Kickstart Your Career With the Right Nursing Education Pathway

nursing pathway 教育途径

You’ve read about career opportunities that you can explore if you want to expand your skills and knowledge in the nursing field.

Now, you’re probably wondering what are the nursing education pathways that you can choose to become a Registered Nurse.

We’ve listed below what each pathway is all about so that you can make the best decision on your study options, unlock your potential, and more importantly fulfil your academic needs.

 

Nursing Education Pathways

1. Pathway 1: Foundation – Degree – RN

After taking a Foundation course in Science, you need to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and pass the Malaysian Nursing Board Examination before you can qualify as a Registered Nurse.

Why consider this education pathway:

  • You want to be more marketable and move up the pay grade ladder. Employers typically pay more to RNs with a Degree because of the multiple skill sets that they acquire from their programme including management, patient assessment and research
  • You want to pursue alternative nursing careers in non-hospital settings like private practice, consulting or teaching

Minimum requirements for Foundation:

  • At least 5 credits in SPM (including Mathematics, General Science/ Pure Science – Biology/ Chemistry/ Physics and 3 other subjects AND a pass in Bahasa Malaysia and English) or an equivalent certificate

Minimum requirements for Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing:

  • Foundation in Science or an equivalent certificate with CGPA of 3.0

Duration to become RN:

  • Foundation (1 year) + Degree (4 years) = 5 years

 

2. Pathway 2: Pre-University – Degree – RN

Once you have completed a Pre-U course (STPM, A-Levels, SAM, etc.), you can opt for a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and pass the Malaysian Nursing Board Examination before you can qualify as a Registered Nurse.

Why consider this education pathway:

  • You are unsure of what career to pursue after completing your SPM, so you study for a Pre-University programme to discover more about your passion and interests

Minimum requirements for Pre-U Programme Certificate:

  • At least 5 credits in SPM (including Mathematics, General Science/ Pure Science – Biology/ Chemistry/ Physics and 3 other subjects AND a pass in Bahasa Malaysia and English) or an equivalent certificate

Minimum requirements for Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing:

  • STPM – CGPA of 2.50
  • A-Levels – Pass in 2 subjects
  • SAM – Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER) 70 AND Grade B in 2 relevant subjects

Duration to become RN:

  • Pre-University (1-2 years) + Degree (4 years) = 5-6 years

 

3. Pathway 3: Diploma in Nursing – RN

Upon completion of Diploma in Nursing, you will be considered qualified to start practicing as a RN

Why Consider This Education Pathway:

  • A Diploma course is for you if you want practical experience. You will be given training through laboratory work and clinical placements, where you will be posted to hospitals
  • Many SPM leavers choose this path because once you’ve graduated from your Diploma, you get to join the workforce immediately and start your career as a RN early before moving on to alternative opportunities in the field later on

Minimum requirements for Diploma in Nursing:

  • At least 5 credits in SPM  including Mathematics, General Science/ Pure Science – Biology/ Chemistry/ Physics and 3 other subjects AND a pass in Bahasa Malaysia and English or an equivalent certificate

Duration to become RN:

  • You can start working as a RN after completing a 3-year Diploma in Nursing course

Extra Notes:

  • You can choose to pursue a Degree in Nursing after 3 years of work experience as a RN if you want to specialise or increase your salary. You can use the knowledge you’ve gained from your working experience in your Degree studies when you are assigned to clinical training
  • Having a Degree would also mean that you would be qualified for career opportunities in non-hospital settings like teaching or consulting
  • There are certain nursing schools/institutions that offer scholarships to study for a Nursing course, so make sure you fulfil the academic requirements of the type of scholarships offered before applying for one
  • If you are on a full scholarship to study for your Nursing programme, you will be required to serve a certain number of years with the institute before you can take the next step to advance your Nursing career

 

 

 

 

 

 

Opportunity to Work in One of the Top Leading Healthcare Facilities in Malaysia

Sunway Medical Centre is offering full scholarship for selected nursing courses with a coverage inclusive of full tuition fees, monthly allowance, accommodation, meal allowance, resources fee, and many more!

Once sponsored students have graduated and qualified as Registered Nurses, they will be required to work at Sunway Medical Centre for 5 years, which means that they are guaranteed a job position.

 

Why Consider This Nursing Education Pathway:

  • You are interested in transitioning into a teaching career and wish to take up positions in nursing schools, universities or colleges. You have the desire to impart your clinical skills and knowledge to the next generation of aspiring nurses
  • Nurses normally choose this pathway if they don’t want to practice nursing anymore but still wish to remain connected to the field after accumulating years of experience and knowledge

Minimum Requirements for Master in Nursing:

  • A basic Degree in Nursing or Nursing related Degrees
  • Registered with the Nursing Board Malaysia (NBM)
  • Possess the Annual Practising Certificate (APC)
  • Have at least 3 years of work experience in relevant field

Minimum Requirements for PhD:

  • A Masters Degree in Nursing or equivalent from related discipline with minimum CGPA of 3.0 OR CGPA below 3.0 but above 2.0
  • Registered with the Nursing Board Malaysia (NBM)
  • Possess the Annual Practising Certificate (APC)
  • Have at least 3 years of work experience in relevant discipline

Course Duration:

A Masters Degree would normally take 2-4 years to complete, followed by a PhD in Nursing, which would take another 2-5 years

 

The various nursing education pathways we’ve listed above are just some of the study options that you can consider to become a Registered Nurse.

It is a guide to help you make well-informed decisions in choosing the best nursing education pathway for yourself. Check out our article on what you need to learn to be a certified nurse.