About Nursing
Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on caring for individuals, families, and communities in order to help them attain, maintain or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses care for individuals of all ages and cultural backgrounds, whether they are healthy or ill, in a holistic manner based on the individual’s physical, emotional, psychological, intellectual, social and spiritual needs. The profession combines physical science, social science, nursing theory, and technology in caring for those individuals.
Most people qualify by studying for a degree in nursing, but there are numerous educational paths to becoming a professional nurse, which involves extensive study of nursing theory and practice as well as training in clinical skills.
Nursing Learnerships
Individuals who dream to be a professional nurse may want to consider participating in Nursing Learnerships where they can learn and increase their performances in nursing and get a hands-on work experience through the programme. The duration of a learnership vary depending on the area of studies and also the qualifications. A nursing learnership usually lasts around 2-4 years, which consists of 2000 hours of clinical practice. In the second year of study in a learnership, learners are usually focused on primarily or scientific topics, which are also vital to basic nursing.
Those succeeded in completing the nursing learnership will have a wider opportunity to get a diploma in nursing, as well as getting a job. Some career paths that people may choose after completing the nursing learnerships include midwifery, general nursing, community care, theatre nursing, or the psychiatric fields.
Government Nursing Learnerships
There are many institutions in South Africa that offer a nursing learnership programme. These include the most well-known institutions: the Department of Heath North West, Department of Health Polokwane, Department of Health KwaZulu-Natal, Netcare, and Mediclinic. Every year, a number of nursing learnerships are open for enrolment.
- Department of Health (North West, Polokwane, KwaZulu-Natal)
The Department of Health intends to offer high-quality education for the medical industry. Their goal is to prevent and fight diseases with efficient, quality and skilled workforces. This department offers talented South African youths a great opportunity in developing their skills and gaining hands-on working experience in the medical field by opening up learnership programmes regulary.
Nursing Learnerships in the Department of Health are held in three regional health departments – the North West Department of Health, Limpopo Department of Health (Polokwane) and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health. Individuals that are interested in the learnership programme hosted by the Department of Health may choose one of the following fields to participate in.
- Psychiatric
- Nursing Assistant
- General Nursing
- Auxiliary Nursing
- Community Nursing
- Midwifery
Learners are usually meant to attend the Nursing Learnerships at the Department of Health for the duration of one year, unless stated otherwise. Besides gaining skills and great work experience, the learners of this programme will also get a monthly stipend worth approximately R1500.
Successful applicants will be placed in government hospitals and/or clinics during the learnership. They may also be asked to work in shifts, on weekends or during the public holidays.
Online application for the learnership in this department is not available. Those interested may collect the application form from the nearest Department of Health offices. For more information, please visit:
- The national Department of Health webpage health.gov.za
- The provincial North West Department of Health webpage health.nwpg.gov.za
- The provincial Limpopo Department of Health webpage doh.limpopo.gov.za
- The provincial KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health webpage kznhealth.gov.za
Nursing Learnerships at Netcare
Netcare (Network Healthcare Holdings Limited) is the largest private hospital provider in South Africa and the United Kingdom. Established in 1996, this company was listed on the JSE (Johannesburg Stock Change) Limited the same year and was initially expanded into the United Kingdom in 2001. It acquired a controlling stake in the UK’s General Healthcare Group in 2006 and provides services to the National Healthcare Service via its subsidiary, the General Healthcare Group.
Netcare Education is a division of the Netcare Group. It is a registered private higher education institution and is regarded as one of South Africa’s leading private education and training institutions of healthcare professionals in nursing and ancillary health care as well as emergency medical services. The division consists of two faculties, namely the Faculty of Nursing and Ancillary Healthcare (FNAH) and the Faculty of Emergency and Critical Care (FECC), which take place in Johannesburg and Pretoria in Gauteng, Durban North in KwaZulu-Natal, Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, and Cape Town in the Western Cape.
Like its name, the FNAH provides formal education and training in the fields of nursing and ancillary disciplines. Meanwhile, the FECC provides formal education and training in the field of emergency and critical care. They also provide first-aid trainings for public members.
Netcare provides learnership programmes for paramedics, nursing and pharmacy. The Netcare Learnerships allow participants to choose their preferred fields of study to develop important skills which will enable them to provide high-quality health care services. The fields available for the learnerships include basic nursing, administration, pharmacy, clinical engineering technicians, research clinical trials, specialized nursing, the emergency operations centre and many more.
Visit www.netcare.co.za for more information.
Nursing Learnerships at Mediclinic
Mediclinic is an international private healthcare services group that operates in Southern Africa (South Africa and Namibia), Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates. It was established in South Africa in 1983. The group focuses on providing acute-care, specialist-orientated, multi-disciplinary healthcare services and related service offerings.
The company comprises 76 hospitals and 29 clinics with about 63% of the hospitals and 4-days clinics operating in South Africa and three hospitals operating in Namibia by the Mediclinic Southern Africa. Mediclinic also has a primary listing on the Main Market of the LE in the United Kingdom, with secondary listings on the JSE in South Africa and the NSX in Namibia. The company’s registered office is in London, United Kingdom, and the group management office takes place in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Mediclinic offers many career options as well as trainings, specifically including nursing learnerships, Through this programme, the company offers professional training in nursing to attain a certificate of an enrolled nurse. This programme is a two years of duration course. All selected participants will gain superior education and expert training to excel within the fast-paced medical field. Those who have successfully completed the Mediclinic Nursing Learnership will be qualified to register in the South African Nursing Council (SANC).
Those interested in the programme may apply on Mediclinic’s official website at www.mediclinic.co.za. Shortlisted applicants will then need to take a health evaluation and psychometric test in order to proceed with the learnership selection process. Applicants will then be interviewed for the final selection process. Applicants that had successfully fulfilled all the requirements and passed through the selection process will need to sign a contract with Mediclinic before they can finally be enrolled in the nursing learnership.
Standard Requirements to Enrol for Nursing Learnerships
In order to be enrolled in a nursing learnerhsip, candidates must meet the following minimum requirements.
- South African citizen, proven by a copy of ID and proof of address that are certified no longer than three months before the application deadline.
- Aged between 18 and 35 years old
- Unemployed
- Submit detailed Curriculum Vitae with contact details, contactable references and any other information that may be pertinent.
- Completed Matric or Grade 12, proven by submitting a certified copy of a valid Matric or Grade 12 certificate.
- Proficient in English – in reading, writing, and speaking
- Competent in Biology and Life Sciences, proven by submitting a certified copy of transcripts
- Provide certified copies of any other relevant certificates
- Able to operate a computer – basic use at the least
- Be self-motivated and able to work in a team
- Not currently attending any learnership programme
How to Apply for Nursing Learnerships
Those interested may browse for nursing learnership opportunities in newspapers and online advertisements or contact the nearest local health office, as they may have an open learnership programme. Individuals with a disability are welcome to apply.
Most institutions prefer online or hand-delivered applications; therefore, any application sent by registered mail, e-mail, or fax will not be accepted. Applications must be handed into the same office where it was collected from. All submitted application documents will be verified to ensure authenticity due to the large number of applications. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.
