Nursing Internships

Changes in the health care system worldwide and changing social systems, political values and financial constraints in general necessitated countries to connect nurses of South Africa with the rest of the world. Internships in South Africa in nursing is much needed and appreciated.

The public healthcare system provides services to 84% of the population, through access to government-run public clinics and hospitals. It is chronically underfunded and understaffed. The private healthcare system, which is far better equipped, provides health services through individual practitioners who run private practices, and through private hospitals. It covers those sectors of society who can pay for health insurance. South Africa currently faces multiple burdens, with the HIV/ AIDS epidemic coinciding with a high burden of tuberculosis – of the highest case statistics in the world. High childbirth and child mortality, high levels of violence and injuries and a growing burden of non-communicable diseases (e.g. cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory conditions, cancer and now also covid).

A nursing internship will allow you to experience many of these social and healthcare issues when working within the healthcare system in Cape Town. Most opportunities exist in the NGO sector where the lack of funds usually determine how many nurses they have on site. You will be supervised by a professional.