Nursing handbooks will improve health care initiatives in Ghana and Zambia
Fourth-year nursing students at UBC’s Okanagan campus are raising funds to produce an assessment handbook for African nursing students that will serve as a resource for developing their practice, improving quality of care, and decreasing numerous preventable deaths.
Many African nursing students do not have textbooks or educational resources to guide their practice, notes Tracy Sellinger, a fourth-year nursing student involved in the project.
“I am so passionate about this project,” she says. “This is going to have a huge impact in the lives of nursing students in Ghana and Zambia, and their future patients. Access to resources and education is such a critical part of health care. This nursing assessment handbook will aid them in skills that are crucial to the benefit of health initiatives in Africa.”
Every year an international practicum to Africa is offered to fourth-year students in the School of Nursing at UBC’s Okanagan campus. Last year, handbooks were created by two former nursing students, Julet Symington and Inderjit Pannu, and were personally delivered to second-year nursing students in Africa, who were delighted to receive the books — but unfortunately there were not enough to go around.
This year, the UBC nursing students plan on printing a larger number of assessment handbooks so both first- and second-year nursing students in Africa will receive a concise version. The handbook has been modified and crucial new information has been added.
“The goal of this UBCO nursing students’ project is to empower African nursing students who, despite not having a wide range of resources, have the basic tools to perform a thorough assessment and provide quality patient care,” says Sellinger.”The UBCO nursing students have been fundraising since September and will continue throughout November. Community support has been, and will continue to be, essential to our success, and it will go a long way in supporting nursing efforts in Africa.”
Anyone who would like more information about the nursing students’ project or to make a contribution to their cause can contact Tracy Sellinger at 250-862-6453 or tracy_s9@hotmail.com.
