The gazetted regulations pertaining to the accreditation and auditing of South African nursing education institutions are worth noting. The Minister of Health, after consultation of the South African Nursing Council (SANC)—the relevant statutory body— made regulations in accordance to §58(1)(g) of the Nursing Act (Act No 33 of 1995).
Of specific interest are the definitions of, among others:
- accreditation, which “means certification of an institution for a specific period, recognising it as a nursing education institution with the capacity to offer a prescribed nursing programme, upon compliance with the Council’s prescribed accreditation requirements, criteria and standards for nursing education and training;” (emphasis added)
- audit, which “means the process of systematic scrutiny of a quality management system carried out by an audit team in order to determine whether the institution meets the Council’s prescribed accreditation requirements, criteria and standards for nursing education and training;”
- governance, which “means the system by which a nursing education institution is directed and controlled. It is concerned with systems, controls, accountabilities and decision-making at the highest level of the nursing education institution;”
- learning site, which “means the accredited physical location where education facilities are available for delivery of education and training of learners;”
The gazetted regulations further includes several other definitions of terminology such as those already mentioned, as well as audit / focus visit; auditor; conditional / full / institutional /programme accreditation; criteria; de-accreditation; institutional portfolio; institutional self-assessment; and standards.
The regulations further deal with issues such as conditions and requirements for accreditation; the accreditation process; the submission of application for accreditation and review; the extension of accreditation scope; the audit visit, decision and issue of certificate; re-accreditation of full and conational accreditation and de-accreditation; fees payable; the appeal process; monitoring; as well as transitional provisions, application of these regulations and repeal.
Nursing Act: Regulations: Accreditation of institutions as nursing education institutions, (G 36234, RG 9926, GoN 173), 8 March 2013
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