Date: 2015
WHO CC involvement: Michele Rumsey, Jodi Thiessen

Principals of all Schools of Nursing and Community Health Worker (CHW) Training Institutes in Papua New Guinea met in February 2015 in Port Moresby to discuss quality improvement of their institutes, supported by the National Department of Health (NDoH) and DFAT. The objective of the meeting was to produce the Quality Improvement Plans as recommended in the 2012/2013 NDoH/DFAT Diagnostic Audits of the institutes. The five day workshop was facilitated by Michele Rumsey, who assisted in the conducting of the 2012 Diagnostic Audits; and Jodi Thiessen.

Key recommendations made by the Principals included: i) Need to review nursing and CHW curriculums in line with the new National Health Plan 2011-2020; ii) Need for ongoing preceptorship training, iii) Need for a stronger partnership with NDoH.

Quality Improvement Plans

This Quality Improvement Plan is a tool that has been developed to improve the quality of services provided by the above institute. It reflects the recommendations following the 2012-2013 NDOH DFAT Diagnostic Audits, which carried out a systematic approach to collecting and reviewing data at all Schools of Nursing and Community Health Worker Training Institutes. Opportunities were identified to improve the operations of each Institute with the end result of delivering better services to students, health care, population of PNG. The Audits used the PNG Nursing Council National Framework for the Accreditation, Monitoring and Evaluation of Nursing and Midwifery Educational Programs (2008), which outlines the Standards that each Institute should meet to ensure a quality educational Institute.  This Quality Improvement Plan was developed at the NDOH – DFAT Principals Meeting February 2015 Port Moresby.

Principals Consensus Statement

Principals and staff from nine Schools of Nursing/Midwifery (SON) and twelve Community Health Worker Institutes (CHW) came together on 23 – 27 February 2015 supported by the National Department of Health (NDoH) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Australia (DFAT). This meeting was convened to produce Quality Improvement Plans as recommended in the 2012/2013 NDoH DFAT Diagnostic Audits of SONs and CHWs.

Morale of educators is low; the Diagnostic Audits show educators remain for one to five years. The following recommendations have been prioritised to address ongoing issues:

1.    Urgent need to review both the nursing and community health worker curriculums in line with the new National Health Plan 2011-2020.
2.    Ongoing Preceptorship training urgently needed through support from the NDoH.
3.    Strengthen partnership with NDoH in terms of communication, continuing professional development, and ensuring consistency in funding including salaries for state and church schools.
4.    It is essential that all training institutes and students have access to, and are provided, copies of treatment books and national standards.
5.    Training institutes are in urgent need of internet services to enable high quality education provision to students.
6.    Continued in put for infrastructure improvements following NDoH DFAT Diagnostic Audits carried out in all nursing and CHW institutes.
7.    It is essential the Principals of all training institutes of nursing, midwifery and CHWs meet annually.