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
122188  Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Health Nursing 
ORIGINATOR
Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education  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
Registered  EXCO 0922/24  2024-03-07  2027-03-07 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-03-07   2031-03-07  

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 purpose of the Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Health Nursing qualification is to outline the Education and Training requirements in line with the regulations relating to the approval of the Minimum Requirements for the Education and Training of a Learner leading to registration in the category of occupational health nursing and the qualification framework thereof.

This qualification aims to produce competent, independent, and critically thinking professional nurses and specialist occupational health nurses within a wide range of health service settings. thereby contributing to meaningful and sustained occupational health practice. It will also provide postgraduate learners with a wide range of skills, knowledge and attributes that will enable them to make a meaningful and sustained contribution to health services, industry, and the country's economy.

This qualification aims to equip postgraduate learners with a developed sense of equality, justice and service ethics that will ensure that they work in a responsible and accountable manner in the workplace, it also offers a wide range of transferable skills for application in other professions, disciplines and general life including:
  • A methodological solution-based approach to problem solving.
  • An empowerment-based approach to the development of self and others
  • Competence in written and oral communication
  • Capacity to assess and implement health and other policies at the workplace.
  • Ability to plan, implement and manage projects of a varied nature.
  • Research capacity

    Upon completion of this qualification, the qualifying learner will be able to:
  • Apply the knowledge of and facilitate evidence-based practice, nursing education or management in the specialist field to solve contextual problems and develop policies and guidelines.
  • Appraise and develop self, peers, and nurse or midwife specialist learners by facilitating self-directedness or leadership and lifelong learning to maintain competence.
  • Facilitates advocacy for the profession and provision of specialist professional support for personnel, patients or clients, families, and communities.

    Rationale:
    The qualification seeks to combine nursing and occupational health care that provides for curative, prevention of diseases, and promotion of occupational health across all lifespans for individuals, families, and communities in hospitals and the community, urban and rural to affect a strong primary health care practice. There is a need for Occupational Health Nurses in the country as determined by the National Department of Health and the South African Nursing Council (SANC).

    The qualification will:
  • Enable the learner to render comprehensive care across all spheres of health and of life, and function as a clinically focused, service-oriented and independent registered professional nurse and occupational health nurse.
  • Provide the learner with a comprehensive view within the occupational health nursing field and the necessary skills to screen and refer occupational health clients as required and enable him or her to work with low and high-risk clients, take responsibility for occupational health care in any context, and the managing of health care facility.
    This qualification is designed to allow for a variety of learners from all spheres of life (provided they meet the admission criteria and are healthy enough), to perform the duties required of them.

    The qualification is grounded in occupational health nursing practice, and it is intended to provide access to further academic routes, and research. The qualifying learner will be an occupational health nurse specialist and be able to provide care and management in the occupational health nursing area in all healthcare settings to support the economy of the country.

    The qualification resides with the health and education sector, and is intended to prepare occupational health nurse specialists who will be able to meet the service delivery needs of the country, especially the individual, family, and community health priorities as experienced currently, using cost-effective measures in line with the stipulations of the primary health care approach. The qualification is recognised and regulated by the SANC and is competency-based to achieve clinical competency. 
    		•

    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 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 credit:
  • 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:
    The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:
  • 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 140 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules Level 8, 140 Credits:
  • Ethos and professional practice, 8 Credits.
  • Evidence-based Practice and Research, 12 Credits.
  • Professional and Career Development, 4 Credits.
  • Occupational Health, 40 Credits.
  • Occupational Health Nursing, 32 Credits.
  • Occupational Health Nursing Practice (skills and methods), 44 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Practice and facilitate specialist nursing or midwifery, nursing education or health services management within the ethical-legal parameters of the profession.
    2. Apply the knowledge of and facilitate evidence-based practice, nursing education or management in the specialist field to solve contextual problems and develop policies and guidelines.
    3. Appraise and develop self, peers, and nurse/midwife specialist learners by facilitating self-directedness/leadership and lifelong learning to maintain competence.
    4. Facilitate advocacy for the profession and provision of specialist professional support for personnel, patients, clients, families, and communities.
    5. Engage in planning, commissioning, and managing a specialist unit, an educational entity, or a health service.
    6. Engage in scholarly activities to inform evidence-based practice, education, or management.
    7. Utilise, manage and communicate data to support decision-making and research. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Use critical decision-making, and moral reasoning models and principles to make clinical judgements and resolve ethical dilemmas within the specialist practice.
  • Illustrate accountability for own professional judgement, actions, outcomes of specialist care, nursing education or health services management provided and continued competence.
  • Identify and apply the relevant current legislation, policies, regulations, and guidelines pertaining to specialist practice nursing education, or Health Services Management.
  • Document all care activities accurately, comprehensively, and timeously considering the legal requirements for record keeping.
  • Illustrate knowledge of the nurse specialist or midwife specialist's role in the management of 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, demonstrate an understanding of the process of evidence-based practice,
  • Use application of evidence-based specialist practice, nursing education and health services management takes into consideration the appropriate methodology of gathering evidence for practice, education, and management, for example, systematic or scoping reviews, appraisal of articles, practice-based research and publication.
  • Use of evidence-based practice, nursing education and health service management demonstrates knowledge of and critical analysis of the various levels of evidence.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Illustrate leadership skills through the application of 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, performance appraisal, etc.
  • Engage in performance appraisal and demonstrate an understanding of the purpose and processes of the performance management and development system.
  • Utilize feedback gained from self-reflection, peers, learners, management, and other relevant stakeholders to improve effectiveness in the specialist role.
  • Illustrate understanding of 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:
  • Illustrate understanding of the purpose of the advocacy role for a nurse specialist or midwife specialist practice.
  • Apply advocacy principles to ensure safe and quality care in various healthcare settings or nursing education or health services management.
  • Illustrate the use of appropriate communication skills and channels in facilitating advocacy.
  • Illustrate ability to lobby and or participate in interest groups to influence legislation and policy affecting the role performance.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
  • Illustrate an understanding of levels and classification of the respective specialist unit, health service or educational entity.
  • Participate in the evaluation of the existing specialist unit, health or education entity.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of guidelines for provisioning a specialist unit/ health service or educational entity.
  • Engage in planning and commissioning of the roles and responsibilities in this task within the inter and intra-professional team.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
  • Practice in the respective specializations demonstrates knowledge of appropriate search engines and databases for review of the literature to inform evidence-based practice, nursing education and health services management.
  • Use appropriate methods to generate evidence for utilization in specialist practice (e.g., research, systematic reviews etc.) education and health services management.
  • Illustrate awareness of the peer-reviewed journals and use them for sharing of evidence.
  • Construct activities in the specialist practice, education and health services management 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 or information gathered in the context of the specialist practice, education and health services for utilization and storage in accordance with the set standards.
  • Illustrate utilization of comprehensive data, information, and emerging evidence pertinent to the respective specialist practice.
  • Diagnose opportunities for improvement based on gathered and critically analysed assessment data from the patients or clients, families, communities, learners or employees including current scientific evidence. 
    		•

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

    Entry Requirements:
  • Bachelor's degree.
    Or
  • Equivalent prior learning including at least five years of relevant professional experience.

    Purpose:
    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 the health and safety of workers.
    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.

    Qualification structure
    Modules
  • Workplace Health and Safety Law.
  • Occupational Health and Safety Risk Management.
  • Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems, compares with Occupational Health.
  • Occupational Hygiene Science compares with Occupational Health Nursing.
  • Workplace Hazards.
  • Health and Safety Principles in Practice compares with Occupational Health Nursing practice.

    Exit level outcomes.
  • 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.

    Qualification progression
  • Master of Occupational Health and Safety.

    Professional recognition
    The Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) accredits the qualification OHS Education Accreditation Board (AOHSEAB). Graduates would be suited to roles in the mining, oil and gas, construction, government, and non-government sectors.

    Similarities:
  • Edith Cowan University (ECU) and South African (SA) qualifications require learners who completed undergraduate qualifications in the related field.
  • ECU and SA qualifications are at 120 credits.
  • ECU and SA qualifications share similar modules such as Occupational Hygiene Science, Health and Safety Principles in Practice and Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems.
  • ECU and SA qualifications are offered over one year.
  • Both ECU and SA qualifications are recognised by professional bodies.

    Country: New Zealand
    Institution: University of Otago (UO)
    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 of part-time study.

    Entry requirements:
  • Be a graduate or possess an appropriate health professional qualification requiring at least three years of full-time tertiary study.
    Or
  • If enrolling for an endorsed diploma, have experience of or be currently working in the relevant field of health care.

    Purpose/Rationale:
    In general, this qualification is intended for health professionals who have completed three years of tertiary study and already have experience in the field. The Postgraduate Diploma in Health Sciences (PGDipHealSc) may be taken either as a generic qualification or, more usually, with an endorsement in a specific area of specialisation. Please check the requirements of each endorsement carefully.

    Qualification Structure:
    Modules
  • Occupational Health compares with Occupational Health.
  • Occupational Safety.
  • Dissertation.

    Similarities:
  • University of Otago (UO) and South African (SA) qualifications require learners who completed an undergraduate health professional qualification.
  • UO and SA qualifications are offered over one year full-time.
  • UO and SA qualifications share similar modules such as Occupational Health.
  • UO and SA qualifications have 120 credits.
  • Both qualifications are at NZQF/NQF Level 8. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Bachelor of Health Sciences Honours, NQF Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Occupational Therapy Honours, NQF Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Health Sciences in Occupational Hygiene, 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, NQF Level 9.

    Diagonal Articulation
    Diagonal articulation options are not available. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    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.
     
    1. Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University 


    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.