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...
Update 6th September 2019: Only after a few days of issuing the revised eligibility criteria on 3rd September 2019, PNC issued another letter on 6th September 2019. Therefore, the latest eligibility criteria for admissions in Post-RN BSN is the one which was issued on 6th September 2019 and is given below: PAKISTAN NURSING COUNCIL (NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH) CHAK SHEHZAD, ISLAMABAD NO. PNC F11-Admin/2019/2959 Date: September 6, 2019 NOTIFICATION: Revised Admission Criteria for Post RN BSN Degree In compliance of the decision taken against Agenda Item No. 01 of Academic Committee meeting of Pakistan Nursing Council held on 14- 16" May, 2018 and Agenda Item No. 05 of the 25" Session of Pakistan Nursing Council held under the chair of Ms Afshan Nazly, President, PNC on 30th - 31th July, 2019 the following Admission criteria of 02 years Post RN BSN Degree ls hereby revised as below: Qualification : Matric w...