30 March 2007

Issuing of Student Cards to all Learners who are Registered/Enrolled with the South African Nursing Council

The Council will shortly be sending out Student Cards for all learners who are registered or enrolled with the Nursing Council to follow a programme at an approved Nursing Education Institution. In future, these cards will be sent out on registration or enrolment of new learners.

Nursing Education Institutions are required to distribute the cards to the learners as soon as they are received and to ensure that the learners immediately sign their cards in the space provided. Institutions should encourage learners to carry the card with them at all times, but particularly when in a clinical situation.

The purpose of the Student Card is to generate awareness about the importance of quality assurance in nursing education and training among learners. As the ETQA (Education and Training Quality Assurance body) for all nursing education programmes, the Nursing Council is responsible to ensure that learners receive nursing education that meets the required standards – in terms of both the Nursing Act and the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) Act. The Nursing Council does this by accrediting both the nursing programmes and the institutions that provide the programmes. In the future, the Nursing Council will also be conducting auditing of the Nursing Education Institutions to make sure (among other things) that the necessary quality control systems are in place.

The Student Card will serve as proof that the learner is registered/enrolled with the Nursing Council and that he/she is following an accredited course at an accredited nursing education institution. This will give the learner confidence that, on successful completion of the course, his/her training will be recognised by the Nursing Council. The cards may also serve to alert a learner who does not receive a card that he/she may be training at an institution that is not accredited by the Nursing Council.

Signed
Sizeni Mchunu
For Registrar and Chief Executive Officer 

© 2004 - 2020 South African Nursing Council (Under the provisions of the Nursing Act, 2005)

Disclaimer

23 March 2007

Proclamation of Commencement of Sections of the Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No. 33 of 2005)

The State President has proclaimed some sections of the Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No. 33 of 2005) with effect from 15 December 2006.

Attached, please find a copy of the proclamation notice.

The sections of the Act that are proclaimed by this notice and are now in effect are:

    Sections 1 to 4; 8; 11; 13; 17 to 29; 30; 31; 37; 40; 58; 59; 61 and 62.

How does this Proclamation affect the profession?

The implementation of Sections 1 to 4; 8; 11; 13; 17 to 29; 58; 59; and 62 do not have a direct bearing on individual nurses. These sections pertain to the functioning of South African Nursing Council and makes provision for the Minister to make new Regulations and for the Council to make new Rules.

The proclamation of Sections 30, 31, 37, 40 and 61 does affect individual nurses and the implementation of each of these sections is explained further. 

1. Implementation of Sections 30 and 31

The implementation of Section 30 pertaining to the Scope of profession and practice of nursing and Section 31 pertaining to Registration as prerequisite to practise is dependant on the publications of new regulations.  It is important to note that until new Regulations are passed to replace the existing Regulations, the scope of practice, categories and titles of nurses, and the registration of nurses will continue to be regulated by existing Regulations. This effectively implies that until new Regulations are passed:

nurses registered or enrolled prior to the proclamation of the Act will continue to function in the categories in which they are registered or enrolled to practise,

nurses will continue to use their existing titles; 

the scope of practice for all existing categories of nurses will remain unchanged; and

new registrations or enrolments will be in accordance with the requirements of existing regulations.

2. Implementation of Section 37: Receipt as Proof

This section does not require new Regulations and is immediately applicable. The section makes provision for the recognition of the “Annual Receipt and Licence to Practice” issued by the Council as proof of your registration or enrolment with the Council or if such receipt is lost a confirmation letter signed by the registrar. Please note that only a receipt that states “Annual Receipt and Licence to Practice” is valid for practice.

 NB: An ordinary receipt issued by the Council for receipt of money is not a valid “Annual Receipt and Licence to Practice” and does not entitle a person to practice. Such a receipt only acknowledges a payment made.

3. Implementation of Section 40: Community Service

Section 40 of the Act pertaining to Community Service will be fully implemented when Regulations are passed to give effect to this section. Draft Regulations were already published for public comment in October 2006 and the Regulations will be published in their final form shortly. The Department of Health and the SANC will jointly communicate the details regarding the implementation of community service.

4. Implementation of Section 61: Transitional Provisions

“61 (1) Any proclamation, notice, regulation, authorisation or order issued, made or granted, any registration or enrolment, any removal from a register or roll or any appointment or any other thing done in terms of a provision of any law repealed by section 60(1) is, unless inconsistent with any provision of this Act, deemed to have been issued, made, granted or done under the corresponding provision of this Act.”

The effect of this section is that all existing regulations, registrations, enrolments, removals or any order made in terms of the Nursing Act, 1978 (Act No. 50 of 1978) as amended are still applicable until such time that they are repealed.

You will be kept informed of all further developments regarding the implementation of the Nursing Act through regular communication.

Printed copies of the Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No. 33 of 2005) can be purchased from the Council or from the Government Printers. An electronic (PDF) version can also be found on the Council website at the following location:

www.sanc.co.za/regulations 

Signed
HASINA SUBEDAR
REGISTRAR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

© 2004 - 2020 South African Nursing Council (Under the provisions of the Nursing Act, 2005)

Disclaimer

6 March 2007

Discontinuation of Listing of Short Courses by the South African Nursing Council

1. The South African Nursing Council (SANC) had previously approved short courses for registered nurses which were governed by the following regulations:

GG Notice R238 of 13 February 1981

GG Notice R237 of 13 February 1981

GG Notice R670 of 31March 1983

These provided for offering of

	Renal Nursing and Stoma Care Nursing
	Occupational Health Nursing and
	Spinal Injury Nursing Science

2. In August 1984 the above regulations were repealed as the Council took a resolution that it would no longer regulate short courses that were less than one academic year.

Recognizing the need for short courses, the Council further resolved that short courses could still be offered under certain circumstances. These included the following, inter alia:

	a need identified by the National and / or Regional level departments health
	examinations will be conducted by the educational institution
	the qualification would be listed by the Council only for statistical purposes
	a certificate will be issued by the approved school offering the short course

NB:    Listing of a course only implies that the course appears on the council’s database, it does not entitle the person to register to practice in a particular capacity or a registration certificate. A listed qualification has no status attached to it by virtue of it appearing on the SANC database. 

This resolution was communicated by Circular 30/84 in October 1984

3. The SANC has also experienced several challenges over the years in respect of listing of short courses in accordance with the above resolution:

4. Accreditation Requirements

4.1 The SANC is accredited by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) as an Education and Training Quality Assurance Body (ETQA) for the nursing qualifications.

 4.2 The qualifications within the scope of the SANC are stipulated by SAQA (Annexure A).

4.3 SANC’s is required as an ETQA to accredit and quality assure qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) that fall within its scope.

4.4 Currently none of the listed courses on the SANC database are registered on the NQF. The SANC as an ETQA therefore cannot continue to recognize courses for listing that are not accredited and quality assured by the Council.

4.5 Furthermore neither the Nursing Act 50 of 1978 nor Nursing Act 33 of 2005 makes provision for the registration of short courses.

5. You are therefore hereby notified that the Council took the following resolution

6. Implications of this resolution:

	Nursing Education Institutions may continue to provide the short courses, conduct examination and issue certificates in accordance with their status or provide these courses as skills programmes or in-service education
	Institutions that are already approved by the SANC to offer short courses will remain in the SANC database (for information only)
	Candidates completing these courses may not apply to the SANC to have the listed course appear before their names
	The annual licence to practice will no longer contain details of previously listed qualification with effect from 2008 licence.
	An institution may apply to the SANC for the accreditation of a previously listed course only if the qualification complies with a registered qualification on the NQF and falls within the scope of the SANC and/or meets the prescribed requirements of a qualification for registration with the SANC (meets the requirements of a Regulation for a specific qualification).

Any further enquiry regarding this matter may be referred to Ms Mchunu: Deputy Registrar Professional Affairs
(Tel: 012 420 1000 e-mail: registrar@sanc.co.za)

Your cooperation in this regard will be appreciated.

Signed
H Subedar (Ms)
REGISTRAR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

ANNEXURE A

The Scope and primary focus of the South African Nursing Council as an ETQA accredited by the South African Qualifications Authority

The scope and the primary focus area of the South African Nursing Council as accredited by the South African Qualifications Authority cover the following qualifications:

1. Certificate of Enrolment as Nursing Auxiliary
2. Certificate of Enrolment as a Nurse
3. Bridging Course for Enrolled Nurses leading to registration as a general nurse or psychiatric nurse
4. Diploma in Midwifery
5. Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing
6. Diploma in Nursing (General, Psychiatric and Community) and Midwifery (Comprehensive Course)
7. Degree in Nursing (General, Psychiatric and Community) and Midwifery (Comprehensive Course)
8. Diploma in Nursing Administration
9. Diploma in Unit Management for Registered Nurses
10. Diploma in Nursing Education
11. Diploma in Clinical Nursing Science, Health Assessment, Treatment and Care
12. Diploma in Community Health Nursing Science
13. Post-basic Diploma in Midwifery and Neonatal Nursing Science
14. Post-basic Diploma in Community Health Nursing Science
15. Post-basic Diploma in Occupational Health Nursing Science
16. Post-basic Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing Science (Elective: Adults)
17. Post-basic Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing Science (Elective: Children)
18. Post-basic Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing Science (Elective: Adolescents)
19. Post-basic Diploma in Gerontological Nursing Science
20. Post-basic Diploma in Child Nursing Science
21. Post-basic Diploma in Operating Theatre Nursing Science
22. Post-basic Diploma in Ophthalmological Nursing Science
23. Post-basic Diploma in Orthopaedic Nursing Science
24. Post-basic Diploma in Medical and Surgical Nursing Science

© 2004 - 2020 South African Nursing Council (Under the provisions of the Nursing Act, 2005)

Disclaimer