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Nursing in Kenya began in 1908 [1] and was conducted without a formal framework until 1950. Over the decades, with demand for healthcare providers increasing due to marked growth in the population of Kenya, training programs were implemented.
In 1908, nursing in Kenya began when missionaries who visited Kenya provided training. [1] The first nurses were primarily male and were known as "dressers." [1] Their primary responsibilities included dressing wounds, administering injections, and managing hospitals. [1]
Before 1950, nursing in Kenya was conducted without a formal framework. Most health care institutions provided in-service training for healthcare workers, to assist the whites in the provision of required healthcare, thus making it difficult to identify healthcare workers according to their level of training and scope of practice. In 1950 meeting of the Nurses and Midwives Council of Kenya members passed a resolution that formally described the different cadres of nurses who were practising nursing in Kenya at that time. The titles of State Registered Nurse, Kenya Registered Nurse, and Assistant Registered Nurse Grade 1 and 2 remained in force on the basis of Registration and Training.
In 1952, the Examination Sub-Committee held its first examination for Assistant Enrolled Nurses Grade I and II. Approval of training schools was required to be done by the relevant training schools sub-committee, whilst the inspection of schools would be done every three years.
The King George Hospital Kenyatta National Hospital became the first hospital to start the Kenya Registered Nurse training programme. The course was approved to run for 3 ½ years, with the Preliminary Training Service (PTS) to extend over 3 months, followed by a period of 3 months ward rotation and 3 years of theory and clinical training.
1980s there was a marked growth in the population of Kenya. As a result of the rapid development going on in the country at that time, there was an increase in rural-urban migration, resulting in an uneven distribution of resources, with particular reference to human resources. There was also a growing need for health care providers to engage in effective healthcare management strategies, to be able to reach every part of the population. 1987 the Kenya Registered Community Health Nurse (KRCHN) training was commenced, to prepare nurses who would be able to give comprehensive care to the communities. 1990s, due to expansion and emergence of complex disease patterns among populations such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, cardiac conditions, the Nursing Council of Kenya approved the preparation of nurses at bachelors level because the effective management of such patients requires highly skilled and trained personnel who would be able to engage in critical thinking and sound decision-making.
2013,approved-nursing-courses-council-Kenya 19 programmes had been approved, as health care learning institutions continue to recognise the need to build capacity to facilitate health care management and practice at all levels.
Before the establishment of the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) under the Nurses Cap 257 of the Laws of Kenya, the activities of the council were governed by Ordinances. Ordinance number 16 of 4 June 1946 was the first governing tool to be authorised by the Colony and Protectorate of Kenya to address health issues and activities of the nurses in the then Kenya Colony.
In 1983, the council was finally acknowledged by an Act of Parliament under the Nurses Act Cap 257 of the Laws of Kenya as the "Nursing Council of Kenya".
The core functions of the Nursing Council of Kenya are to establish and improve standards of all branches of the nursing profession in all their aspects and to safeguard the interest of all nurses. The council establishes and continues to improve the standards of professional nursing and of health care within the community. With the approval of the minister, the council:
Nurses in Kenya fall into two main categories:
A registered nurse (RN) is a nurse who has graduated or successfully passed a nursing program from a recognized nursing school and met the requirements outlined by a country, state, province or similar government-authorized licensing body to obtain a nursing license. An RN's scope of practice is determined by legislation, and is regulated by a professional body or council.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the regulator for nursing and midwifery professions in the UK. The NMC maintains a register of all nurses, midwives and specialist community public health nurses and nursing associates eligible to practise within the UK. It sets and reviews standards for their education, training, conduct and performance. The NMC also investigates allegations of impaired fitness to practise.
Pediatric nursing is part of the nursing profession, specifically revolving around the care of neonates and children up to adolescence. The word, pediatrics, comes from the Greek words 'paedia' (child) and 'iatrike' (physician). 'Paediatrics' is the British/Australian spelling, while 'pediatrics' is the American spelling.
Nurse education consists of the theoretical and practical training provided to nurses with the purpose to prepare them for their duties as nursing care professionals. This education is provided to student nurses by experienced nurses and other medical professionals who have qualified or experienced for educational tasks, traditionally in a type of professional school known as a Nursing school. Most countries offer nurse education courses that can be relevant to general nursing or to specialized areas including mental health nursing, pediatric nursing and post-operatory nursing. Courses leading to autonomous registration as a nurse typically last four years. Nurse education also provides post-qualification courses in specialist subjects within nursing.
A licensed practical nurse (LPN), in much of the United States and Canada, is a nurse who cares for people who are sick, injured, convalescent, or disabled. In the United States, LPNs work under the direction of physicians, mid-level practitioners, and may work under the direction of registered nurses depending on their jurisdiction.
A nurse practitioner (NP) is an advanced practice registered nurse and a type of mid-level practitioner. NPs are trained to assess patient needs, order and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, diagnose disease, formulate and prescribe medications and treatment plans. NP training covers basic disease prevention, coordination of care, and health promotion, but does not provide the depth of expertise needed to recognize more complex conditions.
Nursing in the United Kingdom has a long history. The current form of nursing is often considered as beginning with Florence Nightingale who pioneered modern nursing. Nightingale initiated formal schools of nursing in the United Kingdom in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The role and perception of nursing has dramatically changed from that of a handmaiden to the doctor to professionals in their own right. There are over 700,000 nurses in the United Kingdom and they work in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, health centres, nursing homes, hospices, communities, and academia, with most working for the National Health Service (NHS). Nurses work across all demographics and requirements of the public: adults, children, mental health, and learning disability. Nurses work in a range of specialties from the broad areas of medicine, surgery, theatres, and investigative sciences such as imaging. Nurses also work in large areas of sub-specialities such as respiratory, diabetes, neurology, infectious diseases, liver, research, cardiac, and stoma. Nurses often work in multi-disciplinary teams but increasingly are found working independently.
Nursing in Australia has evolved in training and regulation since the 19th century.
A clinical officer (CO) is a gazetted officer who is qualified and licensed to practice medicine.
Nursing is a profession within the healthcare sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other healthcare providers by their approach to patient care, training, and scope of practice. Nurses practice in many specialties with differing levels of prescription authority. Nurses comprise the largest component of most healthcare environments; but there is evidence of international shortages of qualified nurses. Nurses collaborate with other healthcare providers such as physicians, nurse practitioners, physical therapists, and psychologists. There is a distinction between nurses and nurse practitioners; in the U.S., the latter are nurses with a graduate degree in advanced practice nursing, and are permitted to prescribe medications unlike the former. They practice independently in a variety of settings in more than half of the United States. Since the postwar period, nurse education has undergone a process of diversification towards advanced and specialized credentials, and many of the traditional regulations and provider roles are changing.
Kenya's health care system is structured in a step-wise manner so that complicated cases are referred to a higher level. Gaps in the system are filled by private and church run units.
Nurses in South Africa practise in a wide variety of specialties, with a wide variety of training and experience.
Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital was started in 1916 with a bed capacity of 60 to cater for the Africans Health Needs. It later served as a District Hospital before attaining referral status vide Legal Notice No. 98 of 12 June 1998 of the State Corporations Act. Currently, the Hospital serves as a level six Hospital offering outpatient, inpatient, and specialized healthcare services. It is located along Nandi Road in Eldoret Town, Uasin Gishu County. The Hospital serves residents of Western Kenya, parts of Eastern Uganda and Southern Sudan with a population of approximately 24 Million.
Health professional requisites refer to the regulations used by countries to control the quality of health workers practicing in their jurisdictions and to control the size of the health labour market. They include licensure, certification and proof of minimum training for regulated health professions.
Unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) are paraprofessionals who assist individuals with physical disabilities, mental impairments, and other health care needs with their activities of daily living (ADLs). UAPs also provide bedside care—including basic nursing procedures—all under the supervision of a registered nurse, licensed practical nurse or other health care professional. UAPs must demonstrate their ability and competence before gaining any expanded responsibilities in a clinical setting. While providing this care, UAPs offer compassion and patience and are part of the patient's healthcare support system. Communication between UAPs and registered nurses (RNs) is key as they are working together in their patients' best interests. The scope of care UAPs are responsible for is delegated by RNs or other clinical licensed professionals.
Nursing in Japan did not develop as an occupation until the end of the nineteenth century. Initially introduced only in Tokyo in the late 1860s, small schools utilizing Western models were being opened by the late 1880s. In response to disaster relief, the Japanese Red Cross became an integral part of nursing development. By 1915, nurse registration had been established and public health nurses began working throughout the country. Nursing universities were established in the twentieth century and regulations were passed to develop standards for training and public health.
University College Hospital(UCH), Ibadan is a federal teaching hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria attached to the University of Ibadan.
A midwife is a health professional who cares for mothers and newborns around childbirth, a specialization known as midwifery.
Nursing is the largest healthcare profession in the United States, with more than 3.1 million registered nurses. Between 2012 and 2022, employment for nurses is projected to grow by 19 percent, which is more than any other profession. Nurses make up the largest component of staff in hospitals but are also able to provide care in clinic settings, patient's homes, schools, nursing homes, public health agencies, and mental health centers. In addition, nurses can be found in the military, in industry, nursing education, and do health care research. Nurses in these various roles and settings can provide direct patient care and case management, but also develop and establish nursing practice and quality standards within complex healthcare systems. As each degree can provide a different level of care for patients and function in vastly different roles, it is important to differentiate between them. The levels of nursing degrees have different educational requirements, licensure, and credentialing that can vary state to state.
Midwives in South Africa are nurses who focus on the care of pregnant women and the delivery of babies. Midwives have the ability to work independently in cases of healthy pregnancies and problem-free deliveries; however, they can refer patients to gynaecologists or obstetricians when complications are diagnosed. The majority of pregnant women in South Africa use the public healthcare system, and most of this care is provided by midwives.
