University of Development Studies to run courses in nursing

Tamale (Northern Region), 24th May '99 --

The School of Medicine and Health Sciences of the University for Development Studies (UDS) is to start a new nursing training programme that will focus on primary health care as a catalyst for disease prevention.

The new programme forms part of a three-year old partnership between UDS and Okanagan University College in Canada.

A two-member team from Kanagan is in the country to discuss the programme, to be known as rural nurse practitioner training programme, which has the ultimate objective of integrating all the various grades of nursing training.

Speaking to the GNA in Tamale, the team members, Joan Bassett-Smith, professor of nursing and Jennifer Tucker, for International Education, said a CIDA funding has been obtained for the programme.

The Dean of the Medical School, Prof. David Nii Amon-Kotei, welcomed the programme, saying it fits into the various categories of middle level health personnel.

Prof. Basseth-Smith said a curriculum based on the views of all stakeholders is to be developed, as well as an oversight committee, comprising the University Authorities, Ministry of Health, Nurses council, the training schools and the communities, among others.

This is envisaged to ensure a course content that would. truly reflect local needs.

Professor Basseth-Smith said the views of women are vital in this development process since it is they who manage the home and the family including their health needs.

Another concern which the curriculum is to address is the generally acknowledged passive attitude of the nurse in their relationship with other health personnel, especially doctors.

She said it is important that this relationship is based on equal partnership, there is therefore the need to include what she called ''political action'', as a subject to imbue the nurse with an outlook of self-confidence that reflects this partnership.

Mrs. Tucker said technical assistance to meet various needs of the programme would be provided, some of these including computers and a link to the internet will be treated as priority.

Professor Amon-Kotei said it is expected that the product of the new programme would be a grade higher than the medical assistant and capable of handling health problems with minimum supervision.

He explained that the aim of the medical school is to train middle level personnel in various health professions to bridge the existing wide gaps in the medical system.

GRi?/