by Khalil Ahmed Jatt and Dr Raisa Gul Most of the nursing education institutions, in Pakistan, have been offering 3-year General Nursing Diploma since their establishment. The 4-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) degree programme was introduced in the country in 1997 and the first cohort of BScN nurses graduated in 2001. Since then, many nursing institutions (schools or colleges) gradually switched to the degree programme, but the diploma programme was not abolished in the country. The issue of abolishing the diploma became a topic of hot discussion when the Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC) stopped the nursing institutions to enroll students in the diploma programme in January 2019. Although most of the stakeholders are welcoming this announcement, some are raising their concerns against this move. Some rumours and misconceptions are also circulating in this regard. By distinguishing the facts from the rumours, the stakeholders can contribute towar...
The Pakistan Nursing Council ( now called the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council or PN&MC ) has introduced internship guidelines 2021 for undergraduate nursing students who have completed four years of college. The internship program must be completed in a PNC recognized hospital, which will offer PNC-specified clinical experiences. During this program, students will have a combination of practical and theoretical experiences that will enable them to acquire competency and experience to perform as an independent nurse. Successful completion of the internship period will result in an internship certificate, and students will be eligible to appear in the licensing examination. Below are some frequently asked questions and answers from these guidelines. What is the nursing internship program in Pakistan? The nursing internship program is a one-year program for nursing students in Pakistan, which is taken after the successful completion of a four-year undergraduate...