A popular nursing course if the Diploma in Nursing offered at the Gauteng College of Nursing (GCoN).
Courses are offered at the following campuses:
- Ann Latsky Campus
- Chris Hani Baragwanath Campus
- SG Lourens Campus
- Bonalesedi Campus
Admission requirements for the Diploma in Nursing are as follows:
- Must be a South African citizen, who resides in the Gauteng Province
- Have a school leaving certificate: Senior Certificate, a National Senior Certificate, currently in Grade 12 or National Vocational Certificate Primary Health
- Senior Certificate: English HG D or SG C, Biology HG D or SG C, Mathematics HG D or SG C and an M score of 17
- National Senior Certificate: English Level 4, Life Sciences Level 4, Mathematics Level 4 or Maths Literacy Level 5, and an APS of 27 or more (Life Orientation counts half the score)
- National Vocational Certificate: 50% in Fundamental Subjects (English First Additional Language, Maths/Maths Literacy, Life Orientation) and 60% in the Vocational Subjects (SA Health Care System, Public Health, The Human Body and Mind and Community Oriented Primary Care)
- Current Grade 12 learners must meet the National Senior Certificate requirements in their Grade 11 final results.
The Gauteng Department of Health has said that applicants should make sure that they meet the requirements before applying. If they don't meet the requirements, there is the possibility of upgrading your school leaving marks to qualify.
The following competencies and attributes would also be an advantage:
- Problem-solving ability
- Patience
- Ability to relate to people
- Organisational ability
- Leadership ability
- Flexibility
- Calmness during a crisis
- Communication, numeracy and life skills
- Computer literacy
- Study skills
- Honesty
- Compassionate and caring.
How To Apply
You are required to register a profile on the system before you can apply. Applications must be done on the GPG Professional Job Centre system.
Certified documents will be uploaded on the system, however you will be required to take supporting documents to the selection centre should you be shortlisted.
No hand delivered or emailed applications will be accepted, all applications must be done online.
If applicants are successful and make it through, they will need to sign an agreement with the Department of Health and attend lectures. They will also need to participate in Work Integrated Learning (WIL) which includes shifts and working on public holidays, weekends and nights in Gauteng Department of Health hospitals and clinics as part of the programme requirements.
A bonus to this programme is that the Gauteng Department of Health will offer financial assistance to successful candidates in the form of a bursary.
One of the most commonly asked questions is 'Why is Biology,Maths & Life Science necessary?'. To this, the department replies:
Nursing is a science and two of the most important subjects are anatomy and physiology – that is the structure and functioning of the human body and how the parts work as well as what happens if the parts are diseased.
"These topics are covered in Biology,Maths and Life Sciences and students are able to understand nursing much better if they have the background. It has been found that students without these subjects struggle to understand much that is covered in nursing. Nurses are also required to do calculations."
Applications for this programme usually open in February every year and close in July.
