Nurse Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health c ...

s in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

practise in a wide variety of specialties, with a wide variety of training and experience.

Education

To take the exam to practice as an enrolled nurse, students must complete a two-year academic course that includes 2,000 hours of clinical practice. Subjects studied in the first year include: * Nursing history and

ethics Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concer ...

* Basic nursing care * Elementary

nutrition Nutrition is the biochemical and physiological process by which an organism uses food to support its life. It provides organisms with nutrients, which can be metabolized to create energy and chemical structures. Failure to obtain sufficient ...

First aid First aid is the first and immediate assistance given to any person with either a minor or serious illness or injury, with care provided to preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening, or to promote recovery. It includes initial in ...

* Elementary

anatomy Anatomy () is the branch of biology concerned with the study of the structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is a branch of natural science that deals with the structural organization of living things. It is an old science, having it ...

and

physiology Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a sub-discipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out the chemical ...

* Introduction to comprehensive health care The second year includes study of sciences fundamental to basic nursing and, depending on the area the nursing school is approved to teach, will include one of the following subjects: * General nursing care * Nursing care of the aged * Nursing care of mentally retarded persons * Community nursing care * Psychiatric nursing care There are multiple nurse categories. Registered Nurses may study for a diploma or degree. Both function the same. Maroon epaulettes indicate a Registered Nurse with a general nursing diploma ( all Registered Nurses have general nursing) Then there is a variety of courses that can be completed and the color strips are added on the Maroon epaulettes * Yellow is Community nursing * Green is Midwifery * Dark blue is psychiatric * White is nursing education * Silver is for nursing management White epaulets indicate an enrolled nurse (staff nurse), who helps registered nurses with their duties and also helps the lower category of nurses when needed. In most hospitals, staff nurse give medications and help with doctors rounds. Staff nurses are also guided by their scope of practice and duties are under direct and indirect supervision of the Registered Nurse. If the staff nurse agrees to perform a duty s/he is accountable for her actions. Enrolled Nursing assistants wear a blue button. They ensure all needs and comfort of the patients are met. They do everything within their scope of practice. Enrolled nurses may not penetrate the skin or body a patient without direct supervision of a registered nurse.

Legal regulation

The South African Nursing Council (SANC) was initially established by the Nursing Act, No. 45 of 1944, and currently by the Nursing Act, No. 50 of 1978 as amended. SANC inspects and approves nursing schools and education programs; examines, registers, and enrolls nurses, midwives, and nursing auxiliaries; licenses nursing agencies; and monitors nursing employers. Nurses and nurse auxiliaries are required to wear "distinguishing devices" consisting of pins and colored

epaulette Epaulette (; also spelled epaulet) is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of rank by armed forces and other organizations. Flexible metal epaulettes (usually made from brass) are referred to as ''shoulder scales' ...

s to identify them as licensed professionals.

References

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