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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Paediatric Critical Care 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
94788  Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Paediatric Critical Care 
ORIGINATOR
University of Cape Town 
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-data under construction  EXCO 0324/24  2024-07-01  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2031-06-30  

Registered-data under construction

The qualification content is currently being updated for the qualifications with the status “Registered-data under construction” or showing “DETAILS UNDER CONSTRUCTION” to ensure compliance with SAQA’S Policy and Criteria for the registration of qualifications and part-qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) (As amended, 2022). These qualifications are re-registered until 30 June 2027 and can legitimately be offered by the institutions to which they are registered.

 

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.  

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
The purpose of this qualification is to allow practising doctors to develop foundational skills in paediatric critical care to ensure development of this service where not established and continued safe practice in this field.

Qualified doctors are therefore trained in the discipline to strengthen and deepen their knowledge in the field of caring for children with critical illness, thereby building capacity to improve child health in Africa. This enables and empowers these working professionals to undertake advanced reflection and development in this sub-area of their practice by means of training which is targeted at current thinking, practice and research methods in the area of paediatric critical care including injury, and allows these skilled workers to use their knowledge gained to lobby for improving child health.

Rationale:
The Department of Paediatrics has been training general practitioners from other African countries in terms of the African Paediatric Fellowship Programme (APFP) for some years. These trainees benefit from greater support and resources whereby they are able to demonstrate that they have acquired a recognised qualification. However, previously these trainees were not awarded any certification, thus the process needed to be structure so that the trainees leave with a measurable and certified outcome. It is envisaged that the qualification may also be useful to South African doctors in resource-challenged health care settings, and that even paediatricians-who are not necessarily exposed to these skills and techniques-would also find the training helpful.

Those doctors who wish to and qualify for admission to a speciality or sub-speciality training programme (of 4 and 2 years respectively) may apply for admission to such qualifications. It has been noted that many doctors and specialists cannot leave their jobs in the public health care sector in their home countries for extended periods of time, and furthermore they have no desire to specialise or do research, however, there is a critical need for doctors in Africa-particularly those in resource-poor areas to gain skills in diagnosing and managing (often through referral) the most acute paediatric diseases. This Diploma aims to help address that need.

The trainees require skills in the management of children who have suffered a life threatening injury or illness or who need to recover from major surgical procedures and require high care or intensive care. This training is unique because of the centralisation of paediatric critical care services meaning that learners are exposed to an extraordinarily large spectrum of disease and illness/injury. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
RPL will be possible whereby specific existing knowledge and skills will be assessed in one or more of the modules, against the Exit Level Outcomes of the qualification and in line with the assessment procedures of the qualification.

Entry Requirements:
For admission to this qualification, a learner must be:
  • Qualified with a Bachelor in medicine (MBBS, MBChB/equivalent qualification).
  • Have experience working in paediatrics.
  • Registered with the HPCSA. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification consists of 2 compulsory modules at NQF Level 8, totalling 120 Credits.
  • Clinical Management in Paediatric Critical Care, 90 Credits.
  • Essay: Transition and Translation of Knowledge, 30 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Understand the prevalence of children requiring critical care and the organisational structures required to be accommodated for critical care.
    2. Demonstrate ability to translate knowledge and implement skills to their home country.
    3. Interpret clinical case studies of children requiring critical care for a variety of conditions covering the clinical presentation, procedures and investigations required as well as management challenges and the co-morbidities identified. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • A critically ill child is assessed and is stabilised according to the APLS system of ABC(Airway, Breathing, Circulation).
  • Knowledge of intubation and ventilation including indications for High Flow oxygen, CPAP, Conventional and Oscillatory forms of ventilation are understood and applied.
  • Techniques relevant for basic resuscitation including intubation and resuscitation are applied.
  • Basic management of a critically ill or injured child in terms of all main organ systems involved is demonstrated.
  • In log book the number of types of patients managed as well as procedures performed or witnessed is recorded and monitored.
  • Organisational structures allowing for care of group of children with critical illness or injury including medical, nursing and allied practitioners including pharmacy issues and infection control are understood.
  • Different causes resulting in patients requiring paediatric critical care are evaluated.
  • The use of different forms of invasive procedures is understood.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • A basic understanding of the current definitions of shock and critical care is demonstrated.
  • Current recommended international guidelines relevant to practice in the field is understood and applied.
  • Knowledge of paediatric critical care is integrated and is translated to own practice.
  • Being mindful of context within which practice takes place, in this case, African context is demonstrated.
  • Use of clinical discourse to relate to understandable approaches for the management of paediatric critical care patients including high care patients is communicated.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Appropriate first line management of a critically ill child followed by appropriate investigations and procedures required to aid in diagnosis is applied.
  • Investigations followed by management plans for patients including involvement of multi-disciplinary teams are interpreted.
  • Organisational structures allowing for care of group of children with critical illness or injury including medical, nursing and allied practitioners including pharmacy issues and infection control are understood and applied.
  • Information in the literature on paediatric critical care is independently gathered, validated and evaluated.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Assessment is both formative and summative. Formative assessment is built on continuous feedback on both knowledge and clinical competence. Knowledge is then applied and such application assessed in an extended essay. In addition students are required to maintain a logbook of clinical procedures. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    Cardiff University in the United Kingdom offers a Postgraduate Diploma in Critical Care.

    Qualification Aims:
    The aim of the qualification is to allow learners to develop their knowledge to an advanced level in all aspects of critical care. It will provide the opportunity to explore critical care as a multidimensional phenomenon through the module assignments and through taught components.

    Qualification Description:
    The taught component introduces the learner to the multifaceted nature of caring for a critically ill patient. The modular approach allows learners to evaluate critical care from an evidence-based perspective, starting with assessment at ward level through to the critical components and then to discharge. Professional issues, including clinical governance and inter-professional practice, will be covered, as well as the psychosocial aspects relevant to caring for critically ill patients.

    The UCLA Medical Division of Santa Monica in the United States of America offers the Pediatric Critical Care qualification with a high level of mentorship and extensive research opportunities. It is designed to provide knowledge, procedural skills and attitudes necessary to provide excellent care in a variety of emergent and intensive care settings.

    It is envisioned that the learners will have a positive impact on the health of critically ill children through their leadership, research contributions and excellence in patient care.

    Outcomes of the qualification:
    1. Develop expertise in the complex care of all critically ill children and develop a particular interest and subspecialty within critical care, if desired.
    2. Develop technical skills for all procedures necessary in the field of pediatric critical care medicine.
    3. Develop skills in the design, understanding and performance of clinical and/or laboratory research that will result in a better comprehension of mechanisms of disease, physiology and pathology and the completion of at least one mentored research or scholarship project under the supervision of a scholarship oversight committee.
    4. Develop expertise at organisation, analysis, preparation, and presentation of data.

    Conclusion:
    The qualification compares favourably with other international qualifications in Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Paediatric Critical Care. The comparison reveals that the outcomes and the purpose of these qualifications have a similar focus. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Upon successful completion of the proposed Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Paediatric Critical Care learners will be able to articulate Horizontally to a Bachelor Degree in Emergency Medical Care at NQF Level 8 or Vertically to a Master of Medicine in Paediatrics Child Health at NQF Level 9. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 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.
     
    1. University of Cape Town 


    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.