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: 

Manage the provision of quality nursing care in a cost effective manner 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
252084  Manage the provision of quality nursing care in a cost effective manner 
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  6 
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 qualification will enable the learner to function as a clinically focused, service orientated, independent registered professional nurse, who is able to render comprehensive care across all spheres of health, as determined by the appropriate legislative framework. The qualifying learner will apply evidence-based research to enhance nursing practice.

This unit standard will recognise the essential knowledge and skills required to control the financial aspects of the provision of quality nursing care.

People credited with this unit standard are able to:
  • Apply financial management skills to management in a health care unit and/or facility.
  • Develop and implement policy and procedures for the acquisition, utilisation, storage and maintenance of supplies, medication and equipment.
  • Provide quality nursing care in a cost effective manner. 
    		•

    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:
  • Numeracy. 
    		•

    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. 
    		•

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Apply basic financial management skills to managing nursing in a health care unit and/or facility. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Sources of financial information within the unit or facility are identified and described in terms of the insights they provide into costs and viability of the operation. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Financial information includes:
  • Income statement; balance sheet; invoices; expenditure.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Interpretation of financial information provides an accurate description of the performance and cost effectiveness of the unit or facility. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Costing of unit services for a specified time period is realistic in terms of historical income and expenditure. Budgets accurately reflect available income and projected expenditure. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Cost centre budget reports are reconciled to own reports and submissions of actual nursing services delivered. Variances are noted, investigated and corrected according to institutional procedures. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Variances include:
  • Overspend; viament.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Nursing services are managed in accordance with approved budgets and resource allocation. Factors affecting costs and resulting in budget variances are identified and investigated in terms of allocation and cost effective application of resources. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Factors include:
  • Bed occupancy; staff costs/patient numbers.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    The cost of nursing services is measured in relation to the best clinical outcome in order to evaluate the quality, suitability and application of resources within the unit. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7 
    Analysis of financial information identifies possible irregular practice for further investigation. Departures from the norm in costs, expenditure or income are investigated for further action in line with institutional procedures. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Develop and implement policy and procedures for the acquisition, utilisation, storage and maintenance of supplies, medication and equipment. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Unit policies and procedures for the acquisition of supplies, medication and equipment are realistic in terms of budgetary considerations, and consistent with needs analyses for the unit, and institutional procurement policies and procedures. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Motivations for supplies, medication and equipment are formulated according to set guidelines and supported by relevant financial and clinical data. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Unit policies and procedures for storage, maintenance and utilisation of supplies, medication and equipment are consistent with applicable legal requirements and manufacturer's recommendations. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Unit policies and procedures for storage, maintenance and utilisation of supplies, medication and equipment are implemented in accordance with their purpose. Compliance is monitored and policies and procedures reviewed for effectiveness in terms of their purpose. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Input into policy and the development of procedures is consistent with reviews of implementation and compliance in practice. Input reflects an accurate understanding of cost effectiveness in the provision of public health services. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Provide quality nursing care in a cost effective manner. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Inventory levels are maintained at levels consistent with short term and emergency requirements, in accordance with just-in-time principles. Stock taking accurately determines availability and usage of stock, and ensures that stock levels are sufficient to meet demand. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Stock level control ensures that supplies, medication and equipment is stored securely, and available to units on demand. Contingency procurement plans ensure that unusual demand can be met without compromising service delivery. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Storage of supplies and medication complies with established procedures and maintains the requirements for conditions, expiry dates, and security. Stored items are made available to authorised persons according to established procedures. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Conditions include:
  • Temperature, cold chain management, light, moisture.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Persons using equipment are ensured to be competent, and compliant in terms of procedures and manufacturer's specifications. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Equipment is recorded on the asset register, and ensured to be serviced and maintained in terms of particular requirements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    The rostering, allocation and utilisation of staff reflects the maximisation of staff competence, and optimum nurse patient ratios to ensure cost effective utilisation of staff. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7 
    Inappropriate allocation of skilled personnel is monitored and minimised where possible with compromising service delivery. Allocation is based on the focus and activities of units. 


    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 Option:
  • 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:
  • Sound financial principles and -management.
  • Personnel scheduling.
  • Budgetary principles and processes.
  • Expenditure monitoring and Control.
  • Cost benefit analysis.
  • Management and improvement of quality. 
    		•

    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:
  • None. 
    		•

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    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 
    Elective  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 


    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.