There are many institutions that offer accredited programmes in Nursing. However, there are also many institutions offering non-accredited programmes in Nursing. Once you have completed a non-accredited qualification, you will not be able to register with the South African Nursing Council (SANC).
You must be registered with SANC to be able to legally work as a Nurse or Nursing Assistant. As a result, if you are not registered with SANC, you will not be able to get work as a Nurse or Nursing Assistant.
Here is a list of institutions accredited by SANC that offer their courses in Nursing:
How Do I Become A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) In South Africa?
To become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in South Africa, you must have either a Diploma or a Bachelor’s Degree, and you must be registered with SANC.
How Long Is An Assistant Nursing Course?
This depends on whether you study for a Diploma or a Bachelor’s Degree. A Diploma will take a minimum of three years to complete, but can take up to five years. A Bachelor’s Degree will take a minimum of four years to complete, but can take up to six years.
How long your course takes you to complete will depend on a number of factors, such as whether you study full-time or part-time, and whether you have to repeat any modules.
However, remember that once you have completed your qualification, you are not immediately eligible to apply for work. You must first go through practical training and a competency exam to be able to register with SANC. Once you have done this, you can then begin applying for work.
Can I Study Nursing At Netcare?
Yes, you can study nursing courses through Netcare. Netcare offers a Higher Certificate course in Auxiliary Nursing, and a Diploma course in Nursing. Netcare also offers short courses in different areas of Nursing, such as Maternity Nursing and Paediatric Nursing.
How Much Does A Nurse Assistant Get Paid In South Africa?
The pay scale for a Certified Nursing assistant is between R 5 500 – R 14 800 per month. The average salary for a CNA in South Africa is currently R 12 375 per month.
Does NSFAS Pay For Nursing Courses?
Yes, you can get NSFAS funding, as long as you are not studying a Legacy course. Legacy Courses are the old Nursing courses that were approved under the old 8-level NQF system. This changed when the NQF system was amended to be a 10-level system.
As of December 2019, NSFAS no longer funds any Legacy Nursing or Teaching courses, they will only fund the new Nursing and Teaching courses. The institutions in the lists above are approved for NSFAS funding.
What Have We Learned?
- There are many institutions accredited by the South African Nursing Council (SANC) to offer courses in Nursing
- You can become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) by getting a Diploma or Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, and then registering with SANC
- Studying to become a CNA can take a minimum of three to four years
- You can study Nursing at Netcare
- NSFAS no longer funds the old Nursing courses
Author: Chloe Bydawell
Editor: Razeen Dollie
Date: July 15, 2022