Bachelor of Nursing Science (B Cur)

What does the degree entail?

Being a nurse means being part of the large team of professional workers dedicated to rendering health services to the community. It requires being prepared to understand, accept and trust people whose way of life, beliefs, values and culture may totally differ from one’s own, and to serve them and care for them with one’s knowledge and personal aptitude. Nursing Science equips one to serve others and to enrich their lives. The name of the degree means caring.

The course covers four years of full-time study. During the course, students are prepared for four career fields, namely:

General Nursing

Caring for people with different needs in different situations, such as in hospitals, clinics and private practices.

Community Nursing

This is aimed at primary health care. It includes the prevention of diseases and the promotion of health, the rendering of clinical nursing services and the rehabilitation of people in the general community.

Psychiatric Nursing

The emphasis is on the mental health of individuals, families and the community.

Midwifery Nursing

In this field, the emphasis is on providing in the unique physical, psychic and mental needs of a woman and her baby within the family and the community.

This entails that students have to work fixed hours during the semester and also spend certain holiday periods doing actual nursing.

Students register with the South African Nursing Council as student nurses.

What can I do with my degree?

You can work in various hospitals and clinics in the community and also run a private nursing practice. The state and the private sector offer a wide variety of opportunities. The following fields of nursing specialisation are available: general medical and surgical nursing science; emergency nursing, theatre nursing, community nursing; psychiatric nursing; midwifery nursing; paediatric nursing; neonatal nursing; nursing management and nursing education.

Admission requirements

Mathematics, Physical Science, Biology or Physiology are recommended subjects. Selection is based on academic merit. An AP-score Grade 11(25) and Grade 12(24) is required. A personal interview is conducted with every applicant. An NSC for degree purposes is required with the following minimum subject requirements and AP-score per subject, indicated in brackets:

• English (4);
• Additional Language (4);
• Four other subjects (4);
• Life Orientation (4) – Life Orientation is excluded from the APS-calculation.

Admission to the course is subject to Departmental selection, and applications close on 31 May of the preceding year. Selection also includes writing the University’s admission test.

Course content

The syllabus consists of subjects forming the basis for nursing, namely the social, biological and nursing sciences. The subjects within the various sciences are presented by experts of the University of Pretoria.

First year: Anatomy, Nursing Studies, Dynamics of Nursing Practice, Medical Terminology, Philosophy, Physiology, Nursing Practice Education, Computer Literacy and Language Skills, Ethnic Language.

Second year: Community Development, Psychology, Integrative Health Care, Microbiology, Nursing Studies, Physiology, Dynamics of Nursing Practice, Nursing Practice Education, Health Care Systems.

Third year: Pharmacology, Nursing Studies, Dynamics of Nursing Practice, Nursing Practice Education.

Fourth year: Health Research, Nursing Studies, Dynamics of Nursing Practice, Nursing Practice Education.

For more information

Please contact the following person for information:

Dr VM Bhana-Pema
Department of Nursing Science
Faculty of Health Care Sciences
University of Pretoria
Private Bag x 323
ARCADIA
0007
Pretoria
South Africa
Tel: +27 12 356 3171 / 3163
Fax: +27 12 356 3166
Email: varshika.bhana@up.ac.za / nursing@medic.up.ac.za