PNC Amendment Act 2023: A Guide

The Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC) Act of 1973 has recently undergone several amendments. These amendments aim to update and clarify the laws and regulations governing the training and registration of nurses, midwives, and Lady Health Visitors (LHVs) in Pakistan. These amendments were proposed in the Pakistan Nursing Council (Amendment) Act of 2023 and are intended to improve the quality of nursing education and practice in the country, and to ensure that nurses and other healthcare professionals are adequately prepared to meet the needs of patients. 

The following is a list of some of the key amendments that have been made to the PNC Act:

• The definition of "BSN" has been added to the act, which refers to a bachelor of science in nursing degree as a recognized higher qualification.
• The definition of "CNS" has been added to the act, which refers to a Clinical Nurse Specialist, who is a registered nurse who has completed a post-BSN diploma in a relevant discipline, and is registered and licensed to practice as a Clinical Nurse Specialist within a defined scope of practice. 
• The definition of "NP" has been added to the act, which refers to a Nurse Practitioner, who is a registered advanced practice nurse, who has completed a Master's degree in nursing, and is registered and licensed to practice autonomously and in collaboration with others within a defined scope of practice.
• The act establishes the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council (PNMC) and Provincial Nursing and Midwifery Examination Boards, which are responsible for the registration and training of nurses, midwives, and LHVs in the country.
• The act establishes a Committee for Accreditation, which is responsible for evaluating the educational programs offered by institutions and authorities seeking recognition from the PNMC. This committee must be made up of individuals with qualifications higher than the level of the program for which accreditation is being sought.
• The act requires that institutions and authorities that do not meet the prescribed requirements for educational programs be given a statement detailing the reasons for non-recognition and an opportunity to provide explanations. 
• The act requires that the PNMC maintain a database of information about registered nurses, midwives, and LHVs, and share this information with the federal and provincial governments, as well as the National Medical Authority.
• The act requires that the council shall maintain and verify the CNIC and all other necessary credentials of a person registered and licensed by the PNMC and carry out biometrics of all persons registered and maintain the updated information of where each person registered and licensed under the Act is working.

The implications of these amendments are that they may help to ensure that the nursing education and practice in Pakistan are of high quality, and that nurses and other healthcare professionals are adequately prepared to meet the needs of patients. The amendments also aim to increase the transparency and accountability of institutions and authorities that provide nursing education, and to ensure that nurses and other healthcare professionals are registered and licensed to practice in a safe and competent manner.

In addition to these changes, the amendment also includes other changes to the Act, such as changes to the composition of the PNMC's executive committee, and changes to the qualifications required for various nursing roles such as Clinical Nurse Specialists and Nurse Practitioners. These changes aim to ensure that nurses and other healthcare professionals have the necessary qualifications and experience to provide safe and effective care to patients.

Another change is that regarding the accreditation of institutions, where now the accreditation will be done by the accreditation committee, and not by the executive committee, and institutions that don't meet the requirements will be given a chance to explain themselves.

Another important change is the maintenance of a database of information about registered nurses, midwives, and LHVs, which will help to ensure that these healthcare professionals are adequately prepared to meet the needs of patients, and that they are registered and licensed to practice in a safe and competent manner.

In summary, the amendments to the PNC act aim to improve the quality of nursing education and practice in Pakistan by ensuring that institutions and authorities providing nursing education meet the required standards and that nurses and other healthcare professionals have the necessary qualifications and experience to provide safe and effective care to patients. Additionally, these amendments also aim to increase transparency, accountability, and oversight of the nursing profession in Pakistan.