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

This vacancy is for sessional professional nurse specialist posts in the Limpopo Department of Health, designated as PN-B1 specialty grades. Instead of permanent full-time employment, successful candidates are appointed on a sessional basis, working a limited number of hourly sessions per week within the province’s hospitals. The positions are available at Pietersburg, Mankweng, Letaba, St Ritas, Philadelphia, Tshilidzini and Mokopane hospitals, which fall under the Capricorn, Mopani, Sekhukhune, Vhembe and Waterberg districts. The specialties open for application include operational theatre nursing, adult critical care (ICU), child nursing (paediatrics), child critical care (paediatric ICU), trauma, advanced midwifery and neonatal nursing science, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, renal nursing and paediatric child nursing. This means nurses with a range of postgraduate specialisations can find a suitable placement within the provincial health network.

Applicants must hold the minimum R425 diploma or degree in nursing, or another equivalent qualification that allows registration with the South African Nursing Council as a professional nurse. They also need a post-basic nursing qualification in one of the listed specialty areas, with a minimum duration of one year and accredited by the SANC, except for neonatal ICU nursing where this requirement does not apply. 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 or recognisable nursing experience after registration as a professional nurse in general nursing. For Grade 2, a minimum of fourteen years of appropriate experience is required, including ten years in the relevant specialty after completion of the post-basic qualification. In addition, all candidates must be willing to work shifts, flexi-hours, weekends, public holidays and overtime when required.

The role requires solid knowledge and skills in nursing care processes and procedures within the relevant specialty. Good communication, report writing, facilitation, liaison, networking and problem-solving skills are also needed, along with information management skills and computer literacy. As a key performance area, the professional nurse will provide direction and supervision for the implementation of the nursing care plan, ensuring quality patient care. The nurse must practise nursing and healthcare in accordance with standards, quality indicators, legislation and regulations, work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary clinical team, and utilise human, material and physical resources efficiently and effectively.

Remuneration for these sessional appointments is based on the candidate’s appropriate and recognisable experience after registration with the SANC, and is paid at the sessional rates approved by the Department of Public Service and Administration. The advertisement also indicates that these posts form part of a professional nurses database for sessional appointments. Additionally, the same advertisement includes separate sessional appointments for professional nurses with midwifery, graded from one to three, at various hospitals across the Vhembe, Waterberg, Capricorn and Mopani districts. This provides further opportunities for nurses qualified in midwifery to take up flexible sessional work within the public health sector.