By Azore Opio
A new curriculum has been validated at the Nursing Higher Institute of Applied Medical Sciences, IAMS, Buea.
Gibson (seated), Kate presenting new curriculum
Unique in its organisation to train world class general nurses, IAMS, June 27, introduced a new curriculum that embraces both nursing and general education nurses.The curriculum will include a Diploma in Practical Nursing Programme that encompasses basic bedside care and assessment of vital signs; collection of samples for testing and performing routine laboratory tests, feeding patients and helping to deliver, care and feed infants as well as supervise nursing assistants.
The Advanced Diploma in Nursing Programme, AND, which is a three-year course, will offer essential nursing skills and values; care and delivery with emphasis on theory and practical work where students would demonstrate their ability to deliver patient care.
Meanwhile, the Higher National Diploma in Nursing, HND, will offer a
pronged and regular exposure to practice placement to facilitate the
integration of theory and practice.
This course, which is designed by the Ministry of Higher Education,
also places emphasis on the acquisition of nursing skills, laboratory
skills alongside the valid and reliable assessment.
The HND/AND will also train general nurses to perform all the duties of a practising nurse and also to be responsible and accountable for individual nursing judgements and actions inn relation to the client, employee and the profession in accordance with the American Nursing Association, ANA, clinical nursing standards.
On hand to validate the new curriculum were Dr. Gibson D'Cruz and Ms. Kate Allen from the University of Anglia.They explained that the new curriculum was skilled-based, thus imbued with skills that nurses have to use while caring for patients.
According to Gibson and Kate, it is a curriculum that integrates the basic sciences with activities of living, systematic approach and a holistic approach to care.The Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Buea, Prof. Peter Ndoumbe, who attended the validation session, said he believed the new curriculum would go along way in ameliorating the healthcare crisis currently gripping the nation.
In this light, he expressed his appreciation with the progress IAMS has made in collaboration with the University of East Anglia and the University of Buea, in developing critical care and teaching and learning in clinical practices as well as developing a curriculum for degree level education in nursing.
On his part, IAMS Director, Michael Boyo, said he was overwhelmed by the fact that Prof. Ndoumbe was committed to facilitating the commencement of an MSc programme in Clinical Nursing Practise with Nursing Education.
Comments