by Khalil Ahmed Jatt, Head Nurse, PIMS, Islamabad  PNC Licensure Examination is a written test of the Generic BSc Nursing graduates that is conducted by the Pakistan Nursing Council to determine the preparedness of the graduates for nursing practice. Recently, the examination has been abolished by PNC due to some understandable reasons. Some people are of the view that PNC licensure examination for GBSN is unjust and unnecessary. Their perspective is based on the following arguments: When there are university exams then we do not need to appear for an extra exam. There is no licensure examination for the diploma holders therefore, there is no need for licensure exam for BSN graduates. Other healthcare professionals in Pakistan do not go through such examination, therefore this exam is unnecessary for BSN graduates It is not conducted internationally. PNC can not conduct a transparent examination. Many toppers failed in the licensure examination. Licensure exa...

The Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC), ( now called the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council or PNMC ) is the regulatory body for nursing education and practice in Pakistan. PN&MC notified the eligibility criteria for the appointment of faculty members in nursing colleges. The PNMC's notification, which was issued in August 2015 (vide letter number F-11-PNC-admin/2015-723), outlines the minimum qualifications, experience, and publications required for nursing lecturers, assistant professors, associate professors, and professors. In this blog post, we will discuss the eligibility criteria in detail and answer some common questions about them.  Q: What are the minimum qualifications required for a Nursing Lecturer position in a college of nursing according to PNMC?  A: The minimum qualifications required for a Nursing Lecturer position in a college of nursing are: Registered Nurse and Registered Midwife with Post RN BSN degree (Two years of post-degree experience, prefe...

Through a notification issued on 3rd September 2019, Pakistan Nursing Council has revised the eligibility criteria for admission in the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programme throughout the country. PNC Letter issued on 3rd September 2019 Letter Number: PNC Admin/ 2019/2954-57 Dated: Sptember 3, 2019 In compliance of the decision taken against Agenda Item No. 01 of Academic Committee meeting of Pakistan Nursing Council held on 14t 16th 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 30 -31st July, 2019 the following Admission Criteria of 02 years MSN Degree is hereby revised as below: Category-I 10 years' schooling (Matric) 3 years General Nursing Diploma registered with PNC 01 year Midwifery Diploma or any other Post Basic Specialty Diploma registered with PNC 01 year experience as RN for admission in Post RN BSN Degree 2 Years' Post RN BSN Degree Program as sp...

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...

1. Download challan form from the downloads section of online.pnc.org.pk . The exact link of challan form is: http://online.pnc.org.pk/RevisedChallan.pdf 2. Submit fee in any  Habib Bank branch and get it stamped from the bank. 3. Scan the challan copy and upload it online Note: you can easily scan challan form using your cellphone which has more than 5 megapixels camera. You can use CamScanner app to scan challan form. link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.intsig.camscanner

The Pakistan Nursing & Midwifery Council (PNMC) has introduced a new uniform dress code for nurses working in clinical settings across the country. The announcement, in an official letter from the PNMC dated January 31, 2024, stated guidance about professional attire of nursing staff in Pakistan. The new dress code approved during the 6th session of the council held from January 15-17, 2024, under the leadership of Ms. Farzana Zulfiger, President of PNMC, specifies new uniforms for male and female nurses. Female nurses are to wear a dark blue shalwar kameez with a nameplate, accompanied by a white coat and a blue scarf/dupatta. Male nurses are required to wear dark blue scrubs along with a nameplate. Category Uniform Female Nurses Dark blue shalwar kameez with nameplate, white coat or blue scarf/dupatta Male Nurses Dark blue scrubs with nameplate Health Departments across Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber P...

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Managing Nurses’ Duty Roster Version 3 (January 2019) Developed By: Khalil Ahmed Head Nurse, CCU, IH, PIMS, Islamabad Description: The purpose of developing these SOPs was to create uniformity and clarity in the policies regarding nurses’ duty roster. This document has brought the already practised rule into written form. The first version of the SOPs was introduced in Emergency and Accident Center, PIMS in 2014.  Further improvements have been brought in the subsequent versions. Constructive feedback would be appreciated. A sample duty roster which incorporates some of these rules is attached. SOPs Rationales 1.        Days off available in a month: 1.1.     Weekly off: A nurse will be eligible to avail weekly days off equal to the number of Sundays in a month. Because every Sunday is an official day off, therefore, all nurses are eli...

Are you confused about the terms BSN, BScN, Generic BSN, Post-RN, BS Nursing, and BSc Nursing? We receive many questions about these terms at PKN. This updated post will clarify these terms, especially in the context of recent changes in Pakistan. In short, the Generic BSN is a degree program for individuals who wish to join the nursing profession after 12 years of schooling, while the Post-RN BScN is a degree program for nurses who already have a three-year diploma in nursing.  Generic BSN The Generic BSN is an ideal option for those who want to enter the nursing profession in Pakistan. Previously, another option to join the nursing profession was the 3-year diploma in general nursing. However, according to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan's policies, the diploma in nursing was phased out across Pakistan in 2018.  The Generic BSN is a 4-year degree program followed by a one-year internship. An internship involves practical nursing practice in a hospital u...

Understanding the nurse-patient ratio according to the Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC) is crucial for ensuring proper healthcare standards in hospitals across the country.  However, it is important to acknowledge that nurse-patient ratios in many hospitals in Pakistan are currently far lower than the recommended guidelines. In this blog post, we will provide a detailed analysis and breakdown of the official PNC notification on this subject. The official PNC notification on this subject is given below. Official Nurse-Patient Ratio According to Pakistan Nursing Council: The PNC issued a notification (No. PNC F-7-14-Admin/2021/ 3702) on 25th May 2021, outlining the minimum nurse-to-patient ratio for hospitals across Pakistan. The guidelines provided in this notification are as follows:     General Hospital Units: In general hospital units, the nurse-to-patient ratio should be 1:3 beds, which means three nurses for every ten beds, with one reliever nurse for e...

The Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC), now called Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council (PNMC), has made two important decisions that are related to appointing heads of nursing institutions from the nursing cadre only.  The first decision, made during the 21st session of the PNC Council Executive Committee in 2016, is that nursing institutions must ensure that their Heads of Nursing Institutions (e.g. Deans, Directors, Principals, etc.) must be from nursing cadre professionals, and not medical doctors or other non-nursing professionals. The committee expressed concern over the appointment of non-nursing professionals in charge of nursing colleges, nursing schools, and public health schools, despite the presence of many qualified nursing professionals in the country.  This decision is in line with the criteria set by the PNC and the Higher Education Commission (HEC), which require that nursing diploma and degree programs are supervised by nursing professionals only. The committee pointed...