Choosing an Assistant Nursing Programme

It is always important to investigate the credentials/ legal status of a nursing or midwifery school or programme of study before investing time and money in the pursuit of your professional education. All potential nursing and or midwifery students should be aware that any nursing or midwifery programme of study they are considering should be approved by the Nursing Council of Jamaica (NCJ) before they enroll. A current list of the Council’s approved assistant nursing and educational programmes is as follows

Approved Educational Programmes for Assistant Nurses

• Excelsior Community College
• Portmore Community College
• Knox Community College

NB:     The Council has not approved any School of Nursing or Midwifery to offer part- time programmes in nursing and or midwifery.

Recognition of Prior Learning for Nursing and Midwifery Education

Applicants normally require a minimum academic qualification to enter nursing and midwifery programmes. The Nursing Council recognises that learning can and does occur outside of traditional routes and so is committed to the principles of equity and accessibility, and facilitates entry to programmes through non-traditional routes.

On that basis, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) as an assessment process that determines the extent to which an applicant has achieved the required competencies and standards for entry into to these programmes, is being rigorously defined by educators on the Nursing Council.  Being the regulatory body for nursing and midwifery education, the Council is developing the RPL Programme that will be communicated to institutions that offer those programmes for implementation. Assessors of applications will be required to give due regard to professional and statutory accredited study that when the RPL system is implemented, it will not compromise the specifics of academic and clinical standards for nursing and midwifery education and practice.

Credit recognition for prior academic achievements will only be approved by the Council when prior learning is comparable in terms of content, quality, award and duration to the units of study within the relevant programmes. The guidelines determined by the Council must be followed.

PLAR is therefore not yet accepted as entry requirement for Nursing and Midwifery education.