Sister Nurses In South Africa

Postgraduate Advanced Diploma in Nursing

This course is designed to strengthen and deepen your knowledge in nursing and midwifery. During this course, you will specialise as a nurse or midwife (or accoucheur). This course is also only one year long and can only be completed after you have received a diploma or degree in nursing. Unlike the other courses, this course is mostly theoretical. This qualification will also be helpful if you wish to pursue a career in nursing management. This is the postgraduate course for an individual who has a diploma in nursing, will have to complete in order to work as a nursing sister in South African Hospitals.

Entry Requirements

In order to enrol in a course like this you have to have completed:

Bachelor in Nursing Sciences (or equivalent) or a degree and comprehensive diploma

Diplomas in nursing and midwifery

Advanced diploma in midwifery, staff nurse and advanced diploma

You also have to have some experience to apply to this course – excluding your community service year. You have to have two years of experience as a Professional Nurse and/or Midwife (including at least one year in the field of speciality within the last five years).

What does the course look like?

This course is designed to teach you how to work like a nurse who is clinically focused, well-informed, competent and innovative. At the end of this course, you will have specialised as a nurseor midwife/accoucheur and you will be able to give well-informed scientific care to your patients.

After your Qualification

After you qualify and register with the SANC, you can choose to work in any number of places, but if you want to study further, you can study a masters degree or advanced diploma in nursing and you can register as an advanced practise nurse. There are two main categories of advanced practice nurses:

Clinical nurse specialists: People who have in-depth and specialised qualifications who work closely and collaboratively with other medical practitioners.
Advanced nurse practitioner: A person who works in primary care — health assessment and the diagnosis and treatment of ailments. In South Africa, advanced nurse practitioners are often referred to as primary health care nurses and they can work as midwives, psychiatric and pediatric nurses outside of the hospital environment.