Scope of Practice, Competency Framework and Charter of Nursing Practice

Scope of Practice, Competency Framework and Charter of Nursing Practice

 

 

 

            Medical profession is one of the noblest professions that helps countless

 

lives worldwide. Some professionals even volunteer in third world countries

 

without asking for payment. They serve people even in the most isolated places

 

of a poor nation.

 

            Health sector should be prioritized by the government of every nation. In

 

the recent decade, professional nurses became in demand worldwide needed in

 

hospitals and personal care of the elders. The demand for nurses opened great

 

opportunities especially for those expatriates trying to find lucrative careers in

 

other countries. However, it should also raise the standard of competence and

 

clinical expertise.

 

            In South Africa, the nursing industry faces a serious crisis. The health

 

system has an increasing loss in experienced and competent nurses affecting

 

the public and private sectors. Low remuneration and deteriorating facilities force

 

the local nurses to diaspora and find better paying opportunities. It is imperative

 

for the government of South Africa to ensure its nation of sufficient nursing

 

workforce.

 

            In 2005, the Nursing Act No. 33 is passed to create a legislative

 

framework determining the scope of practice of different categorical nurses to

 

ensure that the nurses are aligned to their expertise and the needs of the health

 

sector. New qualifications are set to review the scope of practice of every nurse.

 

The nursing strategy of South Africa is aimed at urgently addressing the

 

problems of nursing particularly maintaining sufficient number of professional

 

nurses who are appropriately educated and deployed to all parts of the country.

 

            The competency framework is basically about following the objective

 

guidelines of the nursing strategy. The objective includes: good quality education

 

and training; accessibility of nursing to all South Africans; better image and social

 

positioning of nurses; promoting and maintaining high standard of nursing

 

education; enhancing the sense of professionalism among nurses; providing

 

strong leadership that will appropriately guide and direct nurses in operations;

 

maintaining sufficient number of professional nurses; ensuring adequate

 

resources and support systems for the health sector; and ensuring an

 

environment conducive to efficient nursing care. Nurses seemingly play a vital

 

role in the health care system.

 

            Consequently, nurses are categorized differently depending on their

 

expertise and scope of practice. A professional nurse is a qualified and

 

competent practitioner that can perform comprehensive nursing tasks assuming

 

responsibility and accountability for such practice.  A registered nurse (RN) is a

 

licensed medical professional who has completed four-year nursing degree and

 

passed the licensure exam. They carry out various medical tasks such as

 

explaining and educating patients about their medical conditions, dispensing

 

treatments and medications, assisting surgeons in medical procedures,

 

monitoring a patient’s vital signs, maintaining health records and keeping families

 

advised on the patient’s health status and progress. A nurse practitioner (NP) is a

 

registered nurse who completed a master’s degree or doctoral degree that

 

undergone specialized training in diagnosis and management of common

 

medical conditions. On the other hand, a staff nurse is the current registered

 

nurse with no additional qualifications set by the National Qualifications

 

Framework (NQF), while an auxiliary nurse should enroll for a level three

 

certificate provided by the NQF.

 

            The change in health system in South Africa is continually faced by

 

challenges, the likes of maintaining high quality nursing industry and providing

 

sufficient number of professional nurses around the country.

 

 Indeed, the Nursing Act should be strengthened and continuously

 

supported by the government and health professionals. It is to address the ever-

 

declining standard of health system in South Africa.

 

            Nurses perform basic medical jobs, yet they play vital role in patients care

 

and the health sector as a whole. They are confronted by different medical

 

conditions suffered by their patients that tend to be close to them.

 

            They provide essential support to the major healthcare providers such as

 

the doctors and the patients as well. Nurses seem to have less work comparing

 

to the physicians, yet they are very essential to the healthcare system. More than

 

their knowledge and expertise to the technical world of medicine, it’s the nurse’s

 

genuine care and kindness that helps a patient to recover. Remember that little

 

things count and make a big difference.

 

 

 

 

 

References:

 

Nursing Strategy for South Africa, 2008

 

Kortenbout, Elma et. al, Developing a Competence Framework and Evaluation Tool for Primary Nursing in South Africa, July 2005

 

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