Clinics in Alexandra that were experiencing service delivery challenges because of being short-staffed will be happy to know that helpers are on their way.
This follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the City of Johannesburg Health Department with 11 nursing colleges, both public and private.
Described as groundbreaking in that for the first time, the city will formalise the placement of nursing students in their health facilities for the students’ experiential learning, which has been done for several years.
The following colleges have signed the MOU: Life College of Learning, Chris Hani Baragwanath Nursing College, Anne Latsky Nursing College, University of Johannesburg, University of Witswatersrand, Mediclinic Learning Centre, Lunghile Nursing College, Empilweni Education, Netcare Education, Rhema Nursing School and Ukwazi School of Nursing.
“Nurses play a… critical role in achieving a long and healthy life for all South Africans. Our country faces the quadruple burden of diseases consisting of HIV/Aids, communicable, non-communicable diseases and violence and injuries.
“The category of nurses that are being developed by the nursing colleges need to prepare them for the new challenges facing the Health Department, including the re-engineering of primary health care which includes the ward-based outreach teams, strengthening school health services and the appointment of the district specialist teams,” said a statement of the city council.
The MOUs will serve to ensure a closer working relationship with nursing colleges so that student nurses will be able to understand the context within which their training is planned. Professionalism and ethics will be integrated and emphasised in the modules being taught in order to improve the quality of health services being offered to our community, the statement added.
Nursing education will undergo major changes from 2016 in order to address the many challenges faced by the Health Department.
An improved nursing education is necessary to ensure that the current and future generations of nurses are able to provide safe, quality and patient-centred care for all citizens, and also meet the requirements of the National Health Insurance and the city’s Growth and Development Strategy 2040, the statement said.
