Federal government approves creation of nursing assistant programme

Federal government approves creation of nursing assistant programme
Credit: Belga

The federal government on Friday approved an amendment allowing the Wallonia-Brussels Federation to create a new nursing assistant course, Public Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke announced in a statement.

There are currently two types of nursing training: a four-year bachelor’s programme in a tertiary institution, and a 3.5-year secondary level training in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. The two programmes lead to the IRSG (Nurse in charge of general care) diploma.

This will remain unchanged.

Friday’s amendment allows for the addition of a new professional profile, that of a nursing assistant, with a 3-year training course, if the FWB decides to create this training, says the office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Graduates of this programme would be able to provide nursing care autonomously in less complex situations, and in collaboration with an IRSG or a doctor in more complex situations.

All this will be described in a royal decree that is to be finalised in the coming months.

In the next few months, an update of the IRSG function, as well as other care-related nursing functions, is planned, the cabinet adds. This includes strengthening the IRSG profile, revising the nursing assistant profile and implementing the specialist nurse profile.


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