Page 24 - Nursing Education in Malaysia

NursiNg EducatioN iN Malaysia

Overall, nursing’s focus should be on issues related to:

1. Entry requirements
2. Curriculum content and implementation
3. Student assessment
4. Teaching qualification

Entry requirements
Nursing needs pure science and mathematics irrespective of Cumulative Grade Point
Average (CGPA). Based on experience, a 2.00 CGPA student (or equivalent to SPM)
with pure science and mathematics is better than high CGPA without. Nursing needs this
category of students to develop the “critical thinking” aspects of nursing.

In 2010, the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Higher Education Official
announced that the entry requirements for diploma programme is SPM, five credits
without specifying details. Tun Tan Cheng Lock College of Nursing was the first college
to respond to the requirements specifying them to include credits in Bahasa Malaysia,
English, Mathematics and Science (Learning Curve, New Sunday Times 19 September
th
2010). UKM was the first University to implement in 1996, a five-credit requirements to
include Biology, Chemistry/Physics, Bahasa Malaysia and Mathematics. The five-credit
requirement was strongly opposed by a number of private organizations, reflecting the
organizations’ lack of understanding about nursing as a profession.

Curriculum content and implementation
The CORE CURRICULUM should focus on “critical thinking and the intelligent
application of knowledge” to practice and holistic care. The curriculum content must
include appropriate proportion of medical and nursing sciences, liberal arts, research and
electives. Implementation process must include “good” habits of the mind (critical thinking
and problem solving) and the heart (compassion, caring, integrity) and that the two must be
so organized that the “Body, Mind and Soul” (physical, mental and spiritual) be integrated.
The application of Nursing Process Model and Problem-based Learning (PBL) are highly
indicated.

Student assessment
Students should be assessed in clinical knowledge, clinical competence and clinical
performance.

Clinical klnowledge can be assessed through objective and subjective written
examinations whereas clinical competence can be assessed through “clinical” examinations.
Students are assessed in their clinical effectiveness through giving of direct care to one
patient/client using technical procedures and nursing process.

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