Newly Graduated Nurses Set to Provide Quality Care to Communities | Western Cape Government

News

Newly Graduated Nurses Set to Provide Quality Care to Communities

10 May 2013

When you are given an opportunity to do something good, not just for yourself, but for the benefit of others too, you grab it with both hands. This is what 105 graduating nurses have done. They have improved their level of knowledge for the betterment of their communities.

The Department of Health (DOH) recognises how important it is to have nurses who practice a knowledge-based service to provide the best possible care to the communities of the Western Cape. With this in mind, the DOH regularly provides opportunities for learning so that nurses can up-skill their knowledge.

The Department is proud to announce that 105 nursing students will be graduating – of which 38 are from the Western Cape Rehabilitation Centre Nursing School (WCRC NS) – who did the bridging course according to Regulation 683, a two year programme for qualified staff nurses. They will now be graduating as registered nurses.

These nurses have done their theory on the campus site of the WCRC NS, while their clinical guidance is given in government hospitals nearest to their home. This is another opportunity to give back to communities where they come from, especially in the rural areas.

The other 67 nurses are from the Tygerberg Hospital Nursing School (TBH NS), who did the second-year staff nurse course, according to Regulation 2175. This is a one-year programme where nurses who are registered as assistant nurses can do their second year of training to graduate as staff nurses. Their theoretical and clinical training was done on the premises of the Tygerberg Hospital.

Those completing the training are mostly absorbed at their institutions or have the option of furthering their studies elsewhere.

Western Cape Minister of Health Theuns Botha congratulated the newly qualified nurses. “Our shortages are within the realm of specialised nurses and I would urge you to specialise if your circumstances allow you to study further. This country needs your expertise.”

Mr Botha says, “Our nurses form almost half of the staff component of the health department and play a special role in providing and maintaining the health care system through the provision of a comprehensive quality health care service. I want to thank every nurse for your special commitment to health care.  

“Despite intense efforts to develop, recruit and retain specialised nurses, and despite the Occupational Specific Dispensation for nurses, the specialised services now have 25,4% less specialised nurses than four years ago. A  main challenge remains to increase the number of nurses to be released and trained in specialty nursing. In the Western Capem 746 nurses still need to be trained by 2015. “

The Western Cape College of Nursing (WCCN) and its satellite campuses Tygerberg Hospital Nursing School and the Western Cape Rehabilitation Centre Nursing School are proud to present the Certificate and Badge Presentation Ceremony to the graduates of the R683 and R2175 Nursing Programme of 2013 on 10 May at the Western Cape College of Nursing Metro West Campus, Athlone.

Media Enquiries: 

Emerantia Cupido
Principal Communications Officer: Nursing
Tel: 082 302 9557
Email: emerantia.cupido@westerncape.gov.za