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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 Primary Care Nursing |
| SAQA QUAL ID | QUALIFICATION TITLE | |||
| 126259 | Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Care Nursing | |||
| ORIGINATOR | ||||
| North West University | ||||
| 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 | |
| Registered | EXCO 0742/26 | 2026-08-20 | 2029-08-20 | |
| LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT | LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT | |||
| 2030-08-20 | 2033-08-20 | |||
| 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 primary purpose of the qualification is to enable working professional nurses to undertake advanced reflection and development by means of a systematic survey of current thinking, practice and research methods in primary care nursing. With this qualification, learners will be able to register as Primary Care Specialists with the SANC. This qualification will serve to strengthen and deepen the learner's knowledge in nursing, and specifically, primary care nursing. The qualification will develop and empower professional nurses with knowledge and expertise in primary care practice. Learners will demonstrate advanced competencies and skills, developed through critical thinking, clinical practice, and research in primary care nursing, and can function as part of a team or independently, as leaders, consultants, educators and specialist practitioners in providing evidence-based care. The competencies include accountability and responsibility in professional, ethical and legal practice, health promotion and prevention of disease, injury and complications, effective communication and development of therapeutic relationships, quality improvement, continuous professional development and research. The qualification further aims to provide innovative and distinguished learners with a developed sense of equity, justice, and service ethics, which work to make a meaningful and sustained contribution to specialised health services in South Africa. The Primary Care Nurse Specialist will be able to demonstrate foundational and conditional knowledge of interprofessional people-centred primary care of people in a variety of settings. Rationale: Countries around the world agreed to the Declaration of Astana, which is to strengthen their primary health care systems as an essential step toward achieving universal health coverage. Around 50% of the world's population lacks access to essential health services, which include non-communicable and communicable diseases, maternal and child health, mental health, and sexual and reproductive health. The Department of Health in South Africa stated that there is a great need to change health service delivery in South Africa from a curative model to Primary Health Care services. Primary Health Care services need Primary Care Nurse Specialists to be effective and coincide with the National Health Insurance plan. This proposed qualification will provide for the education and training of these Primary Care Nurse Specialists. The Primary Care Nurse Specialist provides the first level of direct nursing care for patients with various types of illnesses and ailments, chronic and acute. These specialist nurses are knowledgeable, skilled, and competent to work autonomously and render appropriate first-line care to individuals and the community. The Primary Care Nurse Specialist conducts physical assessment, diagnoses illnesses, prescribes treatment, provides direct care to health care consumers, and refers for further treatment to general medical practitioners, medical specialists, and other nurse specialists. The context will include all kinds of health establishments. The PGDip (Primary Care Nursing) has been developed to comply with the HEQSF, new competency framework, competencies, and exit level outcomes published by the SANC and to fit into the profile of the National Health Insurance plan. Primary Care Specialists in South Africa provide direct care to patients with all types of illnesses and ailments, offering the first level of nursing care that patients receive. |
| LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING |
| Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
RPL for access: In accordance with the Senate-approved Rules on Teaching-Learning and Assessment, an executive dean may, through the recognition of prior learning (RPL) process, grant admission to an applicant who does not meet the minimum admission requirements for a qualification or grant advanced standing to such an applicant. Only proven informal or non-formal learning may be taken into consideration by means of RPL; the process of equivalence-setting between such learning and formal modules must be documented, and its outcome must be recorded on the official learner's record. RPL for exemption from modules/recognition of modules: Where a learner was granted exemption for one or more modules as a consequence of RPL, the remaining credits required for the qualification must be obtained by completing the relevant qualification. The maximum portion of a qualification from which a learner may be exempted by means of RPL is fifty percent (50%) of the credits of the full qualification. A standardised and aligned process implemented across faculties must provide details in respect of the implementation of RPL referred to in the Rule. Credit accumulation and transfer through RPL: In accordance with the Rules on Teaching-Learning and Assessment, an executive dean may, by means of the process of credit accumulation and transfer (CAT) recognise and transfer the credits a learner has obtained in a cognate learning qualification towards a qualification to which the learner wishes to seek admission and adjust the minimum study period for the completion of a qualification offered by the university within the framework of the institution General Academic Rules. Credit accumulation and transfer may only be granted for credits obtained during studies towards a formal qualification, including credits obtained for modules taken for non-degree purposes. Credit accumulation and transfer apply to: Entry Requirements: Or Or Or |
| RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? |
| Y |
| QUALIFICATION RULES |
| This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at the National Qualifications Framework Level 8, totalling 120 credits.
Compulsory Module, NQF Level 8, 120 Credits. |
| EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES |
| Exit Level Outcomes:
1. Practices and facilitates specialist nursing or midwifery, nursing education or health services management within ethical-legal parameters of the profession. 2. Applies the knowledge of and facilitates evidence-based practice, nursing education or management in the specialist field to solve contextual problems and develop policies and guidelines. 3. Appraises and develops self, peers and nurse/midwife specialist learners by facilitating self-directedness/leadership and lifelong learning to maintain competence. 4. Facilitates advocacy for the profession and provision of specialist professional support for personnel, patients or clients, families and communities. 5. Engages in planning, commissioning and managing a specialist unit, an educational entity or a health service. 6. Engages in scholarly activities to inform evidence-based practice, education or management. 7. Utilises, manages and communicates data to support decision-making and research. 8. Renders and co-ordinates patient-centred specialist nursing or midwifery practice within a continuum of care using the scientific approach, integrating biomedical and psychosocial sciences, including advanced pharmacology. 9. Mobilises appropriate resources to implement standards of practice relevant to the area of specialisation, to ensure quality patient care and safety. 10. Collaborates within the inter- and intra-professional team by engaging in health dialogue, shared leadership, decision-making and sound clinical judgement. 11. Participates in the design, development, implementation and evaluation of nursing policies, qualifications and projects at provincial or national level. 12. Develops and implements institutional policies, protocols, and guidelines in the area of specialisation, utilising the process of change management in the improvement of quality of care. |
| ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA |
| Associated Assessment Criteria:
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 9: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 10: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 11: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 12: INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT: Formative assessment: Formal formative assessment constitutes 50% of final module mark. At least 3 assessment tasks will be required that include a semester test (20-40% weight) and assignments and class tests/portfolio of evidence (60-80% weight). This will be applied to all modules, except for the applied professional practice and development module of 8 credits, where 2 assessment tasks will be completed. A learner must obtain a 40% sub-minimum mark for examination access in all modules. Summative assessment: For each module, one examination paper of 3 hours will be taken at the end of the year (100% weight). The final module mark is calculated as formative assessment (participation mark) 50% and summative assessment (examination) 50%. The learner will only pass the module if a final module mark of at least 50% is attained. Work-integrated learning (WIL): Assessment methods that will apply include practical portfolios, case studies, OSCE's (objective structured clinical examination) in clinical practice. WIL hours will be monitored and records kept as all course requirements, including practicum, are compulsory. A learner must meet all the clinical requirements as set out in the qualification. The WIL component is structured according to the weightings: The qualification will only be awarded if all modules are passed and the WIL component is successfully completed. |
| INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY |
| This qualification is comparable to qualifications from the following countries:
Country: New Zealand Institution: University of Auckland Qualification title: Postgraduate Diploma in Health Sciences-Advanced Nursing (PGDipHSc). Credits: 120 Durations: One year Purpose: The purpose of the Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science is to prepare the learners for advanced professional roles. Similarities: Differences: Country: United Kingdom Institution: Brunel University London Qualification title: Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) Credits: 120 credits Duration: One year Purpose: The purpose of the Brunel University London Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) PgDip/MSc qualification is to prepare registered nurses and midwives for advanced specialist roles in community and public health, enabling them to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals, families, communities, and populations through evidence-based practice, leadership, and health promotion. Similarities: Differences: Conclusion: Overall, the PGDip compares favourably with UK postgraduate community and primary care nursing qualifications such as the Brunel SCPHN PgDip in terms of level, duration, volume of learning, emphasis on advanced practice, leadership and evidence-based community care, while remaining tailored to South Africa's PHC system and regulatory framework. Alignment with international standards and the African region. Within the African region, other South African institutions (e.g. the University of Johannesburg) offer a Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Care Nursing at NQF Level 8 with 120 credits and similar articulation routes to master's degrees, confirming regional alignment in level, duration and purpose. In summary, the PGDip (Primary Care Nursing) is comparable in level, duration, credit volume and advanced nursing focus to the University of Auckland PGDipHSc (Advanced Nursing), while being more narrowly focused on primary care in a South African policy and regulatory context. |
| ARTICULATION OPTIONS |
| Horizontal articulation:
Possible horizontal articulation options between Sub-Frameworks for this qualification reached the registration end date in December 2025. Vertical articulation: Diagonal Articulation: |
| 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. |
| 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. |