Professional Nurse Grade 1 to 2 (Specialty Nursing: Midwifery and Neonatal) (Permanent position)

This permanent position is for a Professional Nurse Grade 1 or Grade 2 specialising in Midwifery and Neonatal care, based at Mossel Bay Hospital in the Garden Route District. The role forms part of the department’s broader Ecosystem Service platform, which means that once appointed, the incumbent should be prepared to render clinical services across other institutions within the ecosystem as and when needed to sustain health service delivery. This is a specialist nursing post that requires a high level of clinical skill, supervisory ability and a commitment to quality maternal and neonatal care within a hospital setting.

Candidates must be registered with the South African Nursing Council as Professional Nurses. The minimum educational requirement is a basic R425 diploma or degree in nursing, or an equivalent qualification that allows SANC registration, supplemented by either a one-year post-basic qualification in Advanced Midwifery and Neonatal Nursing Science accredited with the SANC, or a four-year bachelor’s degree in nursing together with a post-graduate diploma in Midwifery. For appointment at Grade 1, a minimum of four years of appropriate and recognisable nursing experience after registration as a Professional Nurse in General Nursing is required. For Grade 2, candidates need at least fourteen years of such experience, of which at least ten years must have been gained after obtaining the relevant post-basic qualification or post-graduate diploma in the specialty.

The successful candidate will be expected to provide specialised, quality patient care and contribute to effective health service delivery. Key duties include implementing infection control policies and health and safety legislation, utilising human and physical resources effectively, assisting with financial management and cost containment, participating in health research, data collection and quality improvement initiatives, and providing support to nursing services. Strong written and verbal communication skills are essential, as are appropriate supervisory skills and the ability to optimise the use of subordinates. The role also demands sound knowledge of maternal and neonatal health care services within a hospital setting, occupational health and staff wellness, and the principles of infection prevention and control. Computer literacy and the ability to manage consumable resources effectively are further requirements.

Applicants should note that no payment of any kind is required when applying. Shortlisted candidates will be subjected to a practical, written and oral assessment. Those who do not yet possess the stipulated registration requirements may also apply, provided they submit proof of application for registration with the relevant council and proof of payment of the prescribed registration fees on or before the day of the interview; this concession applies only to candidates applying for the first time for registration in the relevant post-basic qualification or post-graduate diploma. The post also carries inherent requirements, including a willingness to work shifts, night duty, overtime, public holidays and weekends, and to assist in other departments within the facility when needed. The position is advertised as a permanent post with an annual salary plus service benefits, including a 13th cheque, pension fund contributions, and housing and medical aid allowances.