UKZN – School of Nursing Certificate Courses

Certificate Courses offered are: 

We offer the bridging course for enrolled to registered nurse and four certificate courses for registered nurses.

Bridging Course
Objectives of the course

• Take an active part in searching for knowledge that will assist him or her to develop theoretical and practical skills in the care of the patient and his/her family as unique physical, psychological, religious and spiritual beings.
• Develop an appreciation of group dynamics by being able to actively participate in small group discussions and in class presentations.
• Develop and utilise good communication skills when interacting with patients, families, colleague and the multidisciplinary health team for effective care of the patient.
• Apply scientific approach to nursing (Nursing Process) for individual and groups at all stages of life span in the following areas : Medical, Surgical, Operating theatre. Paediatrics, Outpatient Department and Casualty.
• Demonstrate skill in partnership building in terms of working with a nursing team in a hospital unit, as well as with a learning group.
• Apply principles of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention in managing health problems at all stages of life and in all settings.
• Perform all nursing competencies within the scope of practice for the registered nurse according to SANC regulation R2598 under supervision of a registered nurse.
• Apply principles of responsibility and accountability for own nursing actions and omission according to the Nursing Act 50 of 1978 as amended.
• Demonstrate understanding of the steps of research in nursing and the ethical issues surrounding research on human subjects.
• Develop an appreciation of nursing as a profession by maintaining her/his own professional registration with SANC up to date, debate why nursing is considered a profession and discuss criteria for a profession and the role of professional bodies.
• Apply unit management skills in planning, organising, directing and controlling of a nursing unit.
• Apply principle of primary health care (PHC) in working with disadvantaged communities by being able to assess community needs, identify community health problems and give suggested plan of action for a particular community.

 

Entrance Requirements

• Matric or Senior Certificate or Equivalent
• Enrolled Nursing Certificate
• Proof of current enrolment as a nurse
• Two years of experience as an Enrolled Nurse
• Permanently employed and practicing in a SANC approved Hospital

Duration of the Course

The course is two year part-time. Classes are held once a month on a Saturday from 8am to 4pm. There is a two week block every six months (Monday to Friday 8am- 4pm)

Curriculum/course content

It comprises of integrated General Nursing Science, Social Science & Ethos and Professional Practice.

1. General Nursing I

• Medical & Surgical Nursing
• Applied Social Science I i.e. Psychology and Sociology
• Applied Ethos and Professional Practice

2. Applied Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, chemistry and Pharmacology.

3. General nursing Sciences II

• Medical & Surgical nursing
• Disaster Nursing
• Ethos & professional practice
• Unit Management
• Applied Social Science II
• Applied Research

Accreditation

Credits – 128

Assessment criteria

*Continuous assessments, theory and practical case studies and tests

Examination – First Year

• Practical – OSCE (objective, structured clinical evaluation)
• Theory – SANC Integrated General Nursing (Paper 1& 2)

Second Year

• Practical – Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation
• Theory – SANC Integrated General Nursing (Paper 1 & 2)

 

SANC registration process/Certification

Diploma from the South African Nursing Council

The University does NOT automatically issue a certificate. If you are not planning to study further and you want a certificate for this course, you must put your request in writing to us.

Centres where the course is offered

Durban

Mental Health Nursing

Objectives of the course

The overall aim of this programme is to equip registered general nurses with a body of mental health nursing skill and knowledge that will enable them to provide community-based primary, secondary and rehabilitative mental health care to individuals, families and groups. Successful completion of this programme may lead to registration with the South African Nursing Council as a psychiatric /mental health nurse.

Entrance Requirements

• Matric or Senior Certificate or Equivalent
• Registered nurse
• Basic mental health
• Advance Mental health

Duration of the course

The Duration of the course is 18 Months, runs between January and June of the following year.

Curriculum/Course Content

The 18-month part-time programme is divided into two terms or semesters of seven and eight months respectively. The final two months of the second semester, after the examinations, have been set aside for hospital-based psychiatric practice. The programme is built around the principles of psychosocial rehabilitation.

• The first year focuses on selected aspects of this model, namely psychiatric assessment, diagnosis and treatment. Treatment methods include psychopharmacology and relapse management. Interpersonal communication is the pivot around which each of these activities revolves. You will therefore be learning and practising a variety of therapeutic communication techniques in the classroom and clinical setting.

 

• The second semester (6 months) deals with issues in risk management, psychosocial rehabilitation and primary mental health care, both of which are aspects of a comprehensive health service. Case management and group work in mental health rehabilitation and health promotion, are the focus of this semester’s work. These methods will enable you to assess and manage the needs of people with psychiatric and/or mental handicap disorders and their family members while at the same time, giving you the experience of continuous patient and family care.

Accreditation

64 credits

Assessment criteria

• Two tests contribute to the theory mark.
• Three written examination papers contribute to the theory mark.
• Clinical practice projects contribute to the clinical mark.
• On-site clinical assessments contribute to the clinical mark.
• To pass the course the student must achieve a 50% minimum for the theory portion and a 50% minimum for the clinical portion.

SANC Registration process/Certification

If you successfully complete the course, we lodge your name with the SANC as having completed the course. Thereafter, it is your responsibility to apply for distinguishing devices from the SANC. The SANC will send you a ”Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing Science”.

The University does NOT automatically issue a certificate. If you are not planning to study further and you want a certificate for this course, you must put your request in writing to us.

Centres where the course is offered

• Durban

Registration process

Fax letter of request for application forms through to the liaison officer.

Nursing Management

Objectives of the course

At the end of the 18 months pushed into one year, students should be able to :

• Understand the health system in which he/she functions, its inter-relationships, aims, influences in it, strengths and weaknesses.
• Manage human resources to the benefit of the service and the person involved
• Manage the physical resources in their service so that everything is used optimically, and the most efficient service is rendered to the community.
• Involve workers in service planning, management and evaluation.
• Do strategic planning for their service, implement plans and evaluate programmes, use the appropriate leadership style in different situations, which arise in the workplace.
• Effectively use the problem-solving format to address problems arising in the work setting.
• Understand the research process well enough to use research findings and statistical data in management.
• Base his/her managerial practice on a sound knowledge of, as well as legal and ethical prescriptions, theory, leadership and management.

Entrance requirements

• Matric or Senior Certificate or Equivalent
• General Nursing

Duration of the course

18 months

Curriculum/Course Content

The programme uses a case study, critical thinking and problem solving approach. The content is organized around management case studies, depicting realistic situations, which top and middle managers may have to handle. The theory influencing the situation and practical ways of intervening. The integrated case studies are organized around five (5) principles :

• Problem solving
• Leadership
• Health & Health Systems
• Management
• Ethical and Legal prescriptions
• All theory is accompanied by relevant examples drawn from the experiences that nurses in rural and urban hospitals and clinics have had.

Accreditation

Credits – 64

Assessment criteria

• Assignments
• Tests
• Examinations

SANC registration process/Certification

Diploma from the South African Nursing Council

The University does NOT automatically issue a certificate. If you are not planning to study further and you want a certificate for this course, you must put your request in writing to us.

Centres where the course is offered

• Durban

Primary Care

Objectives of the course/Introduction

There is an enormous need for more nurses to be equipped with this qualification with long name : Health assessment, diagnosis and treatment. The District Health System is being implemented in South Africa, and the emphasis of effective diagnosis and treatment of common and minor ailments at Primary Health Care level, which is part of the Primary Health Care approach, makes this essential. Over the next few years the province of kwaZulu-Natal will literally need hundreds of such trained nurses.

Entrance requirements

• Matric or Senior Certificate or Equivalent
• General Nursing
• Midwifery
• Community Health

Curriculum/Course Content

Content of this programme consist of the following modules :

• Primary level assessment and management (Adult/Child)
• Aids Counseling, Family Planning, I.M.C.I
• Pharmacology (Adult/Child)

Accreditation

Credits – 64

Assessment Criteria

• Assignments
• Exam (theory & practical)

SANC registration process/Certification

Diploma from the South African Nursing Council

The University does NOT automatically issue a certificate. If you are not planning to study further and you want a certificate for this course, you must put your request in writing to us.

Centres where course is offered

• Durban
• Pietermaritzburg
• Empangeni
• Port Shepstone
• Ladysmith/Estcourt
• Newcastle