Nurses, midwives and community health workers are the biggest workforce in the country.
This was clearly shown during the data collection and registration onto the new online Health Practitioners Registration System.
But while this numbers are increasing, quality is still a need, as stressed by Michele Rumsey, the Regulation Advisor to the project.
The project required accrediting all nursing schools. This found an increase in nursing schools from 7 – 11 and midwifery schools from 4 to 5.
“As of 2016, we’ve had 700 nursing students enrolled into nursing courses around PNG. In 2012, we only graduated 211. So we’ve jumped huge numbers. But we are also very mindful that we’re short of about 21 – 28 percent of educators,” she said.
So while improving the education system, Rumsey said quality had to be maintained.
“We need a system that’s been incorporated into the practitioner’s acts so that nurses can continue to develop themselves and we can get more highly qualified educators across PNG,” she added.
Rumsey also said that the attrition rate of students has been huge, between 41 – 51 percent.
“Students have left because the quality in those schools hasn’t been high enough.”
Two things to push for are:
1. Continuing professional development
2. And review the curriculum of both nursing and Community Health Workers.
(File picture)