Programs

Diploma in General Nursing (DGN)

Program code : (DGN)

Aims

The Diploma in General Nursing program is premised on the belief that preparation of graduates at diploma level for professional nursing practice requires theoretical breadth and depth balanced by appropriate and relevant clinical experience to prepare the graduates for nursing practice at first level nursing positions and ongoing employment in Papua New Guinea health care services and for registration with the Nursing Council of Papua New Guinea (NCPNG).
Therefore the program aims to:

Provide students with coherent and detailed knowledge of contemporary nursing practice and the principles and concepts that underpin that practice as well as enabling them to think critically, to reflect on their practice and to make sound clinical judgments based on evidence, which prepares the students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to enable them to function effectively as health workers in any setting.
Provide an educational and professional basis for advanced education in nursing practice, teaching, administration and research.

The Diploma in General nursing program is aimed at people with a grade 12 certificate. Some may come from the health services that have certificate in nursing. The program provides the opportunity for them to gain a nursing qualification for increased credibility as registered nurses. The clinical content of the program recognizes and aims to develop students’ competence, confidence and motivation for best practice. The theoretical content is based on strong evidence gleaned from recognised sources.

Entry requirement

Applicants shall:

Be at least 18 years of age
Have successfully completed Grade 12 education level with A, B or C grades in language and literature, Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry.

Note: Experienced health workers without these qualifications will be considered on merit.

Selection criteria

1. School leaver applicants must:

Indicate first preference for Nursing Studies in the school leaver application form
Express commitment to the nursing profession
Have a suitable personality and responsible attitude towards patient care
Supply a medical examination report on arrival to the school.

2. Non School Leaver applicants must:

Apply by completing the application form supplied by the School
Express commitment to the nursing profession
Have a suitable personality and responsible attitude towards patient care
Provide a character reference from a pastor, employer or a community leader
Supply a medical examination report before or on arrival at the school.

Note: Health worker applicants must have served or worked in the field for at least three years and be
recommended by the Provincial Health Advisor or relevant Church Health Authority.

3. Overseas applicants must have:

Matriculation level acceptance for higher education in Papua New Guinea.
A written guarantee of funding from an authenticated body
The DWU St Mary’s School of Nursing selection committee reviews applications from non school leavers in August and makes recommendations to the selection unit of the Department of Higher Education Research Science and
Technology. School leaver selections are done in December and Department of Higher Education Research Science and Technology informs the applicants a month before the commencement of the program. Initially an intake of 40 students is planned.

Credit points required

At SMSON, 8 credit points is the usual unit value which represents 10 hours per week of theoretical or practical nursing-related activities, or a fifth of a full time load for a semester. A full load for a semester is 40 credit points; a full load for the year is 80 credit points. The expectation is that students complete a minimum of 40 hours of theoretical and/or practical nursing-related activities (including self-directed learning - SDL) each week.

Requisites to complete the award

The requirements for progression through the program and for graduation are according to the policies and regulations of the St Mary’s School of Nursing, ratified by Divine Word University.

In order to satisfy the requirements for a unit the student will:
a) Attend such classes that are required for the unit
b) Complete such assignments, clinical work and practical work and attempt such tests and examinations as may be required
c) Achieve a satisfactory standard overall in such assignments, clinical work, practical work, tests and examinations as are required for the unit
d) Demonstrate satisfactory performance on clinical assessment in all units with a clinical component.

A student whose performance in prescribed clinical experiences is unsatisfactory may be withdrawn at any time from clinical experiences or excluded from the program. Students who fail a block test or exam will be allowed one resit before the start of the following semester. Students who fail a unit will be allowed to repeat the unit when it is next offered. Only one repeat attempt will be allowed. Students who withdraw from a unit must re-enrol for the whole unit for that semester.
Students will be eligible to graduate with the Diploma of General Nursing award upon successful completion of the program and apply for registration with the Nursing Council of Papua New Guinea. This requires achievement of Pass grades or better in all units. Progression through the program will depend on satisfactory completion of pr-requisite units prior to moving on to higher-level units.