Page 12 - Nursing Education in Malaysia

NursiNg EducatioN iN Malaysia

1959 marked the beginning of the development of health services throughout the
country. Health services became mainly the responsibility of the central government with
delegation of service delivery through state and district health administrations.

Within this period, the maternal and child health services came to the forefront as an
essential part of the National Rural Health Development programme.

In response to this development, Public Health Nurse programme was started in
Penang using the British Society for Health Programme curriculum. By early 1960s this
programme was rightly placed in the Public Health Institute, Kuala Lumpur.

The early 1970s saw the integration of Family Planning Service and School Health
Programme into the healthcare system. By 1978, there was a relatively well developed
public sector health service consisting of rural health network with urban-based district
hospitals (150-400 beds), general hospitals (500-2000 beds), general outpatient department
care, inpatient care and specialist services which served as referral centres.

Nursing education in Malaysia progressed in tandem with the development of the
country’s health services. Before the enactment of the Nurses Act (1950), three regional
schools of nursing were established: School of Nursing, Hospital Johor Baru (1946), School
of Nursing, Hospital Pulau Pinang (1947) and School of Nursing, Hospital Kuala Lumpur
(1948). All the three schools were headed by English tutors. At this time, education of
nurses was based on “on-the-job training” approach where lectures were given by the
matrons or assistant matrons, sisters and doctors.

In 1952, the training became more formalized using a curriculum based on the
General Nursing Council (GNC) of the United Kingdom. The block system curriculum
was adopted comprising 20% theory and 80% practice for the duration of three years and
four months. The ultimate aim of the training at this point in time was to obtain reciprocity
with hospitals in England and Wales, to enable Malaysian nurses to continue their studies
in countries abroad that have reciprocity with England and Wales. During this period,
many nurses were sent for nurse tutor courses (including midwifery tutor course) in Great
Britain, Australia and New Zealand (Nursing Board of Malaysia).

The first private school of nursing was the Tun Tan Cheng Lock School of Nursing,
established in 1967 at the Assunta Hospital, Petaling Jaya. In 1968, the University Hospital
School of Nursing Kuala Lumpur was set up. Both schools were subjected to the 1950
Nurses Act regulations and procedures.

Up until 1992, the graduates of nursing programmes, on passing the Final Nursing
Board Examination, received a Certificate in General Nursing. By late 1992, the certificate
curriculum was upgraded with more theoretical input (up to 50%), to become a diploma
curriculum.