SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Health Nursing 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
119825  Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Health Nursing 
ORIGINATOR
University of the Free State 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
-   HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Postgraduate Diploma  Field 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services  Curative Health 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  120  Not Applicable  NQF Level 08  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Reregistered  EXCO 0333/25  2025-07-10  2028-07-10 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2029-07-10   2032-07-10  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification. 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
The Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Health Nursing provides a career path for professional nurses who want to stay within the field, but who would like to focus on an area and add to their depth of knowledge and skill. The purpose of the qualification is to produce an accountable expert and competent professional nurse, implementing evidence-based and business practices as a strategic leader in planning, organising, and managing human and financial resources, quality management, and projects within a multidisciplinary team in units of a range of settings, while complying to ethical, legal, and professional frameworks to serve the health needs of the community. Persons in scholarship for this qualification will become experts in occupational health nursing. The public and private industries are legally required to provide for the health and safety needs of their employees and therefore need qualified specialists to provide the service. The focus of the qualification will be to extend theory and its application in the occupational health field. Typical learning activities should include the study of appropriate specialist knowledge, case studies and integrated work-based learning.

More specifically, the qualification aims to:
  • Produce high-quality and competent specialist nursing practitioners in the occupational health field.
  • Provide occupational health specialists with a range of skills, knowledge and attitudes that will enable them to set trends and take leadership roles in a meaningful and sustained contribution to health and safety services.
  • Equip specialists with a developed sense of equity, justice and service ethics that will ensure accountability irrespective of their workplace.
  • Offer a wide range of transferable skills for application in other professions, disciplines, and general life. These include the ability to influence areas of policy change, development, and implementation; plan, implement and manage projects of a varied nature and work independently and as part of a team.

    On completion of the qualification, qualified learners will be able to:
  • Manage a healthcare facility within the ethical-legal parameters of the speciality.
  • Apply principles of knowledge translation to promote evidence-based nursing education to improve the quality of occupational health nursing.
  • Render and co-ordinate patient-centred occupational health nursing practice within a continuum of care using the scientific approach, integrating biomedical and psychosocial sciences including advanced pharmacology.
  • Apply and understand theoretical frameworks, principles, models and emerging debates and trends to contemporary occupational health nursing practice in conjunction with the inter-professional team.
  • Resolve ethical dilemmas by using decision-making and moral reasoning models.
  • Apply knowledge and principles of the systematic review and guideline development process to evaluate the standard of guidelines used in a specific speciality in nursing.
  • Critically reflect on clinical occupational health nursing practice as part of the cycle of continuous quality improvement.
  • Implement Quality Assurance strategies in line with the national as well as other internationally recognised standards.

    As qualified specialist occupational health nurses, they have access to more senior practitioners and can affect policy in the local setting. They will act as leaders, consultants, educators, and specialist practitioners in providing evidence-based occupational healthcare to team members. Qualified persons will be able to work as occupational healthcare specialists in public and private industries that have more than 50 employees. The specialist sets the level of and leads professional nurses to execute care. The specialist defines the care of the client.

    Rationale:
    The Occupational Health and Safety legislation has changed since 1994 and internationally accepted management system standards such as ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 demand compliance with safety, health, and environmental legal requirements as a minimum performance specification. The National Occupational Health and Safety Policy (23 July 2003), the establishment of Occupational Health Services in the public and private sectors, legalised a very important dimension of nursing in South Africa. The aim of Occupational Health Services is to provide a safe working environment for each employee. These services demand adequately trained healthcare practitioners with the necessary knowledge, skills, and competences to maintain high-quality and comprehensive Occupational Health and Safety services in the workplace or occupational healthcare environment. The Occupational Health Nurse Practitioner plays a key role in the health and safety of employees and employers as the first-line practitioner for the prevention, detection, treatment, and education. The qualification has been developed to address the immediate need for professional development and capacitating in the field of Occupational Health Nursing. Stakeholders were widely consulted at Fundisa and the South African Nursing Council (SANC) to obtain the necessary information on the required learner profile, knowledge and attributes required by hospitals and clinics, the public and private sectors, including primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of care. The competencies for the qualification were issued by SANC. National and provincial policy documents issued by the Department of Health guided the theoretical component of the curriculum.

    There is a shortage of Occupational Health Nurses (OHNS) in the field. Regarding the HRH (2011, 44). Occupational Health Nursing is currently not listed under Nursing Specialist Qualifications and very recently, South African Nursing Council (SANC) recognised the need for competencies to define the roles and responsibilities of nurse specialists within their respective fields of specialisation. SANC's consultation on competencies, with occupational health nursing being included as one of these specialisation areas, was posted in February 2013 (SANC, 2013). The South African Nursing Council has now initiated the developed competencies for and designated this qualification as a specialist nursing qualification. The qualification will develop a specialist nurse practitioner with advanced knowledge and expert clinical skills in line with the National and Provincial Healthcare Plans and Sustainable Development Goals as guided by the World Health Organization (WHO). This will promote the health status of the South African population and alleviate the lack of skills and practitioners to address the quadruple burden of disease in the healthcare system.

    Based upon its long-standing and respected expertise in training professional nurses, academic capacity, capability, and infra-structure, the institution has the expertise to train nurses who will be able to function as specialists in the field of occupational health. Through the development of the intellectual, practical and research competencies in occupational health settings these nurse experts will function in the capacity of leaders, consultants, educators, advanced practitioners, and researchers in providing evidence-based care in collaboration with multidisciplinary team members. The White Paper for the transformation of the Health System in SA (1997) stated that the development of occupational health services is a key priority area of the Reconstruction and Development Programme and the Department of Health. This White Paper identified five principles to be implemented as, in the past, no special effort was made by the public sector to provide occupational health services (Department of Health, 1997: 147). The National Health Act (No 61 of 2003) Chapter 4, Section 25 (2)(r) clearly states that provincial departments must provide occupational health services.

    A strong need exists to bring about alignment to the profession, with nationally recognised qualifications providing for different areas of specialisation. This qualification will be offered to increase the number of qualified nurses who can practice within a specialised field in hospitals, clinics, industries, and communities in both the public and private sectors. The health sector needs qualified specialists both to improve practice and to train other nurses. The focus of the qualification will be to extend theory and its application in practice. Analytical and critical thinkers must be developed to build the scientific knowledge base of nursing related to the health of persons at the workplace. The scope of practice for occupational health nurses in South Africa is inevitably much broader with aspects of care for the employee's families and communities. The knowledge and skills obtained will serve as underpinning elements for the learner to provide safe community-based health care in a variety of settings. The learner will be expected to understand the roles and relationships in healthcare teams, and settings and display the application of these principles in managing the healthcare settings. The lesser number of doctors available means there is a need for a higher ratio of nurse specialists. This is especially relevant to occupational health where the nurse specialist's hours on-site generally far outweigh those of the medical practitioner.

    Qualifying candidates will be able to deliver comprehensive care to individuals, and groups in occupational health clinics, units, or facilities. They will therefore perform effectively complex physical, technological and diagnostics assessments, interrogate multiple sources of information and use a range of specialised skills to analyse and address multifaceted problems and perform intricate procedures, taking full responsibility for their decision-making. In addition, they will be able to communicate applicable information to a range of audiences, offering creative insights and solutions to problems and issues appropriate to the context in terms of a valid ethical and professional value system. In addition to professional skills development in the field of Occupational Health, the qualification allows a successful candidate to obtain a nationally recognized qualification that permits access to horizontally and vertically articulated qualifications within the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF), improving the status and employability of candidates working within the field of Nursing and Health Services, as well as providing opportunities for further studies and research in the field. Successful completion of this qualification will entitle the learner to register for an additional nursing qualification with the South African Nursing Council (SANC) as an Occupational Health Nurse Practitioner. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
    The institution has an approved Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy applicable to equivalent qualifications for admission into the qualification. RPL will be applied to accommodate applicants who qualify. RPL thus provides alternative access and admission to qualifications, as well as advancement within qualifications. RPL may be applied for access, credits from modules and credits for or towards the qualification.

    RPL for access:
  • Learners who do not meet the minimum entrance requirements or the required qualification that is at the same NQF level as the qualification required for admission may be considered for admission through RPL.
  • To be considered for admission in the qualification based on RPL, applicants should provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that they have acquired the relevant knowledge, skills, and competencies through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to cope with the qualification expectations.

    RPL for exemption of modules:
  • Learners may apply for RPL to be exempted from modules that form part of the qualification. For a learner to be exempted from a module, the learner needs to provide sufficient evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that competency was achieved for the learning outcomes that are equivalent to the learning outcomes of the module.

    RPL for credits:
  • Learners may also apply for RPL for credit for or towards the qualification, in which they must provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates prior learning through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to obtain credits towards the qualification.
  • Credit shall be appropriate to the context in which it is awarded and accepted.

    Entry Requirements:
  • Bachelor of Arts in Nursing Science, NQF Level 7.
    Or
  • Bachelor of Health Sciences, NQF Level 7.
    Or
  • Advanced Diploma in Nursing, NQF Level 7
    And
  • Registration with the South African Nursing Council (SANC) as a registered/professional/general nurse and midwife. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 8, totalling 120 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules Level 8, 120 Credits:
  • Professional Ethical-Legal Practice: Occupational Health Nursing, 8 Credits.
  • Evidence-based Practice: Occupational Health Nursing, 8 Credits.
  • Management and Professional Development: Occupational Health Nursing, 8 Credits.
  • Occupational Health Nursing Theory, 40 Credits.
  • Occupational Health Nursing Practicum, 40 Credits.
  • Quality improvement project: Occupational Health Nursing, 16 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Demonstrate the ability to practice and facilitate occupational health nursing within the ethical-legal parameters of the profession.
    2. Apply the knowledge of and facilitate evidence-based practice in occupational health nursing to solve contextual problems and develop policies and guidelines.
    3. Appraise and develop self, peers, and nurse specialist learners by facilitating self-directedness/leadership and lifelong learning to maintain competence.
    4. Facilitate advocacy for the occupational health nursing profession and provision of occupational health nursing specialist professional support for personnel, patient or client, families, and communities.
    5. Engage in planning, commissioning, and managing an occupational health nursing specialist unit.
    6. Engage in scholarly activities to inform evidence-based occupational health nursing practice.
    7. Utilise, manage, and communicate data to support decision-making and research.
    8. Render and co-ordinate patient-centred occupational health nursing practice within a continuum of care using the scientific approach, integrating biomedical and psychosocial sciences including advanced pharmacology.
    9. Mobilise appropriate resources to implement standards of practice relevant to occupational health nursing, to ensure quality patient care and safety
    10. Collaborate within the inter- and intra-professional team by engaging in health dialogue, shared leadership, decision making and sound clinical judgement.
    11. Participate in the design, development, implementation and evaluation of nursing policies, programmes, and projects at provincial or national level.
    12. Develop and implement institutional policies, protocols, and guidelines in specialisation, utilising the process of change management to improve of quality of care. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Adhere to and apply the relevant code of ethics in the practice of specialist nursing.
  • Use critical decision-making and moral reasoning models and principles to make clinical judgements and resolve ethical dilemmas within the specialist practice.
  • Demonstrate accountability for own professional judgement, actions, outcomes of specialist care provided, and continued competence.
  • Identify and apply relevant current legislation, policies, regulations, and guidelines pertaining to specialist practice.
  • Document accurately, comprehensively, and timeously all care activities considering the legal requirements for record keeping.
  • Manage professional misconduct and risks taking into consideration the institutional protocols, protocols, and ethical-legal framework.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Engage in specialist practice to demonstrate understanding of and the process of evidence-based practice.
  • Apply evidence-based specialist practice taking into consideration the appropriate methodology of gathering evidence for practice for example, systematic or scoping reviews, appraisal of articles, practice based-research and publication.
  • Use evidence-based practice to demonstrate knowledge of and critical analysis of the various levels of evidence.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Apply leadership skills, appropriate leadership styles, principles, and theories of health services management.
  • Effectively facilitate Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for self and others for lifelong learning by creating a positive learning climate in the workplace through the processes of mentorship, preceptorship, supervision, and performance appraisal.
  • Conduct performance appraisal according to the purpose and processes of the performance management and development system.
  • Use feedback gained from self-reflection, peers, learners, management, and other relevant stakeholders to improve effectiveness in the specialist role.
  • Identify and analyse the various risk factors that impact health and wellness within the workplace and apply strategies to care for self, peers, employees, and learners.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
  • Explore and explain the purpose of the advocacy role for a nurse specialist practice.
  • Apply advocacy principles to ensure safe and quality care in various healthcare settings.
  • Use appropriate communication skills and channels in facilitating advocacy.
  • Lobby and/or participate in interest groups to influence legislation and policy affecting the role performance.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
  • Debate the key levels and/or classification of the respective specialist units.
  • Delegate tasks considering the burden of diseases and priority services as determined by current events.
  • Evaluate the existing specialist unit and review guidelines for provisioning a specialist unit.
  • Plan and delegate roles and responsibilities within the inter and intra-professional team.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
  • Apply search strategies such as Boolean in conducting searches in different databases in occupational health nursing.
  • Conduct literature review in occupational health nursing specialisation to inform evidence-based practice.
  • Apply appropriate methods to generate evidence for utilisation in specialist practice (e.g., research, systematic reviews etc.).
  • Consult peer reviewed journals and use for sharing of evidence.
  • Conduct activities in the specialist practice based on scientifically proven evidence.
  • Actively participate in inter and intra-professional dialogues, debates, or discourses in quality improvement.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7:
  • Document all data/information gathered in the context of the specialist practice for utilisation and storage in accordance with the set standards.
  • Use comprehensive data, information, and emerging evidence pertinent to the occupational health nursing specialist practice.
  • Identify and diagnose the problem and opportunities for improvement based on gathered and critically analyse assessment data from the patients/clients, families, communities, learners, or employees including current scientific evidence.
  • Observe intellectual property and minimise and/or avoid plagiarism when presenting documents.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8:
  • Critique the position of own specialist service within the health care system.
  • Perform a full range of nurse specialist services within the specialist area of practice.
  • Render specialist care and integrate promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative care in a healthcare continuum.
  • Render specialist care service in accordance with national and international standards and protocols of the specialist field.
  • Formulate nursing diagnoses in congruent with the patient's/client's clinical manifestations/data based on accurate analysis and interpretation of data obtained from scientific, laboratory, diagnostic, technological and psycho sociocultural assessment including consultation of relevant/current literature/evidence.
  • Plan and implement individualised nursing interventions considering patient's/client's needs, values, beliefs, preferences, culture, and contextual variables, for example, disease burden, health risks and national priorities.
  • Apply specialised knowledge and skills (competencies) including advanced pharmacology in collaboration with the inter and intra-professional team.
  • Implement nursing interventions timeously, accurately, safely, and effectively in accordance with set evidenced-based standards, guidelines, protocols, algorithms etc. specific for the specialist field.
  • Plan and implement health care interventions in collaboration with the patient or client, family, and relevant members of the health care team.
  • Prepare patients/clients, families, and nurses in the lower-level care for continued care in the hospital and community in accordance with the health status and health literacy of the patient/client.
  • Document and revise nursing interventions timeously and effectively based on critical analysis of the monitoring and evaluation data and reaching a sound clinical judgement.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 9:
  • Identify the infrastructure and equipment needed in the specific area of specialisation.
  • Render care demonstrates ability to operate and monitor the equipment used in the specialist area.
  • Employ sound asset management principles to ensure appropriate, adequate, well maintained and up to date equipment.
  • Assign staff to nursing care considering the specialist qualification and competencies, experience, standard nurse patient ratios for the area of specialisation, job description and skill mix.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 10:
  • Identify, share, and collaboratively solve practice problems in the specialist area by informed decisions and sound clinical judgement.
  • Consult appropriately and timeously in the provision of holistic care in a healthcare continuum through awareness of one's competence.
  • Carry out patient referral appropriately and timeously as dictated by the patient's condition and in accordance with the referral guidelines.
  • Participate in the inter- and intraprofessional team is promoted, visible and recognised by the members of the team.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 11:
  • Identify and analyse the steps in the levels of the development of policies, programmes, and projects.
  • Discuss own role and responsibilities within the inter and intra-professional policy/project team.
  • Advocate for the nursing profession and patients/clients, families, and communities in the specialist area.
  • Participate, through appropriate communication (negotiation, bargaining, assertive and persuasive), in the design, implementation and evaluation of project or policy development with the inter-professional project or policy development team and give timeous feedback to own constituency.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 12:
  • Examine and apply the process and steps of development of policies, standards, guidelines, and protocols.
  • Involve the relevant and pre-determined stakeholders in the development of policies, standards, protocols, and guidelines.
  • Apply the appropriate methods in the development and evaluation or testing of guidelines and protocols.
  • Apply the change process in the implementation of the new policies, protocols, and guidelines to the specialist area.
  • Collaboratively revise the developed policies, protocols, and guidelines at appropriate intervals and approved as per the institutional policy for the specialist area.

    INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT
    Assessment will take place within the context of the quality assurance policies, procedures, and processes of the institution and in a guided and supported learning environment. Baseline assessment will be done during contact sessions by means of introductory questions to determine prior knowledge of learners. Questioning will be used to determine if difficult concepts and information were successfully mastered. Group participation, organisational skills, leadership, cooperation, initiative, and creativity of individual learners will be assessed within group activities.

    A combination of different assessment methods allows for testing a wide variety of outcomes and are indicative of learners' progress. An effort is also made to constructively align the assessment methods, assessment tasks, learning opportunities and learning outcomes. The evidence will be compiled in a portfolio.

    Formative Assessment:
    project report Formative assessment will be done by means of completion of workbook activities, group discussion, immersive simulation, and reflection after clinical learning experiences. All modules will use continuous assessment activities which will accumulate into a general portfolio. Constructive feedback will be given following academic interaction with learners. Continuous assessment will be used for the other four modules.

    Learning outcomes will be assessed by means of continuous assessment through:
  • Completion of workbook activities per contact session.
  • One individual assignment.
  • Two tests.
  • Group assignment.

    Evidence of attaining the competences for the module on professional development are:
  • A comprehensive individual report on precepting novices in clinical practice.
  • A performance improvement plan and self-evaluation report.

    Summative Assessment:
    A combination of different summative assessment methods allows for testing a wide variety of outcomes. The learning outcomes, learning opportunities and the assessment tasks are constructively aligned. Examples of summative assessment tasks include but not limited to:
  • Written tests.
  • Written examinations.
  • Proficiency tests.
  • Case presentations.
  • Case studies.
  • Project reports.
  • Written assignments.
  • Portfolio.

    Assessment is done by the student, peers, and registered assessors. Evidence of learning are:
  • Two to three written tests per semester.
  • Three to four electronic formative tests.
  • Two assignments.
  • One three-hour examination per semester. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    Learners should be able to continue onto a Master of Nursing Degree at this or another national/international nursing education institution. The Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Health Nursing is in line with similar qualifications offered by other nursing education institutions. Similar postgraduate qualifications in Occupational Health Nursing Science are presented at the Monash University as well as CQ University both situated in Australia.

    Country: Australia
    Institution: Monash University
    Qualification Title: Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational and Environmental Health
    Duration: One-year full time
    NQF Level: Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Level 8

    Entry requirements:
    Candidates can apply as an international learner if they have completed a bachelor's (or undergraduate) degree in the cognate field.

    Purpose:
    Occupational Health Nursing for professional nurses that address the attitudes, skills, and knowledge necessary to responsibly provide health services in the occupational context of clients. The qualification aims to reduce the health impact of disease and injury, as well as assist to systematically address hazards in workplaces and surrounding communities. The qualification caters for the special needs of medical practitioners, nurses, allied health personnel, scientists or OHS managers wishing to develop adaptable and responsible skills as Occupational Health and Safety and environmental health practitioners.

    After completion of the qualifications, graduates will be able to:
  • Recognise and evaluate the level of exposure and assess the degree of risk to health in the workplace.
  • Identify potential environmental hazards and provide advice on appropriate control measures in the workplace and the community.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the factors underlying risk perception and be able to communicate effectively and sensitively in both written reports and oral presentations.

    Similarities:
  • The Monash University (MU) and South African (SA) qualifications are offered over a period of one year full time.
  • Both qualifications are registered at NQF/AQF Level 8.
  • Both the MU and SA qualifications require applicants who completed bachelor's degree in the cognate field.
  • Both the MU and SA qualifications will provide an understanding of the legal and ethical framework which governs occupational health and safety practice and the obligations of industry regarding the environment. During the qualifications learners are introduced to evidence-based practice and best practice guidelines by means of occupational and environmental health literature. The focus on the ethical-legal parameters is emphasised in modules in the above-mentioned existing qualification as well as the South African qualification.

    Country: Australia
    Institution: Edith Cowan University
    Qualification Title: Graduate Diploma of Occupational, Health and Safety (OHS)
    NQF Level: AQF Level 8
    Credits: 120
    Duration: One- year full-time

    Entry Requirements:
  • All applicants are required to have an undergraduate degree in any discipline.
    Or
  • Applicants can apply if they have completed the Graduate Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety, with equivalents considered.
    Or
  • Equivalent prior learning including at least five years relevant professional experience.

    English Language requirements:
    English competency requirements may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:
  • IELTS Academic Overall band minimum score of 6.5 (no individual band less than 6.0).
  • Successfully completed 0.375 EFTSL of study at postgraduate level or higher at an Australian higher education provider or equivalent).

    Purpose:
    The purpose of the qualification is to develop professionals in the field of occupational health and safety (OHS) and to develop the skills of identification and management of workplace hazards that may adversely impact on the health and safety of workers.

    On completion of the qualification, it is expected that learners should be able to:
  • Implement and assess an occupational health and safety management system that reflects the OHS needs and issues of an organisation, considering the size and complexity of the organisation.
  • Critically review the risk management processes that have been developed for a workplace and/or industry, including the characterization of incident-investigation processes identifying issues in specific industries/workplaces.
  • Critically review the legal framework for occupational safety and health in Australia.
  • Synthesize the factors that have influenced the development of occupational safety and health law in Australia.
  • Synthesize the factors that influence the application of occupational safety and health legislation in the workplace; categorize hazards according to type, assess when a hazard becomes a risk and characterize the principles of safe design in relation to potential impacts on people, plant and/or the environment.
  • Demonstrate academic skills which include writing, referencing, and researching at a postgraduate level including professional competencies in the use of commonly used business software packages used in occupational health and safety.
  • Communicate advanced specialised OHS/WHS knowledge, concepts, and skills to a variety of audiences.
    Apply high level independent judgement when investigating and evaluating complex OHS/WHS situations to generate solutions.
  • Demonstrate leadership and management skills by planning, implementing, and evaluating substantial OHS/WHS projects.

    The qualification is accredited by Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and Australian OHS Education Accreditation Board (AOHSEAB). Graduates would be suited to roles in the mining, oil and gas, construction, government, and non-government sectors. The qualification will assist learners to progress further in Master of Occupational Health and Safety and/or related field.

    Qualification Structure:
    The qualification consists of the following compulsory modules.
    Compulsory Modules, 120 Credits:
  • Workplace Health and Safety Law, 20 Credits.
  • Occupational Health and Safety Risk Management, 20 Credits.
  • Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems, 20 Credits.
  • Occupational Hygiene Science, 20 Credits.
  • Workplace Hazards, 20 Credits.
  • Health and Safety Principles in Practice, 20 Credits.

    Similarities:
  • The Edith Cowan University (ECU) and the South African (SA) qualifications are offered over a period of one- year full time.
  • Both qualifications carry a weighting of 120 credits and are registered at NQF/AQF Level 8.
  • Both qualifications require applicants who hold the bachelor's degree in the cognate field.
  • Both qualifications will progress into master's degree in the cognate field.

    Differences:
    The ECU qualification focuses on Occupational Safety and Health whereas the SA qualification focuses on occupational health nursing and the OHS is only a module.

    Country: New Zealand
    Institution: University of Otago
    Qualification Title: Postgraduate Diploma in Health Sciences endorsed in Occupational Health and Nursing
    NQF Level: NZQF Level 8
    Credits: 120
    Duration: One- year of full-time study or two years part-time study.

    Entry requirements:
    Every applicant shall:
  • Be a graduate or possess an appropriate health professional qualification requiring at least three years' full-time tertiary study.

    Purpose/Rationale:
    Occupational Health Nurses (OHNs) lead and work in a range of working environments and businesses. They lead services to enhance the health and wellbeing of people in their workplaces and beyond. Working autonomously, they are a strategic partner with businesses, delivering healthcare services within the work environment. As a distinct group of primary health care professionals, they help to prevent work-related ill health and disease, designing for healthy workplaces that are safe, efficient, and inclusive. Tertiary education is an important component of the professional development of OHNs. The New Zealand Occupational Health Nurse Association (NZOHNA) Education and Career Pathway project team has been developing an education pathway for our nurses that will enhance the nurses' skills and develop advanced specialty practice. To support this work a framework of occupational health nursing standards and competencies for our Registered Nurses has been developed. The qualification is intended for those proficient and expert nurses wanting to advance their specialty knowledge and potentially work towards a master's degree or Nurse Practitioner Registration.

    Exit Level Outcomes:
    Graduates completing the qualification will be able to:
  • Communicate information, arguments, and analyses effectively, both orally and in writing.
  • Analyse issues logically, to challenge conventional assumptions, to consider different options and viewpoints, make informed decisions and act with flexibility, adaptability, and creativity.
  • Knowledge and appreciation of biculturalism within the framework of the Treaty of Waitangi; knowledge and appreciation of multiculturalism; and an ability to apply such knowledge in a culturally appropriate manner.
  • Knowledge of ethics and ethical standards and an ability to apply these with a sense of responsibility within the workplace and community.
  • Basic understanding of the principles that govern natural systems, the effects of human activity on these systems, and the cultures and economies that interact with those systems.
  • Apply specific skills in acquiring, organising, analysing, evaluating, and presenting information, in particular recognising the increasing prominence of digital-based activity.
  • Conduct research by recognising when information is needed, and locating, retrieving, evaluating and using it effectively
  • Capacity for self-directed activity and the ability to work independently.
  • Work effectively as both a team leader and a team member.

    Qualification Structure:
    The qualification of study shall consist of approved papers, to the value of 120 points.
  • Occupational Health, 30 Credit points.
  • Occupational Safety, 30 Credit points.
  • An approved research methods paper, 30 Credit points.
  • One other approved paper, 30 Credit points.
    Or
  • Health Assessment and Advanced Nursing Practice, 30
  • Primary Health Care Nursing - Rural/Urban, 30
  • Approved research methods paper(s) to the value of 30 points
  • Other approved paper(s) to the value of 30 points

    Similarities:
  • The University of Otago (UO) and the South African qualifications are offered over a period of one-year full time.
  • Both qualifications carry a weighting of 120 credit points.
  • Both the UO and SA qualifications are registered at NQF/NZQF Level 8.
  • Both qualifications require candidates who hold a bachelor's degree in nursing and related field.
  • The UO and SA qualifications share similar exit level outcomes.
  • Both qualifications prepare learners for master's degree in the cognate field.

    Differences:
    The UO qualification consists of various fields of specialisations to allow learners to specialise.

    Country: Ireland
    Institution: RCSI Royal College of Surgeons
    Qualification Title: Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Health
    NQF Level: NFQ National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) Level 9
    Duration: One-year full time

    Entry requirements
    To be eligible for the qualification, applicants must:
  • Must be active on their professional register.
  • Hold an NFQ Level 8 qualification which is Honours bachelor's degree in Ireland or similar.
  • Be working in occupational health settings to obtain the required experiences required as part of the programme

    Purpose:
    Continuing professional development is a key professional requirement for nurses and postgraduate academic qualifications have been linked to positive patient outcomes through improved communication, expanded knowledge and stronger critical thinking skills. The qualification takes a stepwise approach, taking cognisance of future development needs while covering a range of multidisciplinary topics relevant to occupational health. The qualification also offers opportunities for learners who may have taken similar courses at National Framework of Qualifications level 8 to continue to Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma or master's level.

    The qualification aims to:
  • Develop the learners' knowledge and understanding of government legislation and policies in relation to the health and safety of workers in the range of work settings/ establishments. It will also be used to critically challenge learner's ability to be proactive in responding to changing circumstances and national needs in occupational health and safety.
  • Explore the contemporary issues in occupational health: it will facilitate and guide the student's knowledge and understanding in developing skills needed to be proactive in responding to changing circumstances and national needs in occupational health and safety; it will also be used to equip a better practice, in a manner that recognises the need for concerted and coordinated action to improve occupational health and safety and incorporate environmental, biomedical and social action perspectives.
  • Critically analyse and review the communication within the occupational healthcare team and with other employer or employee groups in the workplace about options for the development and implementation of strategies to improve the health and safety record of the workplace. It also proposes evidence-based possibilities for the occupational health services to further enhance the health and safety of all workers.

    Qualification Structure:
    The core modules aim to provide the knowledge base to practice safely, effectively, and efficiently in practice. The six modules contained in the qualification will enable learners to gain specialist knowledge on skills and competencies required to practice at a higher level within occupational health settings.

    The qualification consists of the following compulsory modules.
  • Advanced Research Methods, 10 Credits.
  • Advanced Leadership - Professional and Clinical, 10 Credits.
  • Professional Critical Reflexivity and Competence, 10 Credits.
  • Safety in Occupational Health, 10 Credits.
  • Occupational Health and Wellbeing, 10 Credits .
  • Leadership in Occupational Health, 10 Credits.

    Assessment:
    The qualification uses a variety of assessment types such as formation and summative assessments. Formative assessment consists of Assignments, poster design and presentation, brochures, and presentation. Summative assessment consists of tests, research projects and examinations.

    Similarities:
  • The aim of the Royal College of Surgeons (RCSI) and the South African (SA) qualifications is to provide a higher level of education for nurses, midwives and other healthcare workers working in occupational health settings. The purpose is to provide a platform for achieving greater efficiencies in applying healthcare discoveries to clinical practice.
  • Successful completion of both qualifications will equip learners with the required skill set to perform their roles in a quality-based, consistent, and efficient manner. Furthermore, the advanced research methods and advanced leadership and critical analysis skills acquired from the programme will further learners' skills as a member of the interdisciplinary team.

    Differences:
  • The RCSI qualification is registered at NFQ Level 9 whereas the SA qualification is registered at NQF Level 8.
  • The RCSI qualification requires applicants who hold bachelor's Honour Degree, NQF Level 8 in the cognate field whereas the SA qualification requires candidates who completed the bachelor's degree registered at NQF Level 7.

    Country: Hong Kong
    Institution: The Chinese University of Hong Kong
    Qualification Title: Postgraduate Diploma Occupational Health Practice (Formerly: Occupational Nursing
    Credits: 240
    Duration: Nine months Full-time and one year Part-time

    Entry requirements:
    Applicants are required to hold a bachelor's degree in nursing or health science awarded by a local university, or an overseas university of acceptable standing and where English is the medium of instruction. In the case of candidates from non-English universities, the Graduate School's English language requirement for admission will apply.

    Purpose:
    The qualification is open to degree holders in nursing and related health sciences who are interested in the health care of workers and occupational diseases. The importance of Occupational Health to the community in Hong Kong is being increasingly recognized. Nurses and other health care professionals need to protect and promote the health and welfare of Hong Kong's greatest asset - its workforce. This qualification is designed for nurses and other health care professionals whose work brings them into contact with the health problems of workers and with specific occupational diseases and work-related diseases in hospitals, and industrial or general medical and nursing clinics. The part-time offering is suitable for people who are actively employed in these areas.

    Qualification structure:
    The qualification consists of the following compulsory modules.
    Compulsory Modules, 240 Credits:
  • Fundamentals of Occupational Health, 40 Credits.
  • Principles of Occupational Health and Occupational Health Practice, 80 Credits.
  • Practical and Project Work in Occupational Health Practice, 120 Credits.

    Assessment:
    The qualification consists of both formative and summative assessment, which includes written examinations, presentations and written reports and practical and project assignments.

    Graduation requirements:
    Participants will be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Health Practice if they fulfil the following requirements:
  • Attendance of at least 80% of the scheduled lectures, seminars, tutorials, and visits.
  • Satisfactory completion of all the 3 component modules Passing all the assessment tests in accordance with the graduation requirements of the Graduate School. The overall GPA requirement for graduation is a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 (i.e., "C" grade).
  • In addition, learners must comply with the requirements of proficiency in information technology (IT) before they can be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma, as stipulated by the Graduate School.

    Similarities:
  • The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and the South African (SA) qualifications require applicants who hold a bachelor's degree in nursing or health science.
  • Both the CUHK and SA qualifications consist of compulsory modules.
  • Both qualifications utilise both formative and assessment types.

    Differences:
  • The CUHK qualification takes nine months of full-time study whereas the SA qualification is completed over a period of twelve months of full-time study.
  • The CHUK qualification has 240 credits while SA qualification has 120 credits. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification allows possibilities for both vertical and horizontal articulation.

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Bachelor of Nursing, NQF Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Health Sciences in Occupational Hygiene, NQF Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy, NQF Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Occupational Therapy, NQF Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Occupational Therapy Honours, NQF Level 8.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Master of Nursing Science in Occupational Health, NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Health Sciences in Occupational Hygiene, NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Nursing Science in Occupational Primary Health Care, NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Occupational Therapy, NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Health Sciences in Nursing, NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Nursing Science: Community Health, NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Nursing Science, NQF Level 9. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    NOTES 
    N/A 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
     
    NONE 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.