Nelson Mandela University BSc Nursing Course
The BNursing degree will prepare you to meet the unique needs of individual patients, families and communities as a professional nurse and midwife. Practical work is an integral part of this programme, which will equip you to take up your place alongside other professional people in the multidisciplinary team.
Candidates who hold this degree qualify for registration as nurses and midwives with the South African Nursing Council.
Candidates shall complete a prescribed clinical practical programme at an approved hospital and in approved community settings.
Admission requirements
- Admission point score of 36
- Minimum NSC requirements for the degree entry must be met
- English, Afrikaans or isiXhosa (Home language or First additional language) on at least level 3 (40-49%)
- Mathematics on at least level 3 (40-49%) or Mathematical liteacy on at leasy level 4 (50-59%)
- Physical Science and Life Sciences on at least level 3 (40-49%)
Applicants with an admission point score between 26-35 may be referred to write the access assessment battery before a decision is made on whether or not to admit the applicant to the programme.
Students must submit a satisfactory medical report, on the prescribed form, before registration.
Accommodation
Application can be made for accommodation in a University residence or the residence for nurses of the Port Elizabeth Provincial Hospital or Livingstone Hospital. Students are required to pay the necessary accommodation fees themselves. In order to ensure accommodation in a residence, the relevant application forms should be submitted as early as possible. A limited number of rooms are available.
The programme
Lectures are presented primarily on North Campus, wirth some of the ancillary modules being presented on the other two campusses. Practica is undertaken in surrounding general, maternity and psychiatric hospitals and community health settings as far as Kirkwood, Grahamstown and Uitenhage. Practical placements are arranged for students by the Department of Nursing Science. This practica is supplemented by clinical teaching in a simulated laboratory and in real patient situations
Curriculum
First year modules
- Introduction to Professional Nursing Practice (VN101)
- Psycho-Social and Spiritual Needs (VN102)
- Physical Needs of the Patient (VN103)
- Introduction to Medical and Surgical Nursing (VN104)
- Practical Nursing Science (VNP101)
- Comprehensive Primary Health Care Nursing (VPG101)
- Organisation of the Human Body (BWV101)
- Principles of Support and Movement (BWV102)
- Special Senses, Digestive System, Nutrition and Metabolism (BWV103)
- Defence Mechanisms and Reproduction (BWV104)
- Physics for Nursing Science (BVC101)
- Chemistry for Nursing Science (BVC102)
- Biochemistry for Nursing Science (BVC103)
- Introductory Psychology (SP101)
- Child and Adolescent Development (SP102)
- Adult Development and Ageing (SP103)
Second year modules
- General Nursing: Digestive, Respiratory (VN201)
- General Nursing: Cardiovascular (VN202)
- General Nursing: Endocrine, Reproductive Systems (VN203)
- General Nursing: Child, ENT, Renal (VN204)
- Practical Nursing Science (VNP201)
- Cardiovascular System (BWV201)
- Respiratory System, Urinary System and Acid-base (BWV202)
- Somatic and Autonomic Nervous System (BWV203)
- Brain and Integration of Brain Functions (BWV204)
- Promotion of Family Health (VPG102)
- Communicable Diseases (VPG103)
- Scientific Approach in Community Nursing (VPG104)
- Family Planning and Genetics (VPG105)
- Social Psychology (SP201)
- Coping Skills (SP202)
- Sociology: An Introduction (For Professionals) (SSE101)
- Computer Literacy (WRCL101)
Third year modules
- Nursing: Neuro, Integumentary, Ophthalmology (VNA301)
- Nursing: Orthopaedic, Emergency (VNA302)
- Practice Parameters of Midwifery (VNB301)
- Nursing the Healthy Pregnant Women (VNB302)
- Nursing during Normal Birth and Puerperium (VNB303)
- Nursing the Healthy Newborn (VNB304)
- Nursing Focus on Pathology and Mental Cognition (VNC301)
- Nursing Focus on Affective Pathology (VNC302)
- Scientific Approach to Cognitive Mental Disorders (VNC303)
- Scientific Approach to Affective Mental Disorders (VNC304)
- Curative Primary Health Care: Theory (VPG201)
- Curative Primary Health Care: Practica (VPG202)
- Aspects of Primary Health Care in the Community (VPG203)
- Community Health Profiles (VPG204)
- Ethos of Nursing (VPN201)
- Unit Management (VPN202)
- Parameters of Nursing Practice (VPN301)
- Contemporary Nursing Practice (VPN302)
- Group Dynamics (SS202)
- Pharmacology Special (VFS110)
- Pharmacology Special (VFS120)
- Practical Nursing Science (VNP301)
Fourth year modules
- Nursing the High-risk Pregnant Women (VNB401)
- Nursing the Woman in High-risk Labour (VNB402)
- Nursing the High-risk Newborn (VNB403)
- Social-cultural Risk Factors in Midwifery (VNB404)
- Theory of Psychiatric Nursing Skills (VNC401)
- Psychiatric Nursing in Comprehensive Health Care (VNC402)
- Practical Nursing Science (VNP401) (Psychiatric Nursing)
- Practical Nursing Science (VNP402) (Midwifery)
- Unit Management (VPN303)
- Practical Nursing Unit Management (VPN304)
- Cultural Practices and Health (VPG302)
- Epidemiological Research: Theory (VPG303)
- Epidemiological Research: Practica (VPG311)
- Management of Primary Health Care Services (VPG304)