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

The Limpopo Department of Health is advertising sessional appointments for professional nurses across multiple public hospitals in the province. These are hourly engagements rather than permanent posts, and each session is equivalent to one hour, with a maximum of 20 sessions per week per nurse. The advertisement covers two separate streams. The first is for Professional Nurse: Specialty, graded as PN-B1 under the Occupation Specific Dispensation, open at Grade 1 and Grade 2 levels. The second stream is for Professional Nurse with Midwifery, graded from 1 to 3. Specialty sessional posts are available at Pietersburg and Mankweng hospitals in Capricorn District, Letaba Hospital in Mopani, St Ritas and Philadelphia hospitals in Sekhukhune, Tshilidzini Hospital in Vhembe, and Mokopane Hospital in Waterberg. The midwifery posts are offered at a much wider list of facilities, including Elim, Siloam, Donald Frazer, Malamulele, Messina, Louis Trichardt and Hayani hospitals in Vhembe; Ellisras, Witpoort, Warmbaths, FH Odendaal, George Masebe, Thabazimbi, Voortrekker and Mokopane in Waterberg; Helene Franz, Seshego, WF Knobel, Botlokwa, Lebowakgomo, Zebediela, Pietersburg-Mankweng Complex and Thabamoopo in Capricorn; and Nkhensani, Dr CN Phatudi, Maphutha L Malatjie, Kgapane, Sekororo, Van Velden, Letaba and Evuxakeni in Mopani.

For the specialty stream, candidates must hold a basic R425 qualification, meaning a diploma or degree in nursing or an equivalent qualification that permits registration with the South African Nursing Council as a Professional Nurse. They must also have a post-basic nursing qualification of at least one year in one of the listed specialties, accredited by SANC, covering areas such as operational theatre, adult critical care, child nursing, trauma, advanced midwifery and neonatal nursing science, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, renal or child critical care nursing. Current SANC registration in the relevant specialty is essential. Grade 1 applicants require a minimum of four years of appropriate nursing experience after registration in general nursing, while Grade 2 applicants need at least fourteen years of experience, of which ten must be in the relevant specialty after obtaining the post-basic qualification. The listing notes an exception regarding post-basic training for neonatal ICU nursing, so interested nurses in that discipline should verify the exact requirement.

The main duties of the specialty professional nurse are to provide direction and supervision for the implementation of nursing care plans, deliver quality patient care, and practice in accordance with nursing legislation, standards and quality indicators. The nurse must work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary clinical team and use human, material and physical resources efficiently. Important skills include a solid understanding of nursing care processes, good communication and report-writing abilities, facilitation, liaison, networking, problem-solving, information management and computer literacy. All candidates must be willing to work shifts, flexi-hours, weekends, public holidays and overtime when requiredasi.

Remuneration for the sessional posts is calculated according to SANC-recognised experience and the sessional rates approved by the Department of Public Service and Administration, with grade-specific rates applying. A notable condition of these appointments is that successful applicants will be placed on a professional nurses sessional database for the province, meaning they may be called upon as needs arise at the listed hospitals. This is a valuable opportunity for specialist and midwifery nurses to contribute their skills to public healthcare across Limpopo while maintaining flexibility through hourly sessions.