SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Organise, co-ordinate and review the activities of a health care unit 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
252094  Organise, co-ordinate and review the activities of a health care unit 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Nursing 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services Promotive Health and Developmental Services 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 7  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L7  4 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
This unit standard will be useful for people working as clinically focused, service orientated, independent, registered staff nurses, who are able to render basic care to persons with stable and uncomplicated general health problems, as determined by the appropriate legislative framework.

This unit standard will recognise the essential knowledge and skills required to organise, coordinate and review the activities of a health care unit.

People credited with this unit standard are able to:
  • Identify, categorise and prioritise activities in a health care unit.
  • Communicate and coordinate planned and emergent nursing activities in a health care unit.
  • Evaluate the performance of a health care unit. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    The credit calculation is based on the assumption that learners are already competent in terms of the following outcomes or areas of learning when starting to learn towards this unit standard:
  • Principles of planning.
  • Scope of practice of different groups of staff.
  • ID 252098: Use communication skills to establish and maintain supportive relationships.
  • Nursing care requirements of patients with different types of illnesses. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    Specific range statements are provided in the body of the unit standard where they apply to particular specific outcomes or assessment criteria.

    The following scope and context applies to the whole unit standard:
  • The Nurse functions within the scope of practice of a staff nurse as formulated by the SANC and the Nursing Act.
  • Health care units include: Community, curative and rehabilitative services. 
    		•

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Identify, categorise and prioritise activities in a health care unit. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Analysis of planned nursing and general unit activities accurately determines the volume and scope of work in relation to available and appropriately skilled resources. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Scope and volume includes:
  • Number healthcare users, area of health care (surgical/medical ward/ICU/theatre), facility utilisation (theatre days, pre-and post operative care).
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Analysis of activities accurately determines the complexity of activities in relation to their frequency and time required to execute. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Analysis determines the distribution and utilisation of resources with respect to physical location and timeframe. The analysis notes activities that range across different time frames. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Distribution includes:
  • Institution, community, curative and rehabilitative services.

    Timeframes include:
  • Day/week/month, quarterly, bi-annual, annual.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Activities are prioritised according to an analysis of needs and available staff, in the order of seriousness of the patient's condition and/or problems, and to meet patient care needs. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Monitoring of unit activities identifies emerging needs, and re-prioritisation of activities in the unit is appropriate in terms of emerging needs and new demands on resources. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Re-prioritisation includes:
  • Changes in schedules and activities, reallocation of resources.
     
    		•

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Communicate and coordinate planned and emergent nursing activities in a health care unit. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Planned and emergent nursing activities are appropriately allocated and delegated according to staff category, ability and level of competence. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Quality nursing care is ensured through the coordination of nursing care and general unit activities within set time frames and in accordance with standards of nursing practice. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Standards include:
  • Sontinuity of care, effective time management.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    The work activities in the health care unit are supervised in a supportive and reflective manner that empowers nurses, and facilitates quality patient care. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Communication with nursing staff, senior management, and support staff is appropriate in terms of content, manner, frequency and level, according to institutional policy and procedures. Communication is consistent with the role of the unit manager and interrelationships between line and staff functions. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Use of health informatics is according to purpose and design, and ensures accurate and complete documentation and enhanced communication in the health care unit. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Informatics include:
  • Computerised patient data base, computerised nursing care activities, hand written records.
     
    		•

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Evaluate the performance of a health care unit. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Information is gathered from all significant stakeholders within and affected by the unit, as well as records of planned nursing and general unit activities. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Affected persons are debriefed in a sensitive and supportive manner, in accordance with intuitional procedures and guidelines. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Information gathered is collated and areas for improvement in unit activities and resource utilisation are identified, together with suggested improvements and/or recommendations to the appropriate authority. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Own role is evaluated for impact on the effectiveness of the unit and the application of resources. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Information relating to unit activities and resource utilisation is disseminated via approved channels to assist with refinement of information, interventions and procedures. Information is also used to validate and/or contribute to the development of effective training in unit management. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
  • Accreditation Options: Providers of learning towards this unit standard will need to meet the accreditation requirements of the relevant ETQA.
  • Moderation Options: The moderation requirements of the relevant ETQA must be met in order to award credit to learners for this unit standard. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
    The following essential embedded knowledge will be assessed through assessment of the specific outcomes in terms of the stipulated assessment criteria. Candidates are unlikely to achieve all the specific outcomes, to the standards described in the assessment criteria, without knowledge of the listed embedded knowledge. This means that for the most part, the possession or lack of the knowledge can be directly inferred from the quality of the candidate's performance. Where direct assessment of knowledge is required, assessment criteria have been included in the body of the unit standard.
  • Delegation principles.
  • Supervisory process.
  • Formal communication channels and formats. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identify and solve problems and make decisions using critical and creative thinking.

    Note:
  • Core to the standard: Allocating and monitoring resource utilisation. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others as members of a team, group, organisation or community.

    Note:
  • Core to the standard: Team based approach. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and effectively.

    Note:
  • Essential in work with different stakeholders, allocating resources. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information.

    Note:
  • Core to the standard: Monitoring resource utilisation. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicate effectively, using visual, mathematical and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written presentations.

    Note:
  • Core to the standard: Communicating with unit and stakeholders. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use science and technology effectively and critically showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others.

    Note:
  • Indirectly: Presentation of information. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation.

    Note:
  • Core to team based approaches. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    N/A 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Notes to assessors:

    Assessors should keep the following general principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this unit standard:
  • Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, then focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.
  • Make sure that evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the candidate is able to perform in the real situation.
  • Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.
  • The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.
  • The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this unit standard, that the candidate can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.
  • All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles of assessment: appropriateness, fairness, manageability, integration into work or learning, validity, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent.

    The following particular issues should be taken into consideration when assessing against this unit standard:
  • The SANC guidelines are used as a reference for integrated assessment.
  • Formative Assessment: A variety of assessment strategies and/or approaches integrating theory and practice must be used. These could be tests, assignments, projects, demonstrations or clinical assessments or any other applicable method.
  • Summative: This could take a form of oral, written and/or practical assessments as agreed to with the relevant ETQA.

    Definition of Terms:

    Terms have been clarified as far as possible through the use of range statements. Further clarification of terms is provided as follows:
  • The terms "patient" and "health care user" are used interchangeably in this unit standard. The term patient is used internationally, and the term health care user is used in the Nursing Act 33 of 2005, as well as the National Health Act 61 of 2003.. 
    		•

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Core  59236   National Diploma: Nursing  Level 5  NQF Level 05  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2020-07-30  As per Learning Programmes recorded against this Qual 
    Core  59257   Bachelor of Nursing  Level 7  NQF Level 08  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  As per Learning Programmes recorded against this Qual 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.