Strengthening Africa's Healthcare System: A Multifaceted Approach to Addressing the Nurses and Midwives Shortage (original) (raw)
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Nurses and midwives demographic shift in Ghana—the policy implications of a looming crisis
Human Resources for Health, 2019
As part of measures to address severe shortage of nurses and midwives, Ghana embarked on massive scale-up of the production of nurses and midwives which has yielded remarkable improvements in nurse staffing levels. It has, however, also resulted in a dramatic demographic shift in the nursing and midwifery workforce in which 71 to 93% of nurses and midwives by 2018 were 35 years or younger, as compared with 2.8 to 44% in 2008. In this commentary, we examine how the drastic generational transition could adversely impact on the quality of nursing care and how the educational advancement needs of the young generation of the nursing and midwifery workforce are not being met. We propose the institution of a national nursing and midwifery mentorship programme and a review of the study leave policy to make it flexible and be based on a comprehensive training needs assessment of the nursing and midwifery workforce. We further advocate that policymakers should also consider upgrading all professional nursing and midwifery programmes to bachelor degrees as this would not only potentially enhance the quality of training but also address the phenomenon of large numbers of nurses and midwives seeking bachelor degree training soon after employment-sometimes putting them at the offending side of organisational policy.
Nursing Open, 2018
Nurses and midwives are among the front-line service providers seeking to renew primary health care (PHC) and achieve universal health coverage in the health sector in Ghana. The relationship that existed between these professions is one admired and tagged as marriage. Development of nursing education in Ghana between 1957 and 1970 was characterized by dynamic change and growth. Following Ghana's independence, developments in nursing and midwifery education continued to be strongly influenced by external organizations and their designated experts (Abbey, 2005). Policies, such as the local training of nurses and midwives, provided impetus for nurses and midwives to further their education to assume senior positions in nursing/midwifery education and administration. Emphasis on training nurses/midwives to work in a hospital-based curative health system, which had been the legacy of colonialism, gradually shifted to abroad-based education that prepared healthcare professionals to work in a variety of settings. Changes in nursing and midwifery education occurred in an economic climate that presented ongoing impediments, yet the vision of the first generation of Ghanaian health leaders facilitated the tremendous progress seen during this period. Developments in nursing and midwifery have taking place in the context of growing demands for accessible and affordable high-quality care and the need for improved access to care and universal coverage (Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana (NMC), 2016). The World Health Organization ((WHO), 2006) has responded to this urgent need and several resolutions on strengthening nursing and midwifery
International Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Roles of nurses in sub-Saharan African region
The objective of this study was to create a model of nursing practice in Sub-Saharan Africa based on population needs, current practice and expectations of stakeholders. A three component study was done in eight sub-Saharan countries to ascertain (1) the health needs and the burden of disease in these countries, as well as evaluating the structure of their health systems; (2) the views on nursing functions held by opinion leaders in the community, other health professionals, patients and their families; and (3) to conduct a survey of nurses and midwives to determine the roles that they actually perform in hospitals and public health centres (PHCs). Four Anglophone and 4 Francophone countries were studied with a document audit, and 191 stakeholders included in focus groups. The current practice of 734 nurses in ambulatory and hospital settings was evaluated. Based on a triangulation of this data, 9 roles were identified: the provision of holistic care, health education, managing the care environment, as well as the advocacy and collaboration, providing emergency care, providing midwifery care, prevention and management of infectious diseases and diagnosis and treatment. Three contextual support factors (positive policies and practices, an enacted regulatory framework and an enabling educational system) were also identified.
National Study of Turnover in Nursing & Midwifery
The Commission on Nursing in its final report -a blue print for the future (1998) -identified a need to strengthen the worforce planning functions in the Department of Health and Children (par 7.16). The Nursing Policy Division of the Department of Health and Children acted on the recommendation by setting up a Study of the Nursing and Midwifery Resource in December 1998. The terms of reference for the study included the following aims and objectives.
Improving Midwifery Care in Ugandan Public Hospitals: The Midwives' Perspective
2014
A serious shortage of nurses and midwives in public hospitals has been reported in Uganda. In addition, over 80% of the nurses and midwives working in public hospitals have been found to have job stress and only 17% to be satisfied on the job. Stress and lack of job satisfaction affect quality of nursing and midwifery care and puts patients' lives at risk. This is coupled with rampant public outcry about the deteriorating nursing and midwifery care in Ugandan public hospitals. To explore factors that result in poor quality of midwifery care and strategies to improve this care from the perspective of the midwives. It was a qualitative exploratory design. Participants were midwives and their supervisors working in four Regional Referral hospitals in Uganda. Data was collected by FGDs and KIIs. Content analysis was used to analyze the transcribed data from the voice recordings. Four major themes emerged from the study. They were organizational (poor work environment and lack of mat...
Journal article , 2021
Background: The aim of this research was to analyze midwives' job satisfaction and intention to leave in developing regions of Ethiopia. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted amongst 107 midwives in four developing regions of Ethiopia. All midwives who were working in 26 health facilities participated in the study. A structured self-administered questionnaire, and in depth key informant interview guides, were used to collect data. Job satisfaction was measured by nine dimensions and intention to leave their current position was measured using three questions. Results: More than two-thirds (67%) of the midwives were female, with a mean age of 26.1 (sd AE 4.2) years old. Less than half (45%) of the midwives were satisfied with their job, less than half (42%) were satisfied with 'work environment' and less than half (45%) were satisfied with 'relationship with management' and 'job requirements'. Relatively better satisfaction rates were reported regarding 'professional status', of which more than half (56%) of midwives were satisfied, followed by more than half (54%) of midwives being satisfied with 'staff interaction'. Almost two-fifths (39%