Master of Nursing in Nursing Education

Purpose

This qualification will strengthen the capacity of the department to meet the CHEC platform challenges. Learners credited with this qualification will be able to function with advanced cognitive and practical competencies in nursing and midwifery education as educators, leaders and authors. Qualifying learners will be registered by the SANC as nurse educators (R118).

Rationale

Currently, the Department of Nursing is one of the only two enrolling institutions in the province to offer the education and training of nurses. On the other hand, the Department is faced with a problem of academic staff that does not hold the qualification as Nurse Educators although this is a South African Nursing Council requirement. This problem was highlighted by the SANC delegation during their accreditation visit in 2004.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Access to the qualification can also be provided in terms of the institution's Recognition of Prior Learning policy and its admission criteria as stipulated by Senate. In the Recognition of Prior Learning process learners have to undergo a Portfolio Development Course to support the learner's admission. The PDC will focus on written submission explaining the reasons for the learner's interest in Nursing Education as an adjunct to their existing professional competencies and indicating the nature of a possible research project.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Nursing, NQF Level 8.

Duration: 2 years.

Total credits: 240.

NQF Level 8.

1. Create active and learning centred environments in the teaching of nursing and midwifery both in clinical and classroom settings based on comprehensive and systematic understanding of adult development, learning and motivation theories.
2. Evaluate various theories and models of nursing and health based on a critical analysis of different perspectives about health and disease and how these impact on decision making in the practice of nursing and midwifery.
3. Lead curriculum change and/or transformation in the education of nurses and midwives based on critical analysis of educational philosophy with regard to its implications for nursing and midwifery education.
4. Critically evaluate global and national issues and policies, including managing diversity, Recognition of Prior Learning, globalisation and the nursing workforce etc, with specific reference to nursing and midwifery education.
5. Analyse a range of research methods and approaches with regard to their appropriateness for investigating particular research problems in nursing and midwifery education.
6. Utilise a wide range of appropriate data bases (textual and electronic) to conduct an extensive and efficient literature search on nursing and midwifery education.
7. Design and implement classroom and clinical learning sessions using appropriate teaching strategies based on expected learning outcomes taking into consideration the principles of adult learning.
8. Plan and implement the assessment of classroom and clinical learning outcomes based on a comprehensive understanding of principles and strategies of assessment of learning outcomes with specific reference to professional education.
9. Develop a coherent curriculum for a particular nursing and/or midwifery program taking into account the principles of the NQF and the stipulations of the ETQA for nursing and midwifery education (SANC) in collaboration with peers.
10. Demonstrate a comprehensive and critical understanding of theories and approaches of educational management, including quality management systems, with specific reference to managing a nursing education institution (nursing colleges and university nursing departments).
11. Lead evidence-based practice in nursing and midwifery education.
12. Demonstrate comprehensive theoretical and clinical competence in the field in which teaching will take place.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

1.1 Critical analysis of adult development, learning (cognitive, behavioural, and social, transformative and experiential) and motivation theories show comprehensive understanding of a range of aspects including: conceptualisations of knowledge, teaching, learning, basic assumptions and pedagogical implications for nursing and midwifery education and is valid in accordance to current discourses about teaching/learning in professional education.

1.2 Teaching practice in nursing and midwifery is based on understanding of adult development, learning and motivation theories as evidenced by the creation and maintenance of an active learning environment and thus allowing learners space to question their meaning and perspectives about health and illness.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

1. 1 Critical analysis and synthesis of the philosophical basis of nursing is based on recognised contemporary nursing theories, models and relevant to current socio-political context of nursing practice.

2.2 Analysis of nursing and midwifery decisions is supported by a particular model or theory of nursing and takes into consideration the legal and ethical frameworks of nursing practice as well as the socio-political, economic and cultural context in which such decision have to be made.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

3.1 Critical analysis of educational philosophy with regard to its implications for nursing and midwifery education is in accordance with rules of consensual validation.

3.2 Inferences on the implications of educational theory on teaching nursing and midwifery are based on comprehensive analysis of the current discourses on the nature and purpose of professional education.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

4.1 Health and education policies are critically analysed in accordance to their implications for curriculum relevance in nursing and midwifery.

4.2 Nursing and/or midwifery curriculum design is led and initiated in collaboration with relevant stakeholders taking into consideration the relevant health and education policies as well as rules and regulations of the SANC for a particular nursing program.

4.3 Critical analysis, synthesis and independent evaluation of global and national issues impacting on nursing and midwifery education is supported by an extensive and integrated review of literature and current research on such issues (e.g. managing diversity in the learning environment, migration and the nursing workforce, Recognition of Prior Learning etc).

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

5.1 The analysis of research approaches and methods is comprehensive and coherent and includes theoretical and or philosophical orientations about knowledge, reality and truth as well as the implications of these theoretical orientations for selection of techniques and strategies based on particular research problem(s) and questions.

5.2 Analysis and interpretations of research reports (quantitative and qualitative) evidences comprehensive and systematic understanding of data collection techniques, data analysis procedures and principles and the current scholarly discourse in nursing and midwifery education.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

6.1 Review of literature on any selected topic in nursing and midwifery education is effectively carried out as evidenced by the exhaustiveness of the type of data bases (textual and electronic) accessed as well as their relevance to the topic in question.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

7.1 A coherent and critical understanding of the importance of congruency between expected learning outcomes and the teaching/learning process supports evaluation of various teaching strategies with regard to their effectiveness in facilitating deep and self-directed learning in clinical and classroom setting.

7.2 Teaching plans and implementation thereof, places emphasis on collaborative learning, learner needs and differences, development of self-directed learning, inquiring minds, as well as the complexity and unpredictability of clinical learning environments.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8

8.1 Identification, selection and combinations of assessment approaches and strategies is based on a coherent and logical understanding of the requirements of applied competence and integrated assessment and meets the criteria for credible, trustworthy, feasible, and valid assessment.

8.2 Assessment of clinical learning in particular is largely undertaken in a real-world practice environment where appropriate, and/or simulated clinical learning environments.

8.3 Generic Assessment Criteria as per Unit Standard No. ASSMT 01 of NSB Education, Training and Development.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 9

9.1 Critical analysis of development theory and models includes philosophical underpinnings, and implications thereof for the curriculum development process in nursing and midwifery education.

9.2 The designed curriculum is comprehensive and includes all the steps of curriculum development as verifiable with any standard curriculum development text in nursing and midwifery education and is a collaborative piece of work involving peers.

9.3 The designed curriculum is appropriate in terms of SANC guidelines and regulations for a particular program of nursing and/or midwifery, SAQA requirements and current national health policies on human resource development for health.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 10

10.1 Approaches and theories of educational management are interrogated and critically analysed in terms of their applicability and relevance to managing nursing education institutions within the context of the current situation in nursing education in South Africa with regard to governance, programs, financing and provision.

10.2 Analysis of the current situation in nursing and midwifery education evidences a comprehensive and reflective understanding of the implications of the dual systems of governance and provision of nursing education for coherent programming and financing of nursing education.

10.3 Evaluation of a nursing education institution's quality management systems shows a broad understanding of principles and aims of institutional quality management systems in Higher Education in South Africa and globally with specific reference to the requirements of the relevant ETQAs (HEQC and SANC) for quality improvement and assurance.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 11

11.1 Teaching scholarship evident in the identified areas of research as well as application of best-practice evidence in nursing and midwifery education.

11.2 Critiques of research report meet the standards of the specific community in nursing and midwifery education.

11.3 Results of research undertaken are disseminated through publication, conference presentation, stakeholder seminars etc.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 12

12.1 As per relevant Exit Level Outcomes and associated assessment criteria for the chosen field of teaching at NQF Level 8 (postgraduate certificates and diplomas in nursing as well as masters' diplomas in nursing and midwifery).

Integrated Assessment

Written examinations, assignments, projects, portfolios and teaching practice workbooks. A minimum of three assessments per 16 Credit module.