WESTERN PACIFIC REGION NURSING AND MIDWIFERY DATABANK COUNTRY: MALAYSIA 1. Historical events in nursing and midwifery The history of nursing in Malaysia began from about the year 1800 with the formation of the East India Company when hospital for the sick were established in Penang and Singapore. was carried out by Catholic nuns and later on replaced by English nurses from England. practice in the pre-war period in Malaya then was carried out by nurses who received on the job training with lectures given by expatriates i.e. by European sisters, matrons and doctors at the hospital level. After Independence, health services became mainly a central government responsibility with delegation of service delivery through state and district health administrations. Prior to the war, each straits/settlement organized and ran their own nursing services. All states were responsible to the director of medical services. The nurses receives lectures in practice and theory of nursing from the matron or assistant matron of the hospital. The doctors gave lectures to both nurses and hospital assistant. They sat for their own state examination and the standards varies from one state to another. On completion from training, nurses were promoted to staff nurse and later in considered suitable they become senior staff nurse. The expansion of medical and nursing services were greatly hindered during the emergency situations. But in 1959, most of the states in Malaya become free from communism and it marks the beginning of the development of health services throughout the country. IMPTANT LANDMARKS 1923 Introduction of legislation for the control of the Practice of Midwifery and the training of midwifes in the Straits Settlement and subsequently in the other states of the Malay Peninsular. 1950 Legislation Nurses Act and the establishment of the Nurses Registration Ordinance, to control the practice of nursing which provided for the setting up of the Board for controlling the training and registration as regards to the practice of nursing. Development of syllabus and curriculum for the Basic Nurse Training. The regulation for the conduct of final examination. The issuing of the Nurse Training Certificate The Regulation to control the pratice of nursing though registration and issue of Registration Certrificate and Registration Badge.
1956 The Nurses Registration Regulation. 1961 The first private nursing school in Malaysia was established at the Assunta Hospital. It was called the Tun Tan Cheng Cock College of. 1969 Extension of the Act to Sarawak. 1978 Extension of the Act to Sabah. 1985 Nurses Registration Regulation 1985. Implementation of the Annual Practicing Certificate. 1966 The Midwives Act 1966 establishes a Midwifes Boards provides for the registration of nurse-midwifes and regulates the practice of midwifery in the country. 1971 The Midwives (Registration) Regulation, 1971, requiring all midwives to apply for registration. (Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA), up to 1st August 1972) 1990 Act Revised 1990 (Reopened to Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA), within the next 10 years). Page 2
Advancement of the nursing Profession in Malaysia A. service sector The Division was reinstated / restored on 1 Jun 2006, with the Appointment of Director of. The Division is now directly under the supervision of our honourable Director General of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia Y. Bhg. Dato Dr. Hasan bin Abdul Rahman, who is also the chairman of the Board and the Midwifery Board Malaysia. Upgrading from Support group to Professional since year 2005. Incentive for Post-basic courses. Retirement age increased to 58 B. Education * Upgrading Certificate status to Diploma * Upgrading Assistant Nurse to Staff nurse * Upgrading Community nurse to Staff nurse * Upgrading Midwives to Community nurses * 2 tier for Government sector - Certificate - Diploma * 3 tier for the private sector - Certificate for Assistant Nurse - Diploma for Staff nurse - Degree for Staff nurse C. Commencement of Degree programme * Schools upgraded to Colleges * College Principals upgraded to Directors of College D. Accreditation of & Midwifery Programme 36 private nursing colleges existed in year 2006 increased to 115 currently. Public University has increased from 5 to 10. Ministry Of Health = 28 Colleges, 1 nursing College under Ministry of Defence and 76 Private Colleges. Page 3
2. Regulations and Laws 2.1 Act or Law Regulation focus Nurses Regulation 1985 (Being reviewed currently, most probably will be repealed ) Midwives Regulation 1990 Target Nurse categories Nurses of all category Midwives Title of Act or Law Year Regulatory authority Nurses Act 1950 (Being reviewed currently, most probably will be repealed ) Midwives Act 1966 1950 1966 Malaysian Board Malaysian Midwives Board 2.2 Regulatory authority Authority Address Phone No. Fax No. e-mail Malaysian Board Malaysian Midwives Board Ministry Of Health Malaysia, Level 3, Block E1, Complex E, Precint 1 Federal Government Administrative Centre, 62590, Putrajaya, Malaysia 88831315 88831329 fathilah_ab@moh. gov.my 3. Associations Associations Address Phone No. Fax No. E-mail Malaysian Nurses Association Suite C-10-1, Wisma Goshen Plaza Pantai, Jln. 4/83A, Off Jln. Pantai Baru, 59200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 22826971 22826973 mna11109@hotm ail.com 4. Nurse leaders and/or focal points Name and position title Organization and Address Phone No. Fax No. E-mail Dato Hjh. Fathilah Hj. Abd. Wahab, Director of, Malaysia Division Ministry Of Health Malaysia, Level 3, Block E1, Complex E, Precint 1 Federal Government Administrative Centre, 62590, Putrajaya, Malaysia 88831315 88831329 fathilah_ab@moh. gov.my Page 4
Dame Ramziah Ahmad President Malaysian Nurses Association Suite C-10-1, Wisma Goshen Plaza Pantai, Jln. 4/83A, Off Jln. Pantai Baru, 59200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 22826971 22826973 mna11109@hotm ail.com Rosni Aziz President Malaysian Nurses Union No A 82, Jalan Padang Belia 50470 Brickfields Kuala Lumpur Malaysia 22749862 22749776 None 5. Categories and functions of nurses Category Entry requirement Length of training Level/ Credential Description Diploma In Diploma Programme (Local Candidates) Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) with 5 Credits 3 Years Diploma - Basic All Programmes need to abide to Guidelines On Standard & Criteria for Approval / Accreditation of Programmes. Mathematics Science (General Science / Pure Science Biology / Chemistry / Physics ; and 3 other subjects and a pass in; Bahasa Malaysia (Malay Language) English Language Diploma Programme (Foreign Candidates) O-Level or equivalent to SPM with 5 credits Mathematics Science (General Science / Pure Science Biology / Chemistry / Physics ; and 3 other subjects Page 5
and Proficient in English Pass International English Language Testing Services (IELTS) with a minimum of 5.5 Test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL) with a minimum of 550 Pass in English (O-Level or equivalent to SPM 1119 Basic Degree Programme Basic Degree Programme For Local Students Pass STPM or its equivalent, with a minimum CGPA 2.5 (For Art Stream students credits in Mathematics and Science at SPM level) 4 Years Degree In Matriculation with a minimum CGPA 2.5 Foundation Programme with a minimum CGPA 3.0 Pass in the Malaysian University English Test (MUET) For Foreign Candidates In addition to the above requirements: Pass International English Language Testing Services (IELTS) with a minimum of 5.5 or Test of English as a foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum of 550. Page 6
Masters in Basic degree in or nursing related degree. Registered with Board Malaysia or its equivalent. Possess current Annual Practicing Certificate. Minimum 3 years working experience for basic degree holders. 2 Years Masters in Foreign candidates must obtain; Temporary Practicing Certificate (TPC) for clinical programme Pass International English Language Testing Services (IETS) with a minimum of 6.5 Test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL) with a minimum of 600. PhD / Doctorate Programme Masters in or nursing related degree or its equivalent. Registered with Malaysian Board or its equivalent. Possess current Annual Practicing Certificate. 4 Years PhD In Page 7
6. Education (include a diagrammatic illustration if available and the total number of nursing and midwifery schools). No. Number of Colleges conducted by Public Sector Number of Private Institutions Number of Higher Institutions 1. 28 (Ministry of Health) 1 (Ministry of Defence) 76 10 7. Resources available (e.g. practice guidelines, standards, policies on nursing/ midwifery workforce) Subject/Title Year published Description Contact (Name, Address, Phone No., Fax No., E-mail, etc.) Nurses Act 1950 & Nurses Regulation 1985 Midwives Act 1966 & Nurses Regulations 1990 1950 1985 Reprinted 1999 1966 1990 Reprinted 2001 Nurses Act & Nurses Regulation will be repealed in year 2011, taking into consideration advancements in and to maintain the standard. Midwives Act & Midwives Regulation will be repealed in year 2011, taking into consideration advancements in and to maintain the standard. Division Ministry Of Health Malaysia, Level 3, Block E1, Complex E, Precint 1 Federal Government Administrative Centre, 62590, Putrajaya, Malaysia. Tel No: 88831315 Fax No: 88831329 Email: fathilah_ab@moh.gov.my Practice Guideline (NPG) 2007 A total of 25 set of books on various specialty / discipline to guide nurses in their Care to sustain quality. Code of Professional Conduct for Nurses 1998 In the process of review Code of Professional Conduct for Midwife 1998 In the process of review Page 8
Guidelines On Standard & Criteria For Approval / Accreditation of Programmes 2010 Last review 01 July 2010. Provides guidelines on Professional Standards and criteria required for both the approval and accreditation of any nursing programme offered in the country. These guidelines are subjected to being reviewed from time to time when deemed necessary. 8. Main nursing and midwifery issues/priorities: Shortage of Nurses with Specialization. Insufficient Post Basic Training Institutions 9. Important policies or strategies needed: Encourage more nurses to take up Specialised Post Basic Courses Encourage more Private Institutions to conduct Post Basic Courses. 1. Does your country have a National Health Plan and or Human Resources for Health Strategy? How have and Midwifery workforce policies been integrated into this plan/s? Malaysia does have a national health plan, inclusive of human resources for health. and midwifery and overall HRH assessments and need projections linked to priority population health needs and universal access are integrated into the national health plan. Last update: 2102-May 2013 Page 9