Abstract:
BACKGROUND:
Malawi made great strides to increase the number of nurses through the Emergency Human Resource for Health Program. However,
quantity of health workforce alone is not adequate to strengthen the health system. Malawi still reports skill mix imbalance and
geographical mal-distribution of the nursing workforce. Health systems must continuously adapt and evolve according to the health
care needs and inform health professionals’ education to accelerate gains in health outcomes. The Lancet Commission reported that
health professionals’ education has generally not lived up pace with health care demands.
OBJECTIVES:
The aim of this study was to describe the strategies being implemented in Malawi to improve nursing education. Specifically, the
objectives of the study were to explore strategies being implemented, identify stakeholders and their targets in order to share
practices with countries experiencing similar nursing education challenges.
METHODS:
This was a cross sectional descriptive study with a concurrent mixed method design. One hundred and sixty participants including
nurse practitioners and educators responded to a questionnaire. Fifteen nurse practitioners and eight nurse educators were also
engaged in one to one interview.
RESULTS:
Respondents showed varied opinion on how nursing education is being implemented. Six themes as regards strategies being
implemented to improve nursing education emerged namely- capacity building, competency based curriculum, regulation, clinical
learning environment, transformative teaching and infrastructure/ resources.
CONCLUSION:
Findings of this study show that the strategies being implemented to improve nursing education are relevant to closing the gap
between health care needs and nursing education.
