Want to be a nurse?

 He says this is done to keep with the policy of employing youth and with the SETA policy of limiting granting learnership to those under the age of 35 years old.

Adding that one can enrol to become a nurse after completing Grade 12 and that the commencing age is either 17 or 18 years of age.

The compulsory subjects that one needs to have studied in order to qualify to study nursing is English and life sciences level four or English and biology HG D or SG C and it is also important that the applicants be computer literate.

According to the provincial department of health, the intake of students to the current qualifications, known as legacy qualifications, will end on June 30.

“All the nursing qualifications will be on the higher education band and will only be available at institutions of higher education,” says Zwane.

The course is offered at different provincial colleges, universities that offer degree programmes, private hospital groups such as Netcare and LifeHealth Care and at private nursing schools.

Lucia Makena, one of the nursing students from the Esda Nursing Education Insitution, says that the one thing that she loves about nursing is look after those who are sick.

“I quit my job in the marketing industry and followed my dream of becoming a nurse,” says Lucia.

She adds that nursing does not only mean having completed an Auxiliary Course but it starts at home.
Different available qualifications
n Nursing Auxiliary (12-month course).
n Enrolled nurse (two-year course).
n Bridging course for enrolled nurse to registered nurse (two years).
n Diploma or degree in nursing in fields such as general, psychiatric, community and midwife (four years).
n Post basic courses for professional nurses (usually takes 12 months to complete).
The new qualifications from 2016
n Nursing Assistant (one year).
n Staff nurse (three years).
n Professional nurse (four years).