CONCEPT AND POLICY

OF NURSING EDUCATION IN
MALAYSIA, INDONESIA AND
TAIWAN
PROGRAM STUDI MAGISTER KEPERAWATAN PROGRAM PASCA SARJANA
UNIVERSITAS MUHAMMADIYAH YOGYAKARTA

NOVEMBER 9, 2016
MADIHAH BINTI ABDULLAH
20161050043
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CONCEPT AND POLICY FOR NURSING EDUCATION

IN MALAYSIA, INDONESIA AND TAIWAN

1.1 Introduction

What is education? Education is process when a person receives or gives systematic

instruction. It is not specific in certain place like school or university because experience also
considered as education. According to Matheson (2014), the educational defines as something
worthwhile is being or had been internationally transmitted in a morally manner. Biesta (2015)
had said in his article, education is very important because by education we can achieve the three
purpose of education; 1) qualification (gives the certificate in specialized area that we had been
through in learning process), 2) socialization (by education we will increase the self-confidence),
and 3) subjectification (helps in controlling others which means helps in disciplining). Therefore,
everyone should improve their level of knowledge, self-confidence, and self-esteem by taking
education.

1.2 Concept and Policy of Nursing Education

1.21 Concept and Policy of Nursing Education in Malaysia

Malaysia. Malaysia is a country which lies on the equatorial climate which is being hot and
humid throughout the year. That is why Malaysian one of the country with Rainforest tropical
which provides the beauty of nature. Malaysia is a democratic constitutional monarchy which
means the Yang di Pertuan Agong (Royal) is the head of the state and the Prime Minister is the
head of the government. The uniqueness of Malaysia lies on their multiracial, multi religion and
multicultural. However, the government had determined that Islam is the official religion for
Malaysian, Bahasa Melayu is national language and hibiscus as national flower as the identity of
Malaysia.

Malaysian nurse had been through so much challenges since 1800 before independence
and the education and the exam based on state. Different state will have different rules and
regulations. Then on 1950, Nursing Legislation had been formed for Malaysian nurse. The Nurse

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Legislation is controlled by Malaysian Nursing Board. In 1960, the interest of community towards
nurses increased. Some of the nurses were sent to overseas to learn on nursing care. In 1970, the
nursing education system had upgraded to certificate Nurse. Then within 1990 to 2000, from the
Certificate Nurse, it is upgraded to Diploma Nurse and Bachelor Degree Nurse. University of
Malaya was the first university offered the full-time bachelor degree program of two years for
nurses who have had “post-basic” or “advanced diploma”.

In order to standardize the nursing education and career development in Malaysia,

Malaysian Nursing Board also controlled the requirement and duration of study for each level of
education.

Figure 1: The duration of study must be within the timeframe

1.22 Concept and Policy of Nursing Education in Indonesia

Indonesia or known as Republic of Indonesia is a country where breathtaking views and

scenery formed naturally. Such as Bali, Gua Jemplong and many more. This country is a
democracy country with multicultural societies. Indonesia had be known as multiethnic country
which consists more than 350 ethnics. For example, Javanese, Madurese, Malays, Dayaks, Chinese
and many more. They also has multi religion such as Islam, Budha, Hindu, Christian, and many
more. But, Islam has the highest believers. One of the ideology that bring the Indonesian together
is Pancasila Ideology. It has five pillars. First, belief in the Diversity of God (because He is the
Most Greatest and the Most Powerful). Second, just and civilized humanity. Third, the unity of
Indonesia. Fourth, democracy guided by the inner wisdom in the unanimity arising out of
deliberations amongst and lastly, the fifth, social justice for all of the people Indonesia.

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Nursing in Indonesia also had been gone through history. Especially in education and
career development. Recently, Indonesia had move to the next step by standardizing their level to
the world standard. Though Indonesian has to face the challenges from cultures, geographic,
socioeconomic, technology and politic, by participating in ASEAN community, the nurse
management within the country able to facilitate the mobility of the practitioners within the
ASEAN members. As for example, what UMY had been done by exchange the staff and students
within the ASEAN groups (Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and China). Other than that, the
advantages that the ASEAN members can gain are the opportunities to build and train the
practitioners, able to exchange information and enhance the collaboration in respect of mutual
acknowledgment of practitioners and lastly, able to promote the adoption of the best standard and
qualifications of practices. In nursing higher education of Indonesia which had been based on the
ASEAN community 2015, has three pillars. The pillars are political-security pillar, socio-culture
pillar and economic pillar. Therefore, they will achieve the goal to have the equality of
qualifications between the human resources Indonesia and human resources International.

However, action plan should be taken in order to achieve the goal. Therefore, in Human
Resources for Health (HRH) has its basic principles which are;1) Improve the quality of HRH, 2)
Objectively carried out the career development, 3) Production of the HRH should be based on the
demand of the local and international market, and 4) Appropriate utilization of HRH concerning
particular attention to the equity, welfare and fairness aspects of HRH.

In Indonesia, the policy of nurse five steps. The steps are start with the education in order
to improve the nurse in knowledge of nursing care, then the second step is training the nurse. This
step is required in order to improve the nurse in skills performance. Then, the third step is
placement of the nurse in hospitals or clinics around Indonesia in order to provide the nurses the
experience to improve the skills and knowledge on nursing care. The fifth step is to empower the
nursing profession. Lastly, the sixth step where the improvement of the integrated nurse
management. The level of education for nursing in Indonesia, they has six level which are; 1)
Diploma Nurse (D3), 2) Diploma Nurse with Specialized Area Certificate (D4), 3) Bachelor
Degree Nurse (S1), 4) Practical Period (compulsory for one year), 5) Master Degree Nurse (S2)
and 5) Doctoral Degree (S3).

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Application and PK I
requirement PK II
PK III
PK IV
PM I
Reccomendati PM II
Assessment: on PM III
Written PM IV
Oral Competence Certificate PP I
Practice PP II
Portfolio PP III
PP IV
Training
Incompetence PR I
(CBT) PR II
PR III
PR IV

Figure 2: The Indonesian Nursing Career Pathway.

Figure 6 Processing Career Development

PK IV PM PP IV PR IV

PK III PM III PP III PR III

PK II PM II PP II PR II

PK I PM I PP I PR I

Figure 3: The Indonesian Nursing Career Program. PK: Clinical Nurse, PM: Nurse Manager,
Figure 7 Career Development Program
PP: Nurse Educator, PR: Research Nurse
Clinical Nurse (PK)
Nurse Manager (PM)
Nurse Educator (PP)
1.23 Concept and Policy of Nursing Education in Taiwan
Nurse Researcher (PR)

Taiwan had history to be controlled by Japanese for 50 years. During that era, nurse were
called as “Kan-Hu-Fu” which means woman who looks after the sick people. The nurse had been
trained by the Japanese and missionaries from the Western countries to look after the sick. Then
on 1945, Taiwan got their independence. Then, on 1947, the first official nursing program was

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formed by the Taiwanese government. Then, the first Master’s Degree was started in 1979 while
the first Doctoral Degree started in 1997.

The function of nurses in Taiwan based on the demand or the problems that happened in
the society. For example, years back ago, nurses focuses on the community health nurse to educate
community on communicable disease such as Malaria. Nowadays, they can proud because their
country, Taiwan are free from Malaria. Recently, the problem is on aging society and elderly care
which also related to community health nursing. Therefore, the nurses in Taiwan now more focus
in promoting the care within the patients’ home (home care nursing). However, those of the care
cannot be delivered without education.

Figure 4: The Taiwanese Nursing Education System

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1.3 Conclusion

Nursing is a profession that should be proud of. However, in order to maintain the
proudness, we should optimize the education. Therefore, every nurses should challenge themselves
to improve and develop through education because education is powerful. By having education
the nurses gained confidence. By having education also the nurses gained wealth and through
education also the nurses can gain health. As had been said by Our Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. in
his hadith, meaning:

“Those who want the world, be educated. Those who want Hereafter, be educated. And those
who want both, be educated”

Though there are differences in concept and policy of nursing education between the three
countries, Malaysia, Indonesia and Taiwan, but they share same goals, vision and mission. They
want to improve and upgrade the nursing level in the eyes of the society from the lowest part of
their heart to the highest demanding and respectful professionals.

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1.4 References

Arofiati, F. (2016). Indonesian Nursing Education: Concept and Policy (PowerPoint slides)

Biesta, G. (2015). What is Education For? On Good Education, Teacher Judgement, and

Educational Professionalism. European Journal of Education, 50(1), 75–87.

https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12109

Matheson, D. (2014). An Introduction to the Study of Education. Routledge.

Yung-Mei, Y., (2016). The Development of Nursing Education in Taiwan (PowerPoint slides)