MoH moves to promote nursing training through e-learning

The Ministry of Health (MoH) with the support of its development partners, are exploring innovations that are technologically friendly to aid teaching and learning in health training institutions in the country.

The Ministry has subsequently introduced e-learning programmes that are considered as important component of the sector’s agenda in providing strategic direction in human resource development.

The implementation of the innovative model is to help achieve national scale up of the e-learning programmes in all midwifery and nursing training schools.

“There is no doubt that with the right application of health information technology, teaching and learning in our health training institutions will be greatly enhanced.

“Thus the ability to reach out to a large proportion of students with standardised information through e-learning programme will in no doubt help improve the quality of the products we turn out from our health institutions”, Mr Alex Segbefia, Minister of Health, has said.

At the inauguration of the E–Learning Unit of the Health Training Institution Secretariat in Accra, Mr Segbefia in a speech read on his behalf said quality training of health professionals could only be achieved through the provision of excellent, robust and time-tested practical training schemes of both national and international standards.

He said such quality training must include adequate exposure of students to clinical work, access to relevant resource materials and strict adherence to acceptable students contact hours with their instructors.

The e-learning secretariat was established to coordinate activities of the national e-learning programme that has been introduced to reach all midwifery and nursing tutors, preceptors, and students throughout the country.

The Maternal and Child Survival Programme (MCSP) being funded by USAID is supporting the MoH to replace the traditional hostel-based workshops with technical updates via electronic learning module available on personal Android phones and computers at the schools’ computer and information technology laboratories.

The Minister explained that through the e-learning programme, tutors and preceptors could continue to practice what they learn as a requirement to maintain their midwifery and nursing skills at the highest professional level required for licensing with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

He said the Ministry in partnership with MCSP has contracted a local Ghanaian company, Leti Arts, to develop an Android-based game on malaria to adequately prepare students with the required competencies to handle cases to help reduce mortality due to malaria especially among children and pregnant women.

Mr Segbefia said a mLearning application (ME4Health), a mobile phone technology that enables students’ access learning materials on their mobile devices at any point in time has also been developed for the nursing students.

He entreated all Principals of Health Institutions to ensure the e-programmes succeed in their schools.

Mr Evans Danso, National Focal Person of the E-learning programmes explained that the electronic technical updates are interactive and include case studies and other relevant information that would enable students and tutors monitor progress of learning.

Students would be able to practice what they learn at the schools’ simulation labs and during student placement in clinical settings.

He said since 2014, many of the nursing and midwifery training schools have been equipped with the e-learning facility and were implementing the programme.

Ms Chantelle Allen, Country Director of JHPIEGO and MSCP said the e-learning facility was introduced as additional resources that are available in the systems.

She charged the students to make the best out of the programme to aid their studies and later professions.