Judith C. Bruce

Advancing nursing scholarship: the Mozambique model

ABSTRACT Background: Despite the importance of Human Resources for Health for the development and functioning of health systems worldwide, many countries continue to be plagued by poor health systems and a lack of adequate health care. Health systems failures may be attributed to both quantitative and qualitative nursing shortages including the lack of advanced skills to lead health initiatives, to conduct research and to educate other nurses. The response by development partners is usually framed around the production of skilled nurses through the processes of up-skilling and scaling-up. The outcome is expanded practice but with scant attention to the professional advancement of nurses. Objectives: In this paper we present a two-phased capacity development model that adopted professionalization strategies to advance nursing scholarship and consequent postgraduate specialization of the first cohort of nurses in Mozambique. The main objectives were to: develop and implement a clinical course work master’s degree in nursing; and ensure sustainability by capacitating the host institution to continue with the master’s programme following graduation. Methods: Rigorous processes for project discussions, negotiations and monitoring were necessary amid limited resources and a challenging political climate. Forging in-country partnerships, sustaining alliances and government investment are thus key to the success of the Mozambique model. Outcomes: Notwithstanding some difficulties, the process unfolded over a five-year period, graduating the first cohort of 11 senior nurses with a master’s degree, specializing either in critical care and trauma nursing, or maternal and neonatal health. Conclusions: Bridging the skills gap between generalist and specialist nurses is essential for them to manage complex and high acuity cases and to reverse associated morbidity and mortality. We conclude that this model serves as a professionalization strategy to advance nurses’ scholarship of clinical practice, research and teaching.

Educator perceptions of the BSN programme at the University of Malawi

Purpose: The last two decades have witnessed a sharp increase in the global migration of nurses along with an increasingly diverse patient population, regardless of geographic location. The “Diversity and Social Justice Issues in a Global Society” course was created to prepare Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students to effectively practice in line with regional, national and international health needs and professional standards.C change in the demographic profile of many societies around the globe caused by a wide range of factors, such as colonization, immigration, acculturation and the mobility of workforces, contributes to the creation of multicultural environments. Regardless of the degree of pre-existing cultural diversity, people from different cultures bring with them their own languages, values, beliefs, traditions, ethical and moral perspectives, and attitudes to illness, health and healthcare as well as their historical, political and economic circumstances. Such diversity can create difficulties for healthcare providers and patients alike due to the potential for cultural clashes, misunderstandings and discrimination, and individual power differences which eventually will impinge on the health and safety of all the parties involved. In this paper, I will argue that Almutairi’s model of critical cultural competence (CCC) is a promising approach that can address the complexities that arise from crosscultural interactions in healthcare settings, which ultimately can improve the standard of healthcare for patients, families and the community as a whole. I will close by discussing how his approach can influence organizational policy, orientation programs and continuous professional development initiatives.Background: Nursing is a profession that theoretical and practical training need to be integrated. Different education strategies have been used to improve students’ psychomotor and communication skills such as simulation, standardized patients and part-task trainers. Students can examine all other parts of each other’s bodies during the learning process; the sensitive parts of the anatomy remain areas that are not routinely appropriate. Performing a clinical procedure required integration of the acquisition of a technical skill with effective communication skills.Results: Forty three students (93.5%) completed the survey. They all agreed that the flipped classroom teaching strategies were effective in improving their abilities of clinical reasoning and problem-solving. Forty students (93%) reported that the scenario based learning augmented their self-directed learning; 88% students had increased their interesting in pediatric nursing and motivated learning. The qualitative data revealed that flipped classroom can (1) bridge the knowledge-practice gap; (2) improve the self-directed learning ability and expand the depth and breadth of learning and (3) increase reflective learning, community skills and team competency using strategy of collaboration.Older age is often connected with stresses (e.g. reduced financial capacity, aloneness, increased morbidity). Violence may be an additional strain increasing the overall burden of older persons. Re ...