Georgetown; Twenty-five nurses and nursing tutors on Tuesday received their certificates in Nursing Education after successfully completing a dual mode training programme.
The one-year programme is a collaboration between the Ministry of Health and PAHO/WHO, and was facilitated by the University of Miami.
Of the 25 graduates, 14 were drawn from nursing schools across the country, while the others were from hospitals such as Georgetown, New Amsterdam, Linden and St. Joseph Mercy.
In brief remarks, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry, Mr. Malcolm Watkins said the Ministry hopes to address the need for more nurses in the health sector through this initiative. This is particularly important due to Covid.
“This programme should not be understated because we understand that in this crisis in any country, you require a foundation of knowledge and skillset to mitigate these problems that we have…Your ability to create a multiplier effect amongst your profession to help other nurses become talented and skilful as you are,” he said.
Mr. Watkins noted the importance of the programme to ensuring Guyana is on par with the current technology and techniques in the sector. He commended the graduates for their commitment to advancing their knowledge and skills in the field, noting that the Ministry is committed to providing training.
Meanwhile, Director of the Health Sciences and Education Faculty at the Ministry, Ms. Seraiah Validum said the programme started after the Ministry recognised the need to build the capacity of nursing educators to boost the sector’s development. The programme comprised four courses and fourteen credits over one year.
“Before the year of 2014, the Ministry of Health identified the nation’s extreme shortage of qualified nursing educators as an acute crisis with a reported ratio of 1:11 tutors for every 500 students in each of Guyana’s three public and one private nursing school hence this response of providing this current training programme,” she said.
Additionally, Dean and Professor at the University of Miami, Dr. Cindy Munro says this collaboration signals the Government’s intention to improve nursing education here.
In her address to the graduates, she said, “You were selected to complete this programme because of the immense promise you’ve shown to be nurse leaders and educators and today we are witnessing your fulfilment of that promise. The positive impact on your nation’s health system as you go on to prepare future nurse educators like yourselves cannot be overstated.”
In 2018, 20 tutors and educators benefitted from the programme, while 26 benefitted in 2015.
The graduation ceremony was held at the Roraima Duke Lodge.
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