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 Mental Health Nursing 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
123261  Postgraduate Diploma in Mental 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  Preventive 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 0628/24  2024-11-21  2027-11-21 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-11-21   2031-11-21  

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 
The purpose of the Postgraduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing is career-focused and will provide the learners with clinical and managerial skills as well as comprehensive and systematic knowledge in mental health care nursing.

The qualification aims to produce competent professional nurse and specialist mental health nurses within a wide range of health service settings, produce competent, independent and critically thinking mental health nurse within a wide range of mental health services thereby contributing to meaningful and sustained mental health practice within a wide range of health service settings.

Learners will develop a wide range of skills, knowledge and attributes that will enable them to make a meaningful and sustained contribution to health services.
Learners will further be equipped with a developed sense of equality, justice and service ethics that will ensure that they work in a responsible and accountable manner, irrespective of their chosen workplace.

The qualification offers a wide range of transferable skills for application in other professions, disciplines and general life including:
  • Methodical 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
  • Ability to plan, implement and manage projects of a varied nature
  • Research capacity

    Upon completion of the qualification, qualifying learners will be able to:
  • Practice and facilitate specialist nursing or midwifery, nursing education or health services management within the ethical-legal parameters of the profession.
  • 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/midwife specialist students by facilitating self-directedness/leadership and lifelong learning to maintain competence.
  • Advocate for the profession and provision of specialist professional support for personnel, patients or clients, families and communities.
  • Engage in planning, commissioning and managing a specialist unit, an educational entity or a health service.

    Rationale:
    The qualification seeks to combine nursing and mental health care that provides for curative, prevention of diseases, and promotion of mental health across all lifespans for individuals, families and communities in hospitals and in the community, urban and rural to affect a strong primary health care approach.
    This is a career-focused qualification that offers intense training to enable professional nurses to be specialists in mental health care. The qualification seeks to prepare mental health nurse specialists to address the increasing demand for mental health care to support the national health system in the face of the emerging burden of disease as well as contribute to the human resource development to ensure an adequate supply of trained mental health nurse specialists to manage mental health and other related conditions.

    The qualification will:
  • Enable the student to render comprehensive care across all spheres of life, and function as a clinically focused, service-oriented and independent mental health nurse.
  • Provide the student with a comprehensive view within the mental health nursing field and the necessary skills to screen and refer mental health clients as required; and enable him or her to work with low and high-risk clients, take responsibility for mental health care in any context, and the managing of health care facility.
  • Allow for a variety of students from all spheres of life (provided they meet the admission criteria and are healthy enough), to carry out the duties required of them. The qualification is grounded in mental health nursing practice, and it is intended to provide access to further academic routes, and research.
  • The qualifying learner will be a mental health nurse specialist and able to provide care and management in the mental health nursing area in all health care settings.

    The qualification is intended to prepare mental 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. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    The recognition of prior learning process is used to increase access to qualifications by individuals through experience at the workplace, experiences through daily life or credit-bearing exemption. In the case of postgraduate diploma programmes experience has to be aligned to nursing and midwifery as well as to the speciality of choice.
  • Learners can enter a programme by exemption, based on the fact that the module/s have already been completed. The student may not be exempted from more than 50% of the prescribed credits towards obtaining the qualification.
  • Recognition of Prior Learning may be considered when a student enters a programme through non-traditional means, e.g., learners who do not meet the academic requirements for admission into a programme may access that programme based on their work experience.
    Learners may be asked to compile a portfolio of evidence detailing their experience, or they may challenge an examination on that module that they require recognition of. The outcome may determine admission or an award of credits toward the module.

    Admission through RPL must not reflect on the student's record, but a detailed record of the assessment conducted and all the documentation pertaining to such an assessment activity must be kept in the archives of the institution and must be available when required.

    Entry Requirements:
  • Bachelor of Nursing, NQF Level 7.
    Or
  • Advanced Diploma in Occupational Health Nursing, NQF Level 7.
    And
    Proof of registration with the South African Nursing Council as a registered/professional nurse and midwife. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 8 totalling 144 Credits.

    Compulsory modules, Level 8, 144 Credits:
  • Ethos and professional practice, 8 Credits.
  • Evidence-based Practice and Research, 12 Credits.
  • Professional and Career Development, 8 Credits.
  • Mental Health Nursing Skills and Methods, 44 Credits.
  • Mental Health Nurse Specialist, 40 Credits.
  • Community Mental Health, 32 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 students by facilitating self-directedness/leadership and lifelong learning to maintain competence.
    4. Advocate for the profession and provision of specialist professional support for personnel, patients or 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 Outcomes 1.
  • Illustrate conformity to the relevant code of ethics in the practice of specialist nursing or midwifery, nursing education and health services management.
  • Apply moral reasoning models and principles used to make clinical judgements and resolve ethical dilemmas within the specialist practice.
  • Account for own professional judgement, actions, outcomes of specialist care, nursing education or health services management provided and continued competence is demonstrated.
  • Illustrate conformity to the relevant code of ethics in the practice of specialist nursing or midwifery, nursing education and health services management.
  • Make clinical decisions and moral reasoning models and principles are used to make clinical judgements and resolve ethical dilemmas within the specialist practice.
  • Document care decisions accurately, comprehensively and timeously taking into account the legal requirements for record keeping.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 2.
  • Engage in specialist practice and demonstrate an understanding of the process of evidence-based practice.
  • Apply 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.
  • Apply evidence-based practice, nursing education and health service management knowledge and critical analysis of the various levels of evidence.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 3.
  • Illustrate leadership skills through the application of appropriate leadership styles, principles and theories of health services management.
  • 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 show an understanding of the purpose and processes of the performance management and development system.
  • Illustrate an 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 Outcomes 4.
  • Illustrate an 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.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 5.
  • Illustrate an understanding of levels and or classification of the respective specialist units, health services or educational entities.
  • Commission the tasks taking into consideration the burden of diseases and priority services as determined by current events.
  • Participate in the evaluation of the existing specialist unit, health or education entity and demonstrate knowledge of guidelines for provisioning a specialist unit/ health service or educational entity.
  • Engage in planning an understanding of the role and responsibilities in this task within the inter and intra-professional team.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 6.
  • Practice in the respective specializations demonstrates knowledge of appropriate search engines and databases for review of literature to inform evidence-based practice, nursing education and health services management.
  • Apply appropriate methods to generate evidence for utilization in specialist practice (e.g. research, systematic reviews etc.) education and health services management.
  • Illustrate awareness of peer-reviewed journals and use them for sharing of evidence.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 7.
  • Document all data or information gathered in the context of specialist practice, education and health services for utilization and storage in accordance with the set standards.
  • Utilise comprehensive data, information and emerging evidence pertinent to the respective specialist practice.
  • Identify, diagnoses and opportunities for improvement based on gathered and critically analysed assessment data from the patients/clients, families, communities, students or employees including current scientific evidence. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    The Postgraduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing compares favourably with other postgraduate diplomas in first-world countries.
    In the nursing field, benchmarking against examples of best practices is often used to review and modify current qualifications to make improvements to the benefit of learners. The quality and scope of South African nursing qualifications are endorsed by the fact that most developed countries such as The United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, Australia and The Netherlands readily accept South African nursing qualifications. Further, the Postgraduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing is aligned with the criteria and standards for education, practice and regulation of specialist nurse/midwifery practice made by the International Council of Nurses (ICN).

    South Africa is a longstanding and active member of the ICN as well as the International Labour Organisation (ILO), a member of the African Union (AU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Commonwealth.

    This qualification would meet recognition requirements in most of the member countries of these organisations and throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The South African mental health nursing standards exceed those in comparable economies such as Brazil, Indonesia, and India. In Africa, countries such as Botswana, Swaziland, Tanzania, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia accept South African nursing qualifications.

    Across all these countries, nursing qualifications are similar in terms of content and duration. This qualification compares favourably with others at this level across all member countries of the ICN and AU where this qualification is offered. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Bachelor of Nursing, NQF Level 8.
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Emergency Nursing, NQF Level 8.
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing and Health Services Management, NQF Level 8.
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Health Nursing, NQF Level 8.

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

    Diagonal Articulation
    There is no diagonal articulation for this qualification. 
    		•

    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.