Postgraduate Diploma in Ophthalmic Nursing

Purpose

The Postgraduate Diploma in Ophthalmic Nursing aims to develop an ophthalmic nurse specialist who will use expert knowledge to enhance care by screening, appropriate management, and prompt referral of patients with eye problems in all clinical settings. Ophthalmic Nursing is a specialist field that focuses on comprehensive eye care within a person-centred framework for individuals, families, communities, and society for the promotion of eye health and the prevention of visual impairment and blindness.

The qualification will enable the Ophthalmic Nurse Specialist to demonstrate clinical leadership, deep reflection, and ethical, clinical decision-making by regularly reviewing current thinking, practice and research methods relevant to this discipline. The qualification will also demand a high level of theoretical engagement and intellectual independence, as well as the ability to relate knowledge to a range of contexts in order to undertake professional and highly skilled work. Learners will have the capacity to apply high-level academic, clinical and management skills as well as comprehensive and systematic knowledge in this specialised field. Advanced practice educational programs include training and developing nurse practitioners to be competent, therefore, specialized nurses need to adjust, expand, and integrate their practical skills to respond to the growing demands and expectations of patients, individuals, and decision makers.

Upon completion of this qualification, a qualifying learner will be able to

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

Rationale

Ophthalmic nurses are important in the advancement of visual care and community, and healthcare provider expectations have increased over the past 20 years largely because of great advances in technology, new healthcare delivery systems, and changing priorities. An Ophthalmic Nurse Specialist is a Professional Nurse with an additional qualification in Ophthalmic Nursing and is registered as such with the South African Council of Nursing (SANC).

The present healthcare environment mandates high quality, cost-effective, patient and family-focused care. Trends in the incidence and prevalence of chronic conditions such as Diabetes Mellitus and an increase in traumatic injuries indicate that the patient population with eye disorders will escalate. Although rare, there is evidence of COVID-19 causing conjunctivitis. This escalation in prevalence of eye disorders and the implications of COVID-19 in eye health care will be accompanied by an increased need for specialist healthcare providers who have the knowledge and skills to manage, provide and coordinate the care of this complex patient population.

South Africa is an active member of the International Council for Nursing (ICN) as well as the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the African Union (AU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Commonwealth of Nations. The qualification aims to meet recognition requirements and competencies in most of the member countries of these organisations and throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.

For a number of years, the Division of Nursing and Midwifery has offered the postgraduate

diplomas in nursing specialisations. These qualifications were at NQF level 7 prior to the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF) alignment. However, with the HEQSF alignment, these programmes were aligned to a NQF level 8 via the category B process in 2014 and 2015 and were confirmed as accredited in 2015 and they were registered on SAQA in 2018.

In 2019, the Nursing Council revised its regulations for specialist nurses and because of this, the qualifications were placed in abeyance as the institution was no longer permitted to offer them in the previous form. The requirement was that the South African Nursing Council (SANC) would evaluate the qualifications against the newly published regulations and therefore as these are now approved against the new regulations by SANC, they are being resubmitted for accreditation.

Typical work environments in which qualifying learners may operate

• Primary/Community healthcare settings where they work with specialist teams, including clinics and school health services.
• Units/wards in quaternary/tertiary (academic), regional and district hospitals.
• Eye institutes/hospitals.
• Centres/institutes that foster independence, to which the Ophthalmic Nurse Specialist refers patients for independent living.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL for access

• Proof of registration with the SANC as a professional nurse and midwife.
• Two years' post-registration experience as a Professional Nurse which includes at least two years of experience in the field of the speciality within the last five years, and this excludes the Community Service year.
• Evidence of professional indemnity/insurance.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• An applicant must submit a letter of support from their employer granting the applicant study leave for the period of the programme. This is not necessary for a self-funding applicant.
• A person with international nursing qualifications must be registered by the SANC as a Professional Nurse or General Nurse and Midwife prior to admission into the programme.

Entry Requirements

• Advanced Diploma in Midwifery, NQF level7.

Or

• Bachelor of Nursing Science, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Advanced Diploma in Critical Care Nursing, NQF Level 7.

Or

Advanced Diploma in Medical and Surgical Nursing Science, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Advanced Diploma in Trauma and Emergency Nursing, NQF Level 7.

Or

• A four-year Diploma or Degree according to the South African Nursing Council (SANC) regulation R425

And

• Proof of registration with the SANC as a professional nurse and midwife.

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

Compulsory Modules, NQF Level 8, 120 Credits

• Foundations of Specialist Practice, 24 Credits.
• Leading Quality and Safety (LQ&S) in Ophthalmic Nursing, 16 Credits.
• Principles of Ophthalmic Nursing level, 40 Credits.
• Ophthalmic Nursing Practice level, 40 Credits.

For part-time study year 1: learners are advised to register for Foundations of Specialist Practice (FSP) and for Leading Quality and Safety (LQ&S) in Ophthalmic Nursing.

For part-time study year 2: learners are advised to register for Principles of Ophthalmic Nursing and Ophthalmic Nursing Practice.

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

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Demonstrate conformity to the code of ethics in the practice of specialist nursing through personal attributes and behaviour.
• Use critical decision making, and moral reasoning models and principles for clinical judgement and to resolve ethical dilemmas within the specialist practice.
• Demonstrate accountability for own professional judgment, actions, outcomes of specialist care provided and continued competence.
• Identify and apply current relevant legislation, policies, regulations and guidelines pertaining to specialist practice.
• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate documentation for plagiarism in accordance with the relevant legislation.
• Managed professional misconduct according to institutional protocols and professional ethical/legal frameworks.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Demonstrate understanding of the process of evidence-based practice through engagement in specialist practice.
• Apply evidence-based specialist practice and take into consideration the appropriate methodology of gathering evidence for practice, for example, systematic or scoping reviews, appraisal of articles, practice based-research and publications.
• Use evidence-based practice to demonstrate knowledge and critical analysis of the various levels of evidence.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Demonstrated leadership skills through application of appropriate leadership styles, principles and theories.
• 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, performance appraisal, etc.
• Demonstrates understanding of the purpose and processes of the performance management and development system through engagement in performance appraisal.
• Utilise feedback gained from self-reflection, peers, learners, management and other relevant stakeholders to improve effectiveness in the specialist role.
• Demonstrate understanding of the various risk factors that impact on health and wellness within the workplace and apply strategies to care for self, peers, employees, and learners.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Demonstrate understanding of the purpose of the advocacy role for a nurse specialist or midwife specialist practice.
• Apply advocacy principles to ensure safe and quality care/ in various healthcare settings.
• Demonstrate the use of appropriate communication skills and channels in facilitating advocacy.
• Demonstrate the ability to lobby and/or participation in interest groups to influence legislation and policy affecting the role performance.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Demonstrate understanding of levels and or classification of the respective specialist units.
• Take commissioning tasks into consideration the burden of diseases and priority services as determined by current events.
• Demonstrate knowledge of guidelines for provisioning a specialist unit through participation in the evaluation of the existing specialist unit, health or education entity
• Demonstrate understanding of the role and responsibilities in this task within the inter and intra-professional team through engagement in planning and commissioning.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Demonstrates knowledge of appropriate search engines and data bases for review of literature to inform evidence-based practice through practice in the respective specialisations.
• Use appropriate methods to generate evidence for utilisation in specialist practice (e.g., research, systematic reviews etc.).
• Demonstrate awareness of the peer reviewed journals and use for sharing of evidence.
• Inform activities in the specialist practice, education and health services management on scientifically proven evidence.
• Actively participate in inter and intra-professional dialogues, debates, or discourses in quality improvement.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Document all data / information gathered in the context of the specialist practice, for utilisation and storage in accordance with the set standards.
• Demonstrate utilisation of comprehensive data, information, and emerging evidence pertinent to the respective specialist practice.
• Inform problem identification, diagnoses and opportunities for improvement on gathered and critically analysed assessment data from the patients / clients, families, communities, learners or employees including current scientific evidence.
• Demonstrate respect for intellectual property through documentation and without plagiarism.

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

All assessments are aligned with the Assessment Policy of the institution. Assessment weightings and strategies as specified for each course are published in the Faculty of Health Sciences Postgraduate Handbook annually.

The institution strives to

• Provide a safe and effective learning environment, free from harassment, intimidation and discrimination
• Provide support and developmental opportunities for teaching
• Provide all reasonable facilities and structures to support learner success.

The institution undertakes to

• Provide secure and reliable processes in respect of assessment and certification procedures.

Formative and Summative Assessment

There is continuous integration of theory and practice throughout the period of the programme. The assessment approach is to use formative, continuous and summative assessments of learning in the form of written and clinical examinations, assignments, individual and group projects, portfolios and teaching practice for integrated learning. An ability to apply theory to practice is tested.

• Continuous (formative) assessment during the year contributes 40% of the final year mark.
• Summative evaluation at the end of the year contributes 60% of the final year mark depending on the course and as approved by the Faculty Board. A minimum of 80% of the summative assessment for the clinical courses will be conducted in real life situations.