Impact and sustainability of an accredited paediatric nursing training programme in Ghana

Abstract

Objective: In this qualitative descriptive study, we explored the perceived impact and sustainability of the first accredited Paediatric Nursing Training Programme (PNTP) in Ghana, established in 2010 by a north-south Ghanaian-Canadian partnership to address child health care access and quality issues in the country.

Methods: A fundamental qualitative descriptive approach was used. Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with 44 stakeholders including graduates, their clinical associates, PNTP faculty, and key health system administrators in Accra and Tamale in November 2013. Interview questions were guided by a Performance Measurement Framework (PMF) that was developed in collaboration with partners to evaluate progress towards meeting the programme objectives. Whole group content analysis was conducted to achieve an overall collective impression of the PNTP from all of the stakeholders.

Results: Four themes emerged from the data which offered insight into programme successes and current challenges from a local perspective: a) addressing system gaps through specialized nursing training, b) strengthening nursing identity, c) building nursing competencies and practices, and d) inspiring innovative pedagogy in nursing education.

Conclusions: PNTP strengths are well aligned with modern systems-based approaches to health professional education; by maintaining this focus with future design recommendations, the PNTP will continue to serve as an international exemplar of health human resource planning and education for equity in health.