Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No. 33 of 2005)

Regulations

Regulations regarding the Scope of Practice for Nurses and Midwives, 2022

1. Definitions

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In these Regulations, any word or expression to which a meaning has been assigned in the Act shall bear such meaning and, unless the context indicates otherwise:

 

"assistant surgeon"

means a person who assist a surgeon, who is also medical practitioner, to perform tasks that fall within the scope of practice of a medical practitioner;

 

"basic nursing care"

means nursing interventions that assist health care users with activities of daily living to promote and maintain their health status through the application of prescribed standards of care;

 

"neonate"

means any new born with signs of life regardless of the gestational age;

 

"child"

has the meaning assigned to it in section 1 of the Children's Act, 2005 (Act No. 38 of 2005);

 

"comprehensive nursing"

means nursing interventions that integrate and apply the scientific process of the full range of nursing, that is general, community, midwifery and mental health, that promote and maintain the health status of healthcare users in all contexts of healthcare delivery;

 

"direct supervision"

means provision of guidance and oversight to a supervisee by a physically present and experienced registered nursing practitioner; do we need this kind of definition;

 

"general nursing care"

means nursing interventions that involve the promotion of health, the  prevention  of  illness, the treatment of all  health problems and rehabilitation of individuals, groups and includes managing a health care unit as a subdivision of a health establishment;

 

"general nurse"

means a person educated and competent to practice general nursing in the manner and to the level prescribed, who is capable of assuming responsibility and accountability for such practice and is registered as such in terms of the Act;

 

indirect supervision"

means provision of guidance and oversight to a supervisee by an experienced  registered nursing practitioner who  is within a health establishment  and is available to provide assistance as and when required;

 

"health establishment"

means the whole or part of a public or private institution, facility, building or place whether for profit or not, that is operated or designed to provide in patient or outpatient treatment, diagnostic or therapeutic interventions, whether nursing, rehabilitative, palliative, convalescent, preventive or other health services;

 

"healthcare unit"

means a subdivision of a health establishment;

 

"integrated nursing care plan"

means a plan of care that adopts a multidisciplinary approach to improve the physical, emotional and social well being of health care users in all contexts of nursing care delivery;

 

"plan of care"

means a plan of care developed for a healthcare user by a professional nurse, midwife and general nurse;

 

"prescribed"

means giving the written directions by an authorized person to those who are providing the treatment, nursing care, coordinating, collaborating and patient advocacy functions essential to the effective execution and management of the nursing regimen; or it holds the meaning as defined in the Act;

 

"quality Improvement plan"

means an integrated plan of care which includes all activities or processes that are designed to improve the acceptability, efficiency and effectiveness of nursing care provision and contribute to better health outcomes on an ongoing basis;

 

"scope of practice"

means the parameters within which a category of nurse  or midwife may practice;

 

"standardised plan of care"

means a generic care plan developed for specified conditions or interventions;

 

"supportive care"

means all services which enhance the other elements of care essential to individualised care, including  health  education, advocacy and counselling;

 

"the Act"

means the Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No. 33 of 2005) ;

 

"treatment"

means selection and performance of those therapeutic measures essential to the effective execution and management of the nursing regimen; and

 

"registered person"

shall mean a person who is registered as a nurse or as a midwife in terms of the Act.