Postgraduate Diploma in Health Services Management

Purpose

The purpose of the Postgraduate Diploma in Health Services Management qualification is to strengthen and deepen the learners' knowledge and expertise in nursing and midwifery as a speciality. It will enable the Nurse Specialist or Midwife Specialist to engage in their respective specialist areas of practice with in-depth knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to enhance professional independence and optimum health outcomes.

The qualification is designed for learners who aspire to take on leadership and managerial roles within the healthcare industry. It prepares professionals for positions of significant responsibility and influence within the field of healthcare management. Further aims to produce highly skilled professionals who can effectively lead and manage healthcare organizations, drive quality improvements, and navigate the complex landscape of the healthcare industry.

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

• Develop and implement strategic and operational plans and institutional policies.
• Manage resources for optimal efficiency of a healthcare facility or unit.
• Organize and coordinate nursing activities in line with strategic goals
• Facilitate internal and external performance measurement and accreditation based on set standards.
• Initiate innovative projects through strategic plan evaluation and change management.
• Establish connections with external environments for best practices and competitive positioning.
• Engage in scholarly activities to inform evidence-based practice.
• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary team members and refer patients to relevant organizations/services.

Acquiring this qualification will enable the graduate Nurse Specialist to take on leadership and managerial roles within the healthcare industry. It prepares professionals for positions of significant responsibility and influence within the field of healthcare management.

Rationale

This qualification is required for a nurse to meet the South African Nursing Council's (SANC) competency profile for Health Services Management. Nurses trained to the undergraduate level have limited exposure to the complexities of the management of healthcare facilities. Globally and locally, it is acknowledged that business skills are essential to running and growing healthcare organizations.

The qualification has been customized to focus on the business environment, current priorities and practice needs of professionals working at healthcare clinical facilities. The qualification is designed to develop the strategic and operational management skills required to successfully manage a small to medium-sized clinical facility in the delivery of quality effective and efficient patient care.

In line with the vision and the mission of the institution, this qualification seeks to train professionals that will address the immediate needs of the institution in effectively managing their facilities, patients and staff as well as providing Human Resources for Health in South Africa.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution ensures that its RPL activities adhere to the CHE's integrated policy on RPL, CAT and Assessment in Higher Education, developed and published in August 2016 following the finalisation of SAQA's RPL and CAT Policies in 2014 and the Department of Higher Education and Training's (DHET) Policy on RPL in 2016.

It is important to note that one of the requirements for learners to enrol for this qualification will be that they are registered with the professional body as a professional nurse. No other submission, work experience or portfolio shall provide any access to potential learners.

The SANC's Education and Training Guideline for Postgraduate Diplomas is specific with regard to the minimum requirements for admission.

Proof of current registration as a Professional Nurse and Midwife or a General Nurse with a Midwifery qualification.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Nursing, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Bachelor of Nursing Science in Education, Management and Community, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Advanced Diploma in Occupational Health Nursing, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Advanced Diploma in Health Management, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Advanced Diploma in Health Services Management and Leadership, NQF Level 7.

And

• Proof of registration with the South African Nursing Council as a registered/professional nurse.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 8 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory modules, Level 8, 120 Credits.

• Advanced Nursing Practice, 16 Credits.
• Research for Practice Development, 8 Credits.
• Advanced Management Practice, 76 Credits.
• Organizational Sustainability, 20 Credits.

1. Practice and facilitate specialist nursing within the ethical-legal parameters of the profession.
2. Appraise and develop self, peers and nurse specialist learners by facilitating self-directedness or leadership and lifelong learning to maintain competence.
3. Facilitate advocacy for the profession and provision of specialist professional support for personnel, patients, families and communities.
4. Engage in planning, commissioning and managing a specialist unit.
5. Utilise, manage and communicate data to support decision-making and research.
6. Apply the knowledge of and facilitate evidence-based practice in the specialist field to solve contextual problems and develop policies and guidelines.
7. Engage in scholarly activities to inform evidence-based practice.
8. Manage resources for the effectiveness and efficiency of a healthcare facility or unit.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Illustrate conformity to the relevant code of ethics in specialist nursing.
• Account for own professional judgment, actions, outcomes of care and continued competence is demonstrated.
• Identify and apply the latest relevant legislation, policies, regulations and guidelines pertaining to specialist practice.
• Document all care activities, accurately, comprehensively and timeously taking into account the legal requirements for record keeping.
• Illustrate knowledge of the nurse specialist's role in the management of professional misconduct and is managed according to risks considering the institutional protocols and ethical-legal framework.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Utilise feedback gained from self-reflection, peers, learners and management to improve effectiveness in the specialist role.
• Effectively facilitate Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for self and others for lifelong learning by creating a positive learning climate in the workplace through the processes of mentorship, preceptorship, supervision, and performance appraisal.
• Engage in performance appraisal with the understanding of the purpose and processes of the performance management and development system.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Illustrate an understanding of the purpose of the advocacy role for a specialist nurse.
• Apply advocacy principles to advocate for safe and quality care in healthcare institutions.
• Apply knowledge and lobby and/or participate in interest groups to influence legislation and policy affecting role performance.
• Engage in planning, commissioning and managing a specialist unit.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Illustrate an understanding of levels and/or classification of the respective specialist units.
• Commission tasks taking into consideration the burden of diseases and priority services as determined by current events.
• Illustrate knowledge of guidelines for the provision of a specialist unit.
• Engage in planning and commissioning demonstrates an understanding of the roles and responsibilities in this task within the inter-professional team.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Utilise, manage and communicate data to support decision-making and research.
• Document all data or information gathered in the context of the specialist practice for utilisation and storage in accordance with the set standards.
• Utilise comprehensive data, information and emerging evidence pertinent to the context.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Engage in specialist practice, with an understanding and the process of evidence-based practice.
• Apply evidence-based specialist practice considering the appropriate methodology of gathering evidence for the practice, for example, systematic or scoping reviews, appraisal of articles, practice-based research and publication.
• Apply evidence-based practice, showing knowledge and critical analysis of the various levels of evidence.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Practice in the respective specialisations demonstrates knowledge of appropriate search engines and databases for review of literature to inform evidence-based practice.
• Apply appropriate methods to generate evidence for utilisation in specialist practice (e.g.: research, systematic reviews).
• Illustrate awareness of the peer-reviewed journals to use for sharing of evidence.
• Participate in inter-professional dialogues, debates, and discourses in quality improvement.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8

• Mobilise resources showing understanding and application of the supply chain management processes
• Employ sound asset management principles to ensure the elimination of waste and cost containment.
• Participate in recruitment of employees that are fit for purpose through effective talent management.

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

Formative and summative assessments during the qualification take place through a process of evaluation to promote assessment for learning using feedback as a means of supporting learner development and informing teaching and learning practices.

All pre-and-post exit level subjects for accredited programmes must be moderated externally by a moderator from an affiliated university/institution and in accordance with the Moderation Process.

• 10% of all formative and 10% of all summative assessment papers must be moderated by experts in the field who also have qualifications that are at least one level above the level of qualification being examined.
• All theory and clinical assessments must be internally moderated by subject coordinators/delegated persons who are not directly involved in setting the assessment.
• In the case of clinical assessments where more than one assessor/marker is involved, the REM/or delegated person must conduct an internal moderation to ensure the reliability of the assessment procedures and marks
• Discrepancies of greater than 5% between marker and moderator scores must be reported for further investigation and/or to remark on all papers. If more than 50% of the moderated sample shows a discrepancy of 5%, all the papers must be re-marked.

For formative assessments, the Regional Education Manager must report discrepancies to the Programme Manager. For summative assessments, the Programme Manager must report discrepancies to the Quality and Development Manager.