Nursing
Certificate Programme in Nursing

Introduction:      

The main objective of the National Health Policy is to improve the health and well being of all Tanzanians, with a focus on those most at risk, and to encourage the health system to be more responsive to the needs of the people. This objective cannot be achieved without having appropriately trained nurses and other health workers.      

This programme has been developed in line with the above considerations, which provides for a creation of a life-long learning culture, modularization, credit accumulation, student choice and scalability, leading to acquisition of more knowledge, skills and wider understanding in nursing and health care practice.      

The rationale for this programme is to achieve more responsive nursing and midwifery education and training system, aligned with health sector employment needs.      

This is what the Director - Human Resources and Development, Dr. G. Milga has to say:      

The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW) has committed itself to provide comprehensive accessibility of quality health services for all Tanzanians in line with the Millennium Development goals (MDGs).      

In order to attain these goals, the MoHSW established PHC Development Programme. Among the strategies laid down in this programme is human development to meet resource demand for health. This has necessitated the need for review of the present nursing and midwifery curriculum for the certificate level. Also the need for reviewing this curriculum was to meet NACTE requirement (Modular and Semester System) for National Technical Award (NTA) as well as to match with the global look of quality health services as a bridge to responsive health care delivery.      

It is the MoHSW's hope that this Curriculum in Nursing will enable the nurse and midwives acquire necessary competencies in provision of quality health care services to the community and it is anticipated that the stakeholders will find this curriculum useful in their daily life.      





Programme Philosophy:      

Philosophy describes set of values and beliefs that guide all learning experiences of the curriculum. It is the basic foundation that directs all further planning, organization, implementation and evaluation of the curriculum. This Nursing Programme is geared towards producing innovative, creative and flexible nurses who will cope with the dynamic changes of profession, technology and social-economic needs.      




Aims Of The Programme:      

The programme aims to achieve the following goals:      

• To form a flexible course that is responsive to dynamic and rapidly changing world of work and the society,


• To provide nursing skills, knowledge and behaviors that is vital to learners, employers and the community,


• To entice self-realization and team work skills that enable graduates to perform efficiently and aspire for higher level training,


• To build capacity to participate in the implementation of National Health Policy and its accompanying Operational Guidelines; and


• To propagate and promote moral, legal, and ethical conduct among nurses and other health workers within the nursing profession and national legal framework.




Objectives:      

The main objectives of this programme are to:      

• Form a career ladder in nursing profession practice, career advancement and more advanced a primary role or nursing management in health care service delivery;


• Impart appropriate basic knowledge, skills and attitudes relevant to nursing practice in relation to reproductive, preventative and curative health care services in the community;


• Steer creativity and innovativeness in response to challenging inherent in nursing practice and health care delivery;


• Inculcate a culture of teamwork and build critical thinking and problem solving skills in nursing and health care practice;


• Promote a good sense of citizenship, accountability and responsibility to graduates;


• Stimulate life-long learning behavior for nurses and advancement of nursing profession;


• Provide an international outlook of the learning content and context so as to widen learners’ advantages into regional and international labour markets.

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Curriculum      

The Certificate Programme in Nursing curriculum has been designed by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, together with Tanzania Nurses and Midwives Council (TNMC) and National Council for Technical Education (NACTE)      




Overview      

The 2-year Certificate Programme in Nursing is divided into 4 semesters with each semester consisting of 22 weeks.
The entire Programme comprises of 19 Modules of study, and includes theoretical training as well as clinical practice sessions.
Theory classes and practical sessions are in the ratio of 1:3      




Duration      

The Certificate Programme in Nursing is a 2-year programme, comprising of 4 semesters.      




Programme Components      

The programme is also referred to as the Enrolled Nurses’ Programme and comprises of Nursing and Midwifery components.      

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Modules      

The Modules that make up the Certificate Programme are as follows:      

• Infection Prevention & Control


• Anatomy & Physiology


• Communication Skills


• Nursing & Ethics


• Nutrition


• Basic Computer Applications


• Medical & Surgical Nursing


• Pharmacology


• Nursing Practice


• Emergency Care


• Midwifery-1


• Child Health


• Health Education & Counselling


• Community Health


• Nursing


• HIV AIDS


• Midwifery-II


• Management & Leadership-I


• Mental Health


• Infection Control



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Accreditation      

A3 Institute of Professional Studies has been approved by Tanzania Nurses And Midwives Council (TNMC) to offer this programme.      




NACTE NTA Level      

The 1st year of the Certificate Programme in Nursing is a NACTE NTA Level 4, while the 2nd year is graded as a NTA Level 5 programme.      




Progression      

After completion of the Certificate Programme, the learner can progress into the Diploma Programme in Nursing, which is graded as NTA level 6.

Completion of the Diploma Programme opens the doors for the Bachelor’s degree.      




Admissions      

Rules of admission, as formulated by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with NACTE and TNMC, are as follows:      

• A minimum of O-Levels.


• A Minimum of Grade D and above in Science subjects at O-Levels - Biology, Chemistry / Physics/Mathematics.


• A pass in English at O-Levels would be an added advantage.