colour, and with the words “South African Nursing Council”, “Suid-Afrikaanse Raad op Verpleging”, in white round the edge on a blue background.

(2)    Notwithstanding the provisions of these regulations, an enrolled nurse who is also registered as a midwife shall, when on duty, wear the badge prescribed in paragraph (1)(a) in combination with the distinguishing devices prescribed for a registered midwife in the regulations regarding the distinguishing devices and uniforms for registered nurses and midwives and registered student nurses and student midwives.

(3)    The distinguishing devices shall be worn only as prescribed and not as part of or in combination with any other device or badge.

(4)    Any person who contravenes any provision of this regulation shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a maximum fine of twenty rand (R20).

2.    Any person who manufactures, sells or supplies any distinguishing device prescribed in these regulations without the written authority of the council, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a maximum fine of fifty rand (R50).

3.    When an enrolled nurse or midwife, or an enrolled pupil nurse wears a uniform, it shall comply with the following requirements:

(a)    The uniform shall be of a plain tailored style and may include respectable full length tailored trousers. In the case of women, the skirt must be at least knee length. In the case of men, long or short trousers may be worn.

(b)    The full uniform shall be of a plain colour;

(c)    The accessories shall be-

(i)    plain matching shoes in a matching colour;

(ii)    full length stockings for females and hose for men wearing short trousers;

(iii)    a tailored jacket/jersey or coat or cape of a plain colour, if worn.

4.    Notwithstanding the provisions of these regulations, an enrolled nurse or midwife who is a member of the South African Military Nursing Services, or of the Nursing Services of the Prisons Department, need not wear the prescribed distinguishing devices when wearing military uniform, or the uniform of the Prisons Department, unless the Council determines otherwise.

5.    These regulations shall come into force six (6) months after publication.

6.    These regulations shall apply in the Territory of South-West Africa.