Diploma in Nursing

Purpose

The Diploma in Nursing will enable Staff Nurses to provide nursing services within their scope of practice. The qualifying learner will apply evidence-based nursing practice which is based on research or established practices that have proven to be effective both nationally and internationally within the profession.

Staff Nurses will attain transferable skills for application in other professions, disciplines and general life which include:

• A methodical, solution-based approach to problem solving.
• An empowered strengths-based approach to personal development.
• Competence in written and oral communication.
• Capacity to assess and implement health and other policies.
• Ability to plan, implement and manage projects of a varied nature.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Maintain professionalism in own practice of nursing.
• Apply knowledge of biomedical, biotechnological and psycho-social sciences to the practice of nursing.
• Develop, implement and evaluate population-based health care.
• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate nursing care for individuals and groups with stable, uncomplicated health problems based on thorough assessment.
• Deliver nursing care to sick or disabled individuals and groups with stable uncomplicated health problems.
• Promote rehabilitation of individuals and groups with disabilities.
• Diagnose and treat minor ailments.
• Deliver safe maternal care.
• Manage a health care unit.
• Utilise principles of science and methodology in investigating nursing and health-related problems.

Upon qualifying the learners will be able to

• Execute a nursing care plan.
• Prevent of deformity.
• Monitor vital sign.
• Monitor reactions to disease, stress, anxiety, medication and treatment.
• Promote health and family planning.
• Conduct basic optometry and oral health checks.
• Immunise.
• Administer prescribed medicine.
• Provide services for children under 15 years of age.
• Monitor reproductive and other women's health care services.
• Provide preventive care.
• Provide curative care.
• Render health education to the population.
• Manage health services.
• Participate in health team work.
• Train other members of the health team.
• Participate in research activities.
• Collaborate with other sectors involved in community development.
• Find solutions to unfamiliar problems.
• Conduct self-assessment and the continuous development of personal professional skills.

Rationale

This qualification aims to prepare the learner as a Staff Nurse who will be able to meet the service delivery needs of the country. The nurse with this qualification will make a significant contribution to the lack of human resources in the health care sector of South Africa. Upon qualifying this nurse will focus on rendering quality service within a broad spectrum of health services and in a variety of settings, including rural areas.

This qualification will enable the learner to function as a clinically focused, service orientated, independent Registered Staff Nurse, who is able to render nursing care as determined by the appropriate legislative framework. The qualification will also provide a basis for decision-making about what is within and beyond the defined scope of practice, as well as understanding of the referral system in place for anything outside of the scope of practice.

A staff nurse is a generalist nurse whose role includes the promotion of health and prevention of illness of individuals of all ages, families and communities, planning and management of care of individuals of all ages, families and communities with physical or mental illness, disabilities or rehabilitation needs in institutional and community settings and provide care at the end-stage of life.

The qualification aims to

• Produce high quality Staff Nurses who are able to be competent nursing practitioners in a range of health service settings.
• Provide Staff Nurses with a range of skills, knowledge and attitudes that will enable them to make a meaningful and sustained contribution to health services.
• Equip Staff Nurses with a developed sense of equity, justice and service ethics that will ensure that they work in an accountable manner, irrespective of their chosen work place.

This qualification can be accessed by Ancillary Health Workers, Auxiliary Nurses, and Community Health Workers to enable them to progress into or in the nursing career. Persons in Health and Allied Health Sciences who wish to change direction and move into nursing also have access to this qualification.

On successful completion of this qualification, the learner is eligible for registration with the relevant statutory body as a Staff Nurse. Successful registration will license nurses to practise as a Staff Nurse as defined in the Nursing Act No. 33 of 2005.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Learners may provide evidence of prior learning for which they may receive credit towards the qualification by means of portfolios, other forms of appropriate evidence and/or challenge examinations, as agreed to between the relevant provider and relevant quality council.

Learners will receive a maximum of the prescribed percentage of the completed qualification, as determined in the policy of the institution and the relevant Quality Council.

RPL may be used to grant access to the qualification to learners who do not meet the minimum entry requirements.

Entry Requirements

Learners wishing to enrol for this qualification must have

• Senior Certificate (SC).

Or

• National Senior Certificate (NSC) granting access to Diploma studies.

Or

• Enrolled as a Nursing Assistant or Auxiliary Nurse.

The qualification consists of compulsory modules at Levels 5, 6 and 7. In order to be credited with this qualification, learners are required to achieve a minimum of 360 Credits.

Modules at Level 5, 103 Credits

• General Nursing Science, 68 Credits.
• Foundations of Nursing Practice, 16 Credits.
• Biological & Natural Sciences, 10 Credits.
• Pharmacology, 5 Credits.
• Applied Psycho-social Sciences, 4 Credits.

Modules at Level 6, 178 Credits

• Biological & Natural Sciences, 35 Credits.
• General Nursing Science, 92 Credits.
• Applied Psycho-social Sciences, 11 Credits.
• Pharmacology, 10 Credits.
• Community Health Nursing, 20 Credits.
• Foundations of Nursing Practice, 10 Credits.

Modules at NQF 7, 95 Credits

• General Nursing Science, 95 Credits.

1. Provide nursing care throughout the lifespan of an individual in various healthcare settings.
2. Render nursing care within a legal and ethical framework.
3. Apply knowledge of natural and biological sciences in the practice of nursing.
4. Apply knowledge of psycho-social sciences in the practice of nursing.
5. Apply knowledge of pharmacology in nursing practice.
6. Use and maintain healthcare information systems for nursing practice.
7. Manage a healthcare unit by implementing the management process.
8. Provide reproductive health care to promote and maintain optimum health of individuals and families.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative nursing care is provided to different age groups in various health care settings.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Nursing care is rendered within an ethical legal framework.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Knowledge of anatomy and physiology is applied in caring for the health care user.
• Knowledge of microbiology is applied in caring for the health care user.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Knowledge of psychology and sociology is applied in ways which benefits the quality of healthcare delivered to health care users.
• Knowledge of human behaviour and psychological development throughout the life span is understood and applied.
• Social and diversity-sensitive care is implemented in nursing practice.
• A range of psychological emergency situations are identified and managed accordingly.
• Emotional demands of nursing practice are dealt with effectively.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Knowledge of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics is applied in nursing practice within the applicable scope of practice.
• Medications are prescribed, controlled, dispensed and administered in various healthcare settings within legislative requirements.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Healthcare information systems are used and maintained in the practice of nursing.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Implement the management process in managing a health care unit.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8

• The optimum health of individuals and families is promoted and maintained through the provision of reproductive health care.

Integrated Assessment

The South African Nursing Council regulations are used as minimum requirements for competence for purposes of registration for practice. Evidence of integration will be required as per the following broad criteria, all within the context of an active learning environment.

Assessment will take place within the context of

• Quality Assurance policies, procedures and processes.
• A guided and supported learning environment.

Formative Assessment

Throughout the qualification formative assessment strategies will be used to ensure that exit level outcomes are achieved.

The assessment strategies include

• Written assignments.
• Tests (or examination equivalent tests).
• Projects.
• Demonstrations.
• Clinical Assessments.
• And/or any applicable method, including evidence of involvement in a research project.

Summative assessment

May take the form of, but not limited to

• Oral.
• Written.
• Practical examinations.

A work integrated learning (WIL) approach is adopted which is career focussed education that includes classroom based and workplace based forms of learning that are appropriate for the qualification. The aim of WIL is theory practice integration in both the classroom and clinical area. Practical block periods follow theoretical intermittently during the academic year, to ensure that the content related to outcomes is covered prior to the learners' exposure to the real world setting. Formative assessments will take place during the training period of both theory and practice and summative assessments at the end of each semester for theory assessment and at the end of each academic year for the practical assessment.