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 THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

PhD: Nursing

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
59296	PhD: Nursing
ORIGINATOR
SGB Nursing
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
-			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
Doctoral Degree	Field 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services		Curative Health
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	360	Level 8 and above	NQF Level 10	Regular-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 10105/14	2015-07-01	2018-06-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2019-06-30		2022-06-30

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:

Learners credited with this qualification will be able to:

Conduct independent research.

Develop research capacity in others.

Increase the knowledge base of the nursing profession.

Rationale:

This qualification is necessary in order to provide South Africa with a cadre of leaders in nursing who are able to provide strategic guidance and anticipate new developments as well as ensuring that existing research is implemented.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Be in possession of an existing Master's degree in a health profession or recognized equivalent.

Understanding of the process, philosophical and scientific foundations of nursing research.

Expert knowledge and skills in a specialized field of nursing practice, education and/or management.

Recognition of Prior Learning:

Learners provide evidence of meeting the outcomes of the degree by producing published research material around a specific theme.

Access to Qualification:

Possession of any Master's degree or equivalent recognized for the purpose of access to this degree.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

The qualification will be awarded on full completion of the qualification. The Exit Level Outcomes are weighted for credit allocation as follows:

Exit Level Outcome; Credits:

Demonstrate a comprehensive and systematic grasp of the body of knowledge of a selected field/sub-field of nursing; 60.

Demonstrate a critical understanding of the most advanced research methodologies, techniques and technologies in the selected field/sub-field of nursing; 60.

Identify, conceptualize, design and implement original research projects that address complex issues in nursing; 90.
Demonstrate the ability to participate in and contribute to scholarly debates in the chosen field/sub-field; 150.

Total Credits; 360.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

1. Demonstrate a comprehensive and systematic grasp of the body of knowledge of a selected field/sub-field of nursing.

2. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the most advanced research methodologies, techniques and technologies in the selected field/sub-field of nursing.

3. Identify, conceptualize, design and implement original research projects that address complex issues in nursing.

4. Demonstrate the ability to participate in and contribute to scholarly debates in the chosen field/sub-field.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:

1.1 An appropriate area at the forefront of the discipline or field of professional practice is selected for future study.
1.2 The capacity to operate autonomously in specialized, complex, ill-defined and unpredictable contexts is demonstrated.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:

2.1 A meaningful contribution is made to scholarly debates at the cutting edge of the area of specialization.
2.2 Knowledge, theory and research methods are applied creatively to complex practical, theoretical and epistemological problems by undertaking advanced research, which expands the knowledge of the field and is judged publishable by research publication panels/boards.
2.3 Research leadership is provided by guiding and supervising Masters level students.
2.4 An adequate body of advanced information relating to the selected field/sub-field is independently retrieved and processed.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:

3.1 Significant problems of a complex and ill-defined nature are analysed and clarified by means of original research.
3.2 The work of other researchers is coordinated and integrated into major original research projects.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:

4.1 A doctoral thesis conforming to international standards is submitted for assessment.
4.2 Research findings are presented to specialist and non-specialist audiences using all the resources of academic and professional discourse.
4.3 At least two articles based on doctoral research in the selected field/sub-fields are selected for publication.

Integrated Assessment:

Assessment for this qualification will be in accordance with the policy of the educational institution for awarding the degree of Doctor in Research. Assessment is based on a completed, original dissertation/ thesis.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

South Africa is an active member of the Internal Council for Nursing (ICN) as well as the International Labour Organisation (ILO), member of the African Union (AU), (formerly the Organisation of African Unity), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Commonwealth of Nations. The proposed qualification would meet recognition requirements in most of the member countries of these organisations and throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

The ongoing complexity of technology and the increasing acuity levels of the patients being cared for demand a capacity to self-evaluate, to exercise personal responsibility and initiative and indicate a depth of knowledge and a high level of skill and competence in specialized health care units.

High levels of trauma and critical illness in the country lead to complex demands on nurses to utilize rapid meta-cognitive problem solving skills in the resolution of concrete and abstract critical issues.

The decline of learners entering the nursing profession has been a matter of great concern to the South African Nursing Council and to the Ministry of Health. The problem is discussed in the Human Resources Plan for Health, which the Minister of Health launched in April 2006 and emphasis is given to recruitment of more learners into professional nursing. The registration of a Masters Certificate:

Nursing and a PhD in Nursing is seen as important in providing an extended learning pathway, and promoting the uptake of graduate and postgraduate qualifications.

An examination of the qualifications in operation in ICN signatory countries, clearly indicates the alignment of this qualification with international practice.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

The PhD in Nursing articulates with postdoctoral degrees in the health sciences as determined by the provider higher education institution.

MODERATION OPTIONS

Moderation to be conducted by both internal and external moderators accredited the relevant ETQA or ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding in place with the relevant ETQA.

Both internal and external moderators must be in possession of an appropriate, recognised doctoral qualification.

Internal moderators appointed by the provider in agreement with the relevant ETQA or ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding in place with the relevant ETQA.

External moderators, one of whom must be outside South Africa, are appointed by the relevant ETQA or ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding in place with the relevant ETQA.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

Internal and external assessors must be:

In possession of a relevant doctoral qualification.

Accredited as doctoral assessors by the relevant ETQA or ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding in place with the relevant ETQA.

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2012; 2015.

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.

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