Abstract
M.Cur.
College management is liable for quality management ofthe college to facilitate quality
education. Nursing collegeshave the autonomous responsibility for planning, organising,
implementing and controlling nursing education in order to ensure the achievement of
programme objectives set by the South African Nursing Council. The college is further
accountable to the community for the training of nurses to meet their health needs.
Through the implementation of quality improvement strategies, which begin with the
description of standards, the college manager accepts responsibility for facilitating
quality nursing education through quality management.
The purpose of the study was to describe standards for a nursing college, which can be
used as a management instrument to facilitate quality education, as well as effective
functioning of a nursing college. The aim of the study is justified by means of a
descriptive, explorative, contextual research design.
Standards for a nursing college were developed and validated by utilising a structured
two-phase research method. For the development of standards, the Delphi method, round
one, was used to identify subjects for standards, after which a preliminary conceptual
framework was compiled. A comprehensive literature control was then undertaken to
refine the preliminary conceptual framework. A final conceptual framework was
formulated which served as a basis for the description of standards. The final validation
of standards occurred in the quantifying phase by means of consensus discussions
between experts during round two of the Delphi method.
The main subjects for which standards were described, include philosophy, mission,
strategic planning, personnel management, general management, research role of the
tutor, community involvement, academy, students and quality improvement programme.
Structural standards, which can be utilized as a management instrument, were described
and represented in the form of an accreditation instrument. The purpose of this
instrument is for management to use it for self-evaluation, while the standards are
implemented and tested in the nursing colleges.