INSTITUTE OF HEALTH CARE CERTIFICATE 
IN NURSING PRACTICE COURSE g S.L.327.159 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.159
INSTITUTE OF HEALTH CARE CERTIFICATE IN 
NURSING PRACTICE COURSE REGULATIONS
15th December, 1998
LEGAL NOTICE 265 of 1998.
Citation and 
interpretation.
1. (1) The title of these regulations is the Institute of Health
Care Certificate in Nursing Practice Course Regulations.
(2) In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires -
"the Board" means the Board of the Institute of Health Care;
"the Certificate" means the Institute of Health Care Certificate in
Nursing Practice;
"the course" means the course leading to the Institute of Health
Care Certificate in Nursing Practice; and
"the Institute" means the Institute of Health Care of the
University of Malta.
Applicability.
1992 or later.
Eligibility for 
Certificate.
3. To be eligible for the award of the Certificate students
must have:
( a ) been registered as students in the Institute for a
minimum period of twenty-one months;
( b ) completed an appropriate course of studies in
accordance with these regulations;
( c ) been successful in the relevant examinations; and
( d ) satisfied all other requirements laid down in these
regulations and in any other relevant statutes,
regulations and bye-laws of the University.
Registration.
they:
( a ) are not less than 17 years of age within three calendar
months from the date on which the course commences;
( b ) satisfy the entry requirements as specified in
regulation 5;
( c ) satisfy the Board that they have the necessary aptitude
for nursing (candidates may be required to attend an
interview for this purpose); and
( d ) satisfy the Department of Health as to their medical
fitness to undertake nursing duties.
Entry 
requirements.
5. (1) In order to be admitted to the course candidates must
have one of the following qualifications:
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( a ) passes in the Secondary Education Certificate
Examination (or equivalent) in four subjects, including
English Language; or
( b ) a pass from the Pre-Vocational School (Health Care)
in four subjects, including English Language; or
( c ) have completed at least the first year of the Health
Assistants (Nursing) course with credit and are
recommended by the Head of Nursing Studies as being
able to follow the course with profit; or
( d ) have successfully completed a Health Assistants
course prior to 1989 and can demonstrate to the Board
that they have the ability to follow the course with
profit; or
( e ) are 23 years of age or over, and can demonstrate to the
Board that they have the ability to follow the course
with profit; or
( f ) have been registered in the course for the Diploma in
Nursing or the Diploma in Midwifery of the
University.
(2) In addition to the requirements listed in subregulation (1),
overseas students must demonstrate proficiency in both written and
oral English.
Duration of the 
course.
6. (1) The course shall extend over three academic years and
is divided into two parts:
Part A - 2 semesters
Part B - 4 semesters.
(2) Except as provided in subregulations (3) and (4), students
must successfully complete Part A of the course before proceeding
to Part B.
(3) Students admitted under regulation 5( c ) shall, under
special circumstances and with the approval of the Board, be
exempted from Part A of the course.
(4) Students admitted under regulation 5( f ) shall normally be
exempted, on a module for module basis, from those modules in
which they have been successful in the course for the Diploma in
Nursing or the Diploma in Midwifery, and from the Part A
comprehensive examination, under such conditions that the Board,
on the recommendation of the Board of Nursing Studies, may in
each case determine. No student may be exempted from the final
comprehensive examination.
(5) Students may take the final comprehensive examination
not earlier than two years nine months and not later than four years,
except with the permission of the Board, provided that for students
admitted under regulation 5( f ), the Board may fix different limits
compatible with the above and dependent on the time spent in the
Diploma course.
Course of studies - 
Part A.
7. (1) Part A of the course comprises modules relating to
specific aspects of nursing. Each module has a theoretical and a
INSTITUTE OF HEALTH CARE CERTIFICATE 
IN NURSING PRACTICE COURSE g S.L.327.159 3
clinical component which are interdependent.
(2) The Board shall stipulate the sequence of modules students
may take.
(3) Students shall be assessed in each module in both the
theory and practice of nursing.
(4) Students who fail the theoretical component of a module
shall be allowed one reassessment of that component.
(5) Clinical practice shall be assessed by nurse teachers or
clinical nurses from relevant areas of practice.
Completion of Part 
A of the course.
8. (1) To complete Part A of the course successfully and
continue to Part B students must obtain the following: 
( a ) a pass grade in all the theoretical module assessments;
( b ) a pass grade in all the clinical module assessments;
and
( c ) pass in the Part A comprehensive examination.
(2) Students who fail the Part A comprehensive examination
shall be allowed to resit the examination on one other occasion,
normally prior to the commencement of Part B of the course.
Course of Studies - 
Part B.
9. (1) Part B of the course comprises modules relating to
specific aspects of nursing. Each module has theoretical and
practical components which are interdependent.
(2) The Board shall stipulate the sequence of modules students
may take.
(3) Clinical practice shall be assessed by nurse teachers or
clinical nurses from relevant areas of practice.
Theoretical 
component.
10. (1) On completion of a module, students shall be assessed
and shall be awarded grades in descending order of merit,
indicating the standard attained by them as follows: A+, A, B+, B,
C+, C, D+, D. F indicates fail.
(2) If they fail a module students shall be allowed to resit the
appropriate assessment once. If successful in the resit, students
shall be awarded the minimum grade D.
(3) Students who fail the resit in more than two modules shall
not be allowed to continue the course.
(4) Students who fail the resit in not more than two modules
may be allowed by the Board to repeat the failed module or
modules on only one other occasion, at the end of the course. On
completion of each module students shall be awarded either the
minimum grade D or F - Fail, according to the standard attained in
their theoretical module assessments.
(5) Students who fail in any repeated module shall not be
allowed to continue the course, except in special circumstances and
with the permission of the Board given on the recommendation of
the Board of Nursing Studies.
(6) Absence from assessments, unless for a cause considered
justified by the Board, shall be considered equivalent to a Fail.
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Clinical 
component.
11. (1) Students shall be required to undergo clinical
placements in areas and in the sequence specified by the Board.
(2) Successful completion of a module shall be determined by
a process of continuous assessment. Clinical components shall be
assessed on a Pass/Fail basis.
(3) Subject to the provisions of subregulation (4), students
who fail a module may repeat the module on only one other
occasion, at the end of the course.
(4) Students who fail more than two modules in Part B shall
not be allowed to continue the course or to sit for the final
comprehensive examination, except in special circumstances and
with the permission of the Board given on the recommendation of
the Board of Nursing Studies.
Completion of 
course.
12. To complete the course students must have:
( a ) successfully completed Part A of the course in terms
of the provisions of regulation 8, unless exempted in
terms of regulation 6(3) and (4); and
( b ) obtained at least a pass grade in each module of Part B
in both theory and practice, unless exempted in terms
of regulation 6(4):
Provided that the Board may exempt students from
specified modules if they have obtained a
qualification, the study for which is equivalent in
content and standard to that required for the modules
concerned.
Final 
comprehensive 
examination.
13. (1) Students shall be required to sit for the final
comprehensive examination after satisfying the requirements laid
down in regulation 12.
(2) The final comprehensive examination comprises the
following two papers taken in the same session:
Paper I Theory and Practice of Nursing
Paper II Nursing Issues and Nursing Ethics.
(3) The final comprehensive examination shall normally take
place shortly after the end of the last module of the course.
(4) The overall evaluation of students for the Certificate shall
be based on their performance in the final comprehensive
examination but, in borderline cases, performance during Part B of
the course shall also be taken into consideration.
(5) Students who fail in either or both papers shall be required
to resit the paper(s) at a time specified by the Board, normally
within four to six months of completion of the course. Students
may also be required to take a  viva voce  examination on the subject
matter of the paper(s) failed.
(6) Students shall not be allowed any further attempts at the
final comprehensive examination.
(7) Students who are allowed to resit part or all of the final
comprehensive examination shall not be eligible to obtain a grade
INSTITUTE OF HEALTH CARE CERTIFICATE 
IN NURSING PRACTICE COURSE g S.L.327.159 5
higher than D.
Result.
Certificate shall be published in a list in alphabetical order in the
following three categories:
Pass with Distinction
Pass with Credit
Pass.
