Postgraduate Diploma in Health Services Management

Purpose

The purpose of the Postgraduate Diploma in Health Services Management is to strengthen and deepen the learner's knowledge and expertise in health services management as a speciality of the nursing profession. It is designed to enable the learner to undertake advanced reflection and to develop skills based on thinking, practice, and research methods in the field of health services management. Learners will be equipped with a high level of theoretical engagement and intellectual independence to undertake professional and highly skilled work to the range of health service contexts.

This qualification is intended for

• Professional nurses who wish to progress within the field of nursing and health services management.
• Persons at a commensurate level in Health and Allied Health Sciences who wish to change direction and move into nursing management,
• Those wishing to progress towards a qualification such as a master's degree in nursing and beyond.

On completion of the qualification, qualifying learners will be able to

• Manage a Healthcare facility within the ethical-legal parameters of the nursing profession, and resolve

professional-ethical dilemmas by using decision making and moral reasoning models.

• Apply knowledge of basic research methodology in the appraisal of articles in the field of Health system management.
• Apply advanced management skills and professionalism in health services setting.
• Think and plan strategically to improve organisational performance.
• Apply principles of budgetary governance
• Implement strategies to develop self, peers, and others by promoting self-directedness through a process of mentoring and precepting.
• Apply knowledge and principles of the systematic review and guideline development process to evaluate the standard of guidelines used in Health systems management.
• Apply evidence-based practice principles to improve quality of Health Services management.

Rationale

There is a need for health service management specialists in the country as determined by the National Department of health and South African Nursing Council (SANC). According to the National list of Occupations in High Demand (2018) (Government Gazette 637, 22 June 2018), nurse managers (reference 222116) in South Africa are high in command. This qualification will address the scarce skill in health services, also for the benefit of training basic nursing learners. Health services management and leadership in South Africa is committed to meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 3 (National Department of Health (DoH), 2010); and sustainable development goals (2030) addressing the complex burden of disease; and ensuring responsiveness to population health needs. Nurse managers have a leading role in addressing these issues and enabling legal, policy and fiscal environment to facilitate their achievement. The qualification will thus meet the needs of the country and community. It will enable the health service management specialist to undertake advanced reflection and development by means of a systematic survey of current thinking, practice, and research methods in health service management. This is specifically more apparent with the move to a primary healthcare approach in the healthcare system of South Africa, expecting all nurses to be cognisant of the approach. A shift in leadership and management competencies is needed in a more flexible service delivery approach to combatting higher levels of patient morbidity and mortality with regard to communicable and non-communicable diseases. The qualification is therefore competency-based to achieve the demands of a high level of theoretical engagement and intellectual independence, the ability to relate knowledge to a range of contexts, to undertake professional or high skilled health service management work and the ability to conduct and report research under supervision.

The Department of Health in South Africa has indicated its commitment to health and nursing by focusing on important initiatives. The South African Government has developed and published the key strategic outcomes in the National Service Delivery Agreement (NSDA) in 2010. The NSDA is a charter that reflects the commitment of key stakeholders such as nurse managers to reaching certain outcomes in the public sector. This qualification will be recognised by the South African Nursing Council (SANC), for which learners will register at SANC when they complete the additional qualification in Health Services Management.

The qualifying graduates will be competitively placed for senior leadership roles, such as

• Clinical Manager.
• Practice Manager.
• Aged Care Manager.
• Health and Welfare Services Manager.
• Medical or Hospital Administrator.
• Primary Health Organization Manager.
• Theatre Manager.

This qualification benefits the individual, community, society, and country through promotive, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative health services.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution has an approved Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy which is applicable with regards 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 may be applied for access, credits from modules and credits for or towards the qualification.

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 should they be allowed entrance into the qualification.

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

• Bachelor of Nursing Science, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Bachelor of Health Sciences, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Bachelor of Nursing in Education and Administration, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Bachelor of Public Health, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Advanced Diploma in Midwifery, NQF Level 7.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory and/or elective modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 8 totalling 124 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 8, 124 Credits

• Fundamental Nursing: Health Services Management, 16 Credits.
• Ethos and professional practice, 7 Credits.
• Leadership development and quality improvement, 7 Credits.
• Introduction to research, 4 Credits.
• Clinical Practice in Health Services Management I, 56 Credits.
• Research Project, 6 Credits.
• Conceptualisation and Critiquing of Health Services Management Practices, 8 Credits.
• Resource management, 4 Credits.
• Clinical Practice in Health Services Management II, 16 Credits.

1. Demonstrate the ability to identify and address ethical issues based on critical reflection on the suitability of different ethical value systems to specific contexts.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of and engagement in an area at the forefront of the health system management field, discipline or practice; an understanding of the theories, research methodologies, methods and techniques relevant to the field, discipline or practice; and an understanding of how to apply such knowledge in a particular context.
3. Demonstrate a comprehensive, critical, and systematic knowledge and understanding of the components of the management process in the management of a health service, with a coherent and critical understanding of applying the principles and theories of management and leadership in managing health services.
4. Initiate innovative projects based on regular evaluation and review of the strategic plan for achievement of its goals, utilising the process of change management.
5. Demonstrate coherent and in-depth understanding of principles of budgetary governance in a health service.
6. Implement strategies to develop self, peers, and others by promoting self-directedness through a process of mentoring and precepting.
7. Apply knowledge and principles of the systematic review and guideline development process to evaluate the standard of guidelines used in Health systems management.
8. Demonstrate the ability to use a range of specialised skills to identify, analyse and address complex or abstract problems drawing systematically on the body of knowledge and methods appropriate to a field, discipline or

practice.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Apply knowledge of basic research methodology in the appraisal of articles in the health system management field.
• Manage a Healthcare facility within the ethical-legal parameters of the nursing profession and resolve professional-ethical dilemmas by using decision making and moral reasoning models.
• Apply critical decision making, and moral reasoning models to resolve ethical dilemmas within Health Services management.
• Identify and debate the relevant latest legislation, policies, regulations, and guidelines pertaining to Health Services Management.
• Examine and apply advocacy principles to promote safe and quality care/ service.
• Manage professional misconduct according to institutional, professional, and legal protocols.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Formulate research questions according to the Patient, problem or population, Intervention, Comparison, control or comparator and Outcomes (PICO) format and any other format.
• Conduct database search by using Boolean and other information search strategies.
• Apply academic writing skills in research reports and guidelines.
• Appraise research articles in the field of Health Services Management through the application of basic knowledge of research methodology.
• Differentiate accurately the qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method research designs.
• Integrate evidence-based practice of research findings for safe, effective, and efficient practice.
• Apply standards of the research process in appraising research articles in a research project.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Analyse and apply the components of the management processes of planning, organizing, staffing, directing and control.
• Debate the principles and theories of health services management and leadership.
• Implement supervisory models to control the quality of management and nursing care.
• Manage resources cost-effectively in a way that supports optimal care provision.
• Debate change management models applicable to healthcare.
• Reflect on team functions and team leadership and compare with the available best evidence on collaborative group work.
• Use a range of specialised skills to identify, analyse and address complex or abstract problems drawing systematically on the body of knowledge and methods appropriate to a Health Services management practice.
• Address labour relations issues within the legal framework.
• Manage conflict constructively by means of mediating and negotiation techniques.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Differentiate between strategic thinking and strategic planning.
• Explore and apply strategic thinking for a healthcare facility in line with the global trends in health, politics, available resources and population growth.
• Conduct and visually present stakeholder analysis for a healthcare facility.
• Perform situational analysis by means of a standardised strategy such as Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis, as well as Threats, Opportunities, Weaknesses and Strengths (TOWS) matrix.
• Develop a strategic plan for a Nurse Manager in a healthcare facility according to the strategic planning steps.
• Evaluate and debate strategy implementation and execution in a healthcare facility.
• Analyse and apply action learning and planning strategies to monitor innovations.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Compare and debate the proportion of the National Budget allocated to healthcare with other countries.
• Analyse critically budget distribution down to the institution's healthcare facility.
• Differentiate and debate the stages of the budget execution cycle.
• Apply budget compliance control measures to evaluate institutional practice in a unit.
• Explore and debate issues related to the management and monitoring of budget execution.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Analyse and apply mentoring models to develop self and novices.
• Establish academic/professional networks to sustain lifelong learning.
• Create a positive learning climate by establishing positive relationships.
• Participate in activities towards enhancing Continuous Professional Development (CPD).
• Explore and apply performance appraisal principles to monitor own development within the qualification.
• Evaluate and apply collaborative mentoring models to develop self and novices.
• Explore and debate collaborative leadership styles.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Evaluate and apply current evidence-based guidelines in Health services management by applying knowledge of the systematic review and guideline development process.
• Operate effectively within a system, or manage a system based on an understanding of the roles and relationships between elements within the health services management system.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8

• Apply evidence-based practice principles and systematic reviews to improve the quality of Health Services management.
• Promote quality of Health Services management by implementing evidence-based practice.
• Perform quality audits to improve health services management at predetermined times.
• Compare the best practices and develop indicators for quality and cost effectiveness in Health Services management.
• Critique, develop and implement standards for health services management.

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

Integrated assessment strategies across related modules are applied and assessed in the classroom, practical venues and in the authentic environment. Through the institution's policies on assessment and moderation, assessment practices will be open, transparent, fair, valid, and reliable to ensure that no learner is disadvantaged in any way whatsoever. Integrated assessment takes the form of an appropriate variety of assessment methods, for example:

• Written and oral examinations.
• Problem-solving assignments.
• Projects presentations.
• Case studies.
• Portfolios.
• Logbooks.
• Clinical scanning assessments.
• Objectively structured clinical examination.
• Reflective practice journals.

Formative Assessment

Learning and assessment are integrated. The scheme of work includes tests and assignments, practical work, and competency evaluation of practical skills. The process is continuous and focuses on smaller sections of the work with a limited number of outcomes. Formative assessment is undertaken continuously, incorporating research presentations and papers, coursework assignments and tasks. Such methods assess learners' progress towards the professional and academic competencies set out in the exit level outcomes listed above. The assessment instruments are designed to integrate practical, theoretical, and reflective competence.

Summative Assessment

Summative assessments evaluate the learners' abilities to manage and integrate a larger body of knowledge and to achieve the stated outcomes. The summative assessment also focuses on the learners' ability to integrate knowledge and skills in ultrasound in obstetrics and gynaecology. Summative assessment may be conducted by means of:

• Oral and written examinations.
• Assignments.
• Case studies.
• Reflective diaries.
• Portfolio of evidence.
• Clinical assessment in authentic clinical settings.