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 creating or supplementing a provincial sessional professional nurse database for specialist nursing posts at public hospitals across the Capricorn, Mopani, Sekhukhune, Vhembe and Waterberg districts. The advertised positions are specialty professional nurse sessional appointments at the PN-B1 grade, offered at Pietersburg Hospital, Mankweng Hospital, Letaba Hospital, St Ritas Hospital, Philadelphia Hospital, Tshilidzini Hospital and Mokopane Hospital. The specialties involved are operational theatre nursing, adult critical care or intensive care, child or paediatric nursing, child critical care nursing, trauma nursing, advanced midwifery and neonatal nursing science, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, renal nursing and paediatric critical care. These are hourly sessional posts rather than full-time permanent appointments, with a limited number of one-hour sessions per week per nurse, and remuneration is determined by the sessional rates approved by the Department of Public Service and Administration, based on the nurse’s appropriate and recognisable experience after South African Nursing Council registration. In addition to the specialty posts, the same vacancy covers Professional Nurse with Midwifery Grade 1 to 3 sessional appointments at a broader list of hospitals in the Vhembe, Waterberg, Capricorn and Mopani districts.

Applicants must hold the basic R425 nursing qualification, which may be a diploma or degree in nursing or an equivalent qualification that allows registration with the South African Nursing Council as a Professional Nurse. They must also have completed a post-basic nursing qualification of at least one year, accredited by SANC, in one of the listed specialty areas, with the exception noted for neonatal ICU nursing where the usual one-year post-basic requirement is adjusted. Current registration with SANC as a Professional Nurse in the appropriate specialty is essential. For appointment at Grade 1, at least four years of appropriate or recognisable nursing experience is required after registration as a Professional Nurse in general nursing. For Grade 2, candidates need at least fourteen years of appropriate or recognisable nursing experience, of which ten years must be in the relevant specialty after completing the post-basic qualification. Because these are sessional posts, there is also an inherent requirement to be willing to work shifts, flexi-hours, weekends, public holidays and overtime when needed.

Candidates should possess sound knowledge of nursing care processes and procedures in their specialty area, along with good communication, report-writing, facilitation, liaison, networking and problem-solving skills. Information management skills and computer literacy are also required. The main duties include providing direction and supervision in the implementation of nursing care plans, ensuring quality patient care, practising nursing and healthcare in line with professional standards, quality indicators, legislation and regulations, and working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary clinical team. Nurses appointed to these sessional posts must also use human, material and physical resources efficiently and effectively. Successful applicants are placed on the provincial sessional professional nurses database, from which the various hospitals draw nursing services according to need. Each district, hospital and specialty has its own specified online application link, so applicants must apply through the correct portal for the particular post and centre they wish to join.