MCHIP Lesotho: Pre-Service Education (PSE) FY13 APR

A key focus area was the enhancement of didactic and clinical education, with the program building on current successes and adding new components. The primary care clinical placement program was rolled out to improve clinical education for students in partner CHAL Schools of Nursing (SON). This program exposed students to varied clinical activities in health centers, strengthening their primary health care clinical education experience and improving student to preceptor ratios at clinical sites. The primary care clinical placements were implemented in all four CHAL schools, with over 200 nursing and midwifery students placed in 35 health centers. Final clinical placement reports showed that 87% of students agreed or strongly agreed that the clinical placement was a relevant learning experience and enhanced their clinical skills. The top five skills improved were diagnosis and treatment, physical exam, communication skills, HIV care and treatment, and maternal child health skills. Upon graduation, 67% of students who did a clinical rotation at a health center stated they would like to work in a similar setting. MCHIP trained an additional 39 preceptors in the fourth quarter of FY13, bringing the total to 104. Four TOTs participated in co-trainings to build national capacity during July and August 2013. Feedback collected during supportive supervision visits of health center preceptors showed a marked improvement in clinical coaching styles. MCHIP also supported the development of standard tools, checklists, and logbooks for CHAL educators to use in teaching and assessing students during clinical education. Another gap identified was the lack of communication between schools and clinical sites. MCHIP supported schools and clinical sites to host clinical site and school collaboration meetings, and schools conducted site visits of health centers to assess them for student clinical placements. Since these meetings and site visits began, both clinical and school staff have seen more interaction between the schools and clinical preceptor staff. MCHIP is working with the schools and sites to establish a regular schedule for collaboration meetings and site visits. MCHIP procured 60 computers that have been installed and networked within the CHAL school computer labs. Faculty training was conducted for 39 nurse educators and librarians in intermediate and advanced computer skills in July 2013. In the area of policy and regulatory development, MCHIP continued to have a strong working relationship with the Lesotho Nursing Council (LNC). MCHIP supported the LNC through logistical and technical assistance, building their capacity to be effective regulators. MCHIP also supported the development of the advocacy strategy for the passage of the draft Nurse Act and related rules and regulations. Technical assistance and support were provided to develop Scopes of Practice for Nurses and Midwives, Standards in the areas of nursing practice, midwifery practice, and education, and a Code of Conduct for Nurses and Midwives. Additionally, MCHIP provided technical assistance and support to improve the registration and licensure strategies for the LNC.