Higher Certificate in Nursing

Purpose

The purpose of the Higher Certificate in Nursing is to provide learners with the basic knowledge, affective, cognitive, and conceptual tools, and practical techniques for additional higher education studies in nursing. The knowledge emphasizes general principles and their application in the provision of basic nursing care. This qualification signifies that the learner has attained a basic level of higher education knowledge and competence in nursing and can apply such knowledge and competence in the workplace.

The qualification aims to

• Produce nurses who will provide basic nursing care in all spheres of healthcare service delivery.
• Provide the nurse with a range of cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills.
• Hone skills in assessment, planning and implementation of basic nursing care.
• Develop writing and oral communication skills.

The nurse who completes this qualification will be able to

• Apply knowledge of theory and practice of basic nursing care.
• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate basic nursing care for individuals and groups throughout the life span.
• Render basic nursing care with professionalism.

Rationale

The rationale of the qualification is to produce nurses who can work independently in a variety of healthcare settings within the relevant legal and ethical parameters. The qualification aims to provide learners with the opportunity to actively acquire and apply basic knowledge, affective, cognitive, and conceptual skills and practical techniques integrated with the scientific nursing approach in the health field.

A first-level nurse, capable of delivering skilled basic nursing care, is essential to healthcare in a variety of settings. Combining basic nursing care with health promotion and disease prevention makes this nurse a strong primary healthcare worker. The competence of this first-level nurse will be in line with the recommendation of the Pick report of nurse training to be expanded to include essential skills needed in the community. This nurse works under the supervision of a nurse with a National Diploma or Degree in Nursing within the applicable scope of practice.

The qualification is intended to prepare the qualifying learner as an auxiliary nurse who will be able to provide basic nursing care independently to meet the service delivery needs of the country. It provides a platform for further skills development and training within nursing. The nurse with this qualification has a significant contribution towards the population's healthcare priorities and needs to address the quadruple burden of disease to improve the quality of life and increase life expectancy. The current healthcare services in the Northern Cape Province aim to address the most prevalent burden of disease, which is reflected by the statistics, (Department of Health: Annual Performance Plan 2019 / 20 - 2021 / 22: 16).

The qualification will assist learners in applying their knowledge and skills to meet the needs of individuals and groups in various healthcare settings. Learners will be exposed to both theories and simulated and work-integrated experience in the clinical settings to contribute significantly to alleviating the shortage of nurses in this category to address the burden of disease in the Northern Cape. The annual increase in the number of learners taken will gradually improve the staff shortage in the health facilities which will further address the health needs of the population of the Northern Cape.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution has an approved Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy applicable to equivalent qualifications for admission into the qualification. RPL will be applied to accommodate applicants who qualify. RPL thus provides alternative access and admission to qualifications, as well as advancement within qualifications.

RPL for access

• Learners who do not meet the minimum entrance requirements or the required qualification that is at the same NQF level as the qualification required for admission may be considered for admission through RPL.
• To be considered for admission in the qualification based on RPL, applicants should provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that they have acquired the relevant knowledge, skills, and competencies through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to cope with the qualification expectations.

RPL for exemption of modules

• Learners may apply for RPL to be exempted from modules that form part of the qualification. For a learner to be exempted from a module, the learner needs to provide sufficient evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that competency was achieved for the learning outcomes that are equivalent to the learning outcomes of the module.

RPL for credit

• Learners may also apply for RPL for credit for or towards the qualification, in which they must provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates prior learning through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to obtain credits towards the qualification.
• Credit shall be appropriate to the context in which it is awarded and accepted.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• National Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4 granting access to Higher Certificate studies.

Or

• National Certificate (Vocational), NQF Level 4 granting access to Higher Certificate studies.

Or

• Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4, without endorsement.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at NQF Level 5 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 5, 120 Credits

• Fundamental Sciences, 16 Credits.
• Basic Nursing Care, 48 Credits.
• Professional Practice and Ethics in Nursing, 16 Credits.
• Health Promotion, 32 Credits.
• Communication in Nursing, 8 Credits.

1. Demonstrate the ability to apply basic knowledge of anatomy, physiology, biophysics, pharmacology, and microbiology in the provision of nursing care.
2. Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively in a variety of ways in a nursing context.
3. Demonstrate the ability to use the scientific nursing approach to address the basic needs of individuals and groups in various healthcare settings.
4. Demonstrate appropriate methods of interacting sensitively and professionally with people from diverse backgrounds.
5. Demonstrate the ability to maintain professionalism in nursing practice within the ethical and legal framework.
6. Demonstrate the ability to participate in addressing the needs of individuals and groups in a community.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Discuss the macro body structure and functioning by providing the nursing care, in accordance with the relevant scope of practice.
• Describe the structure and functioning of anatomy, physiology, biophysics, pharmacology, and microbiology in the provision of nursing care.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Maintain oral and written communication to promote effective fundamental nursing care.
• Provide the written communication in a clear, relevant, and unambiguous manner.
• Provide non-verbal communication in agreement with oral communication.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Implement and evaluate individual and/or group healthcare plans across the health-illness continuum in collaboration with other members of the healthcare team.
• Obtain information from continuous monitoring of responses to nursing interventions and correctly apply it to the individual or group.
• Apply appropriate emergency care and first aid principles with respect to the treatment of injuries and accidents and basic life support.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Implement basic nursing interventions with sensitivity to people of diverse backgrounds.
• Act in accordance with, prescribed organisational and professional ethical codes of conduct, values, and practices and seek guidance on ethical and professional issues where necessary during the implementation of basic nursing interventions.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Record data in compliance with legal criteria.
• Maintain accurate, concise, and systematic patient records to reflect the basic nursing care rendered.
• Maintain confidentiality and integrity of patient information in interaction with patients and others.
• Adhere to a professional code of conduct in the provision of nursing care.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Implement health promotion programmes.
• Reliably, accurately, and coherently communicate health promotion information, using conventions appropriate to the context, in written and oral or signed form or practical demonstration.
• Recognise health prevention/promotion needs and adequately prevent/promote and /or treat as required.

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

Integrated assessment

The lecturers guide the learners through clinical accompaniment. The mastery learning approach is applied. Learners are assessed by means of skills tests on the prescribed procedures and activities listed in the workbook throughout the year by both the lecturers and professional nurses in the clinical setting. Objective, structured, clinical assessment (OSCA) is the method used at the end of the learning process.

Assessment is formative, summative assessment, and theory.

The tests, projects, assignments, workbooks, and case studies comprise the formative assessments. The pass mark is 50% per assessment. The average assessment mark of all formative assessments makes up an entry mark to the summative examination. The entry mark to the examination is 40% for each module. There are two assessment opportunities for each module.

Experiential learning

Learners will complete a practical workbook within a clinical setting as proof of achievement of learning outcomes and skills assessments throughout the year. An average of 50% must be attained as an entry mark for summative evaluation. Summative practical assessments will be done in the form of an objective structured clinical assessment (OSCA).

Work Integrated Learning

Work-integrated learning (WIL) will be achieved by aligning learning objectives, workplace activities and assessment of outcomes, managing and monitoring progress during placement. Implementation will be done by preparing the learners and learning environments, establishing support systems, effective reflection and reviewing of processes to integrate practical learning experiences with theory. These will be included during simulations, problem-based projects, case-based learning, and reflection.

Simulated, problem-based, project-based, case-based learning and clinical practice for learning (credit-bearing and clinical practice for role taking).

The qualification makes use of the learner-centred and mentorship approach. A mix of learning and teaching approaches, namely, simulated, community, case, and competence-based learning will be used. Commonly used teaching methods will be lectures, tutorials, small groups, reflection, technology-mediated instruction, demonstrations, and workbook activities. Credits are not specifically allocated for experiential learning but are embedded in the individual modules presented in the course and form part of the assessment of these modules. The institution believes in an integrated approach to managing nursing education. Clinical managers are the stakeholders in the implementation of the programme and play a major role in work-integrated learning while lecturers also participate in learner accompaniment. Therefore, the mentoring of learners is done jointly by both the lecturers and staff in the clinical placement areas.