South African Nursing Council

Regulations for the Diploma in Unit Management for Registered Nurses

The Minister of National Health and Population Development has, on the recommendation of the South African Nursing Council, in terms of section 45(1) of the Nursing Act,1978 (Act 50 of 1978), made the regulations as set out in the Schedule hereto.

SCHEDULE
 

1.    In these regulations “the Act” shall mean the Nursing Act, 1978 (Act 50 of 1978), and any expression to which a meaning has been assigned in the Act shall bear such meaning and, unless the context otherwise indicates-

“course of study” shall mean a programme of education and training leading to the obtaining of a qualification which confers on the holder thereof the right to registration of the additional qualification in unit management.

Conditions for registration of the additional qualification

2.    An additional qualification in unit management shall be registered in terms of section 22 of the Act, if-

(a)    the applicant followed the course of study at an approved nursing school;

(b)    he was registered as a student in terms of the regulations relating to registers for students published under Government Notice R. 3735 of 14 November 1969, as amended by Government Notices R. 171 of 12 February 1971, R. 1204 of 7 July 1972, R. 1647 of 20 September 1974 and R. 2207 of 31 October 1980;

(c)    he successfully completed the course of study and complied with all the requirements for the award of the qualification concerned.

Conditions for the approval of a nursing school

3.    A nursing school shall be approved for the offering of a course of study if-

(a)    the organisational structure and the facilities for the conduct of the teaching programme for the course of study are satisfactory in the opinion of the council;

(b)    the educational programme is satisfactory in the opinion of the council;

(c)    a person who is registered both as a general nurse and as a midwife and against whose name an additional qualification in nursing education and an additional qualification in nursing administration are registered, is designated to the council as the person in charge of the nursing school;

(d)    members of the nursing staff who take part in the clinical instruction of students are registered general nurses and midwives.

Admission to the course of study

4. (1)    A candidate for the course of study shall submit to the person in charge of the nursing school:

(a)    Proof of current registration as a general nurse and proof of registration in the discipline for the special study in terms of regulation 7(3)(a).

(b)    A senior certificate or an equivalent qualification which gives admission to formal post secondary education, unless the council accepts a lower qualification.

(2)    The registration mentioned in subregulation (1)(a) shall be maintained throughout the prescribed period for the course and until the results of the examination are published, failing which the period of the course of study undergone from the date of removal from the register to the date of restoration, shall be forfeited. 

Duration of the course of study

5. (1)    The course shall extend over at least 44 weeks.

(2)    If a student transfers from one nursing school to another or terminates the course of study before completion, the course of study shall be commenced de novo, unless the council determines otherwise.

Curriculum

Submission of curriculum to Council

6.    The curriculum shall be submitted by the nursing school concerned to the council beforehand for approval.

Programme objectives

7. (1)    The curriculum shall provide for personal and professional development of the student so that, on completion of the course of study, he-

(a)    shows respect for the dignity and uniqueness of man in his socialcultural and religious context and approaches and understands him as a psychological, physical and social being within this context;

(b)    is skilled in the diagnosing of individual, family, group and community health problems and in the planning and implementing of therapeutic action and nursing care for the health service consumers at any point along the health/illness continuum in all stages of the life cycle (including care of the dying), and evaluation thereof;

(c)    is able to direct and control the interaction with health service consumers in such a way that sympathetic and empathic interaction takes place;

(d)    is able to maintain the ethical and moral codes of the profession and practise within the prescriptions of the relevant laws;

(e)    endorses the principle that a comprehensive health service is essential to raise the standard of health of the total population;

(f)    is able to collaborate harmoniously within the nursing and multidisciplinary team in terms of the principle of interdependence and co-operation in attaining a common goal;

(g)    is able to delineate personal practice according to personal knowledge and skill, practise it independently and accept responsibility therefor;

(h)    is able to evaluate personal practice continuously and accept responsibility for continuing professional and personal development;

(i)    evinces an enquiring and scientific approach to the problems of practice and is prepared to initiate and/or to accept change;

(j)    is able to manage a health service unit effectively;

(k)    is able to provide effective clinical training within the health service unit;

(l)    is able to promote community involvement at any point along the health/illness continuum in all stages of the life cycle.

Subjects

(2)    The curriculum shall consist of the following subjects with the minimum number of periods as indicated:

(a)    Nursing Science- 150 periods consisting of-

(i)    an introductory study of 60 periods of the principles and skills common to the four basic disciplines of nursing science, namely:

(aa)    General nursing science;
(bb)    midwifery;
(cc)    psychiatric nursing science;
(dd)    community nursing science;

and the integration of these in the discipline of special study;

(ii)    a special study of 90 periods of one of the abovenamed disciplines.

(b)    The Principles of Administration and the Practice of Unit Management: 90 periods.

(c)    Clinical Teaching and Health Education/Patient Teaching: 60 periods.

(d)    Professionalism, Organization and Control of the Nursing Profession and Professional Practice: 60 periods.

(3)    All the subjects of the curriculum shall be taught at an applied level throughout the course of study and shall include the following:

(a)    The law governing the practice of nursing;

(b)    the regulations regarding the conduct of registered nurses which shall constitute improper or disgraceful conduct;

(c)    the regulations regarding the conduct of registered midwives which shall constitute improper or disgraceful conduct;

(d)    the regulations regarding the conduct of enrolled nurses which shall constitute improper or disgraceful conduct;

(e)    the regulations regarding the conduct of enrolled nursing assistants which shall constitute improper or disgraceful conduct;

(f)    legislation applicable to the various aspects of the syllabus.

(4)    The following aspects shall be emphasised throughout the course of study:

(a)    Medico-legal risks;

(b)    the social, psychological, cultural and physical relationships in health and disease.

Clinical practica

8. (1)    Clinical practica shall be of not less than 960 hours duration out of the minimum prescribed period of 44 weeks referred to in regulation 5(1).

(2)    Clinical practica shall provide experience in clinical nursing care for all age groups in primary, secondary and tertiary health care systems, and in unit management, clinical teaching and evaluation, health education and patient teaching.

Evaluation strategies

9. (1)    The following sections must be continuously evaluated chiefly in the fields of clinical practice, management and teaching:

(a)    Interpersonal skills;

(b)    psycho-motor skills;

(c)    the use of the scientific method;

(d)    management and teaching skills;

(e)    functioning as an independent nurse, as a leader, and as a co-ordinator of the multi-disciplinary health team.

(2)    Instruments for evaluation with regard to the sections referred to in subregulation (1) must be drawn up by the school and submitted to the council for approval.

Examination which shall be passed

10. (1)    the examination consists of two portions, namely:

(a)    Written portion consisting of two papers, each of three hours duration, covering the course content;

(b)    practical portion consisting of an evaluation conducted by the nursing school according to the objectives contained in the directive for the course of study, which may be obtained from the council.

(2)    To pass in the examination a candidate shall obtain-

(a)    at least 50% in the aggregate for the two papers referred to in subregulation (1)(a), provided that he may obtain a minimum of 40% in one paper;

(b)    at least 50% in the practical portion referred to in subregulation (1)(b).

(3)    To pass with honours, a candidate shall obtain at least 75% in the aggregate.

(4)    Candidates shall not be placed in order of merit and places shall not be disclosed except in connection with a prize or award approved by the council.

Admission to the examination

11.    A candidate for admission to the examination shall lodge-

(a)    an application in terms of regulation 13;

(b)    a certificate by the person in charge of the nursing school that the candidate-

(i)    on the basis of a system of continual assessment, has been found competent and suitable in respect of attitudes, approach, insight, knowledge and skills;

(ii)    will complete the period referred to in regulation 5(1) for the course of study by the end of the month in which the examination is held;

(iii)    will comply with the provisions of regulations 5, 6, 7 and 8 by the date of the examination.

Re-admission to the examination

12. (1)    For re-admission to the examination a candidate shall lodge an application in terms of regulation 13.

(2)    A candidate who fails in the examination at the first attempt but obtains at least 50% in one of the portions referred to in regulation 10(1), may re-enter at the second attempt only for that portion in which less than 50% but at least 40% was obtained, failing which the candidate shall re-enter for the examination as a whole: Provided that the candidate shall re-enter for the examination within one year of the date of the examination in which the candidate failed, failing which the candidate shall not retain any credit and shall repeat the course of study, comply with all admission requirements for the examination and re-enter for the examination as a whole, unless the council determines otherwise.

(3)    A candidate who fails in the examination at the second attempt, shall not retain any credit and shall repeat the course of study, comply with all admission requirements for the examination and re-enter for the examination as a whole, unless the council determines otherwise.

Dates of examination, applications for admission and re-admission and examination fees

13. (1)    The person in charge of a nursing school shall notify the council forthwith, giving reasons, if a candidate becomes ineligible for admission or re-admission subsequent to the lodging of an application in terms of this regulation.

(2) (a)    The examination shall be held twice a year during the months May and November and applications for admission and re-admission shall be lodged with the council on or before 7 March and 7 September respectively.

(b)    A fee of R25 per three hour paper shall be paid to the council upon application for admission or re-admission to the examination or any portion of the examination.

(c)    An application lodged not more than seven days after the prescribed date shall be accepted only on payment of an additional fee of R15.

(d)    An application lodged more than seven days after the date referred to in subregulation (2)(a) shall not be accepted.

(3)    The lodging of an application for admission or re-admission in terms of subregulation (2)(a) shall not be deemed to have been “lodged” unless a duly completed application form, together with the prescribed certificates, the examination fee and, where applicable, the additional fee referred to in subregulation (2)(c) shall have reached the council.

(4)    Examination fees referred to in subregulation (2)(b) as well as the additional fee referred to in subregulation (2)(c) shall be forfeited if an entry is cancelled or if a candidate is absent, unless the council determines otherwise.

Examination centres

14.    Examination centres shall be established at such places as the council may determine.

Registration of additional qualification

15.    A certificate of registration of the additional qualification in unit management shall be issued to a candidate-

(a)    who has passed the examination referred to in regulation 10; and

(b)    if the notice prescribed in regulation 3(3) of the regulations regarding registers for students published under Government Notice R. 3735 of 14 November 1969 has been submitted.