PROFESSIONAL NURSE: SPECIALTY [PN-B1] GRADE 1–2 SESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS: MAXIMUM OF 20 SESSIONS PER WEEK PER PN (1 SESSION = 1 HOUR)

This sessional appointment is for registered professional nurses in specialised clinical fields, placed at public hospitals across Limpopo’s five districts: Capricorn, Mopani, Sekhukhune, Vhembe and Waterberg. The role involves providing expert specialty nursing care on a flexible, hourly-session basis, up to a maximum of twenty sessions per week per nurse, with each session lasting one hour. The positions fall under the Professional Nurse: Specialty PN-B1 grading and are open at both Grade 1 and Grade 2 levels. Hospitals hosting these posts include Pietersburg and Mankweng in Capricorn, Letaba in Mopani, St Ritas and Philadelphia in Sekhukhune, Tshilidzini in Vhembe, and Mokopane in Waterberg. The specialties being recruited are broad, covering operational theatre nursing, adult critical care ICU, child paediatrics, child critical care ICU, trauma, advanced midwifery and neonatal nursing science, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, renal nursing, and paediatric child nursing. This structure allows the Department of Health to bring experienced specialty nurses into its hospitals while offering professionals a flexible working arrangement within the public health system.

To be considered, candidates must hold a basic R425 nursing qualification, such as a diploma or degree, that permits registration with the South African Nursing Council as a professional nurse. In addition, a post-basic nursing qualification in one of the listed specialty areas, with a minimum duration of one year and accredited by the SANC, is required, except for those applying in neonatal ICU nursing, where this post-basic requirement is waived. Current registration with the SANC as a professional nurse in the appropriate specialty is essential. Appointment at Grade 1 requires at least four years of appropriate nursing experience after registration as a professional nurse in general nursing. Grade 2 requires a total of fourteen years of appropriate nursing experience, of which ten years must be in the relevant specialty after obtaining the post-basic qualification. Remuneration is paid as a sessional rate, determined by the Department of Public Service and Administration’s approved sessional rates and based on the candidate’s recognisable experience following SANC registration. The grade of appointment therefore reflects the depth of clinical experience brought to the role.

The core duties of the role include directing and supervising the implementation of nursing care plans to ensure quality patient care, practising nursing and healthcare in line with legislation, standards and quality indicators, and working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary clinical team. The successful nurse will also be expected to utilise human, material and physical resources efficiently and effectively. Applicants need strong knowledge of nursing care processes and procedures within their specialty, good communication and report-writing skills, facilitation, liaison, networking and problem-solving abilities, as well as information management skills and computer literacy. A willingness to work shifts, flexi-hours, weekends, public holidays and overtime when required is a key condition attached to these sessional posts, as the service must be maintained across the full hospital operating calendar.

In addition to the specialty posts, the same vacancy covers sessional appointments for professional nurses with midwifery at Grade 1 to Grade 3 level, across a wider list of hospitals in the same districts, including Elim, Siloam, Ellisras, Helene Franz, Nkhensani and many others. This broader midwifery component means that experienced nurses with a midwifery qualification also have an opportunity to register interest for sessional work. Successful applicants in either category will be placed on a professional nurse sessional database, from which hospitals will draw as staffing needs arise. This is a valuable opportunity for specialist and midwifery nurses to contribute their skills to the public sector on a session-by-session basis while maintaining control over their weekly workload.