Message from the Head of the Department
Welcome to the Nursing Science. We hope that you will be inspired to join our Department as a student or, that as a parent, you will be convinced to entrust your young adult(s) to our academic care.
Our Department prides itself on offering a supportive and student-centred learning environment. The department consists of dedicated academic and supportive administrative staff and approximately 3200 committed students. Our academics and professional services staff mission is to facilitate the academic and social growth of all students in our care.
The Department of Nursing Science at University of Zululand continues its innovative way of educating, service rendering and research. It has distinguished itself as one of the leaders in nursing education in South Africa. The Department is known for its academic excellence, sustainability, and diversity in line with the Strategic Plan of University of Zululand.
The Department has distinguished itself in its caring responsibility by adopting and embracing an African philosophy of “Ubuntu” as an epitome of caring. The philosophy stems from the idiom which states: I am because you are. I can only be a person through other persons. The philosophy emphasises teamwork, collaboration, participatory decision making, sharing of responsibilities, dialogue, reconciliation through consensus, honesty and appreciation of each other’s strength. Intrinsic in Ubuntu are values such as respect, caring, compassion, kindness, warmth, understanding, sharing, humanness, reaching out, wisdom, and neighbourliness which are the foundation of the caring ethics.
This is evident by the spirit of team work in the Department. The staff members have started publication groups wherein they assist, encourage and support each other in writing articles for publication, supervision of students, innovation in teaching and community engagement activities. The students enjoy the hospitality and mutual respect from their lecturers and learning environments as their inputs are valued.
In a spirit of collaboration the Department has joined hands with the University of Limpopo, Medunsa Campus, and together received funding from philanthropic organisations through the University-Based Nursing Education South Africa (UNEDSA) Project to implement the community-oriented nursing education programme for the Women and Child Health (CONE4WCH) project.
The Department is also engaged in partnership with other health institutions such as SG Lourens Nursing College, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Netcare, Medi-clinic and Tshwane District Hospital, Mpumalanga Health Department and Social Development and the local government (municipal) clinics in the City of Tshwane. The lecturers offer short courses, in-service education and some of the staff members are part of communities of practice (COP) which is part of the project initiatives.
Professor
Head of Department: Nursing