International Nurses Day
The mission of AHO is to serve as an important vehicle for disseminating scientific public health information relevant to Africa. The journal aims to strengthen national and local health systems and to bridge the gap between health care and policy-makers, ultimately improving the health of the peoples of Africa.
National nursing strategies in Africa: issues and impact
Objective. To identify and examine the current national nursing strategies and policy impact of workforce development regarding human resources for health in Africa.
Methods. A review of available literature was conducted to identify publicly-available docu¬ments that describe the general backdrop of nursing human resources in these seven countries.
Results. Nursing human resources for health is progressing. South Africa and north Africa have stronger nursing leadership in place and multisectoral policies in workforce development.
Conclusions. The national nursing strategies prioritized multisectoral collaboration, profes¬sional competencies, and standardized educational systems, with some countries underscoring the need to align policies with efforts to promote nursing leadership, and others, focusing on expanding the scope of practice to improve health care delivery. While each country wrestles with its specific context, all require proper leadership, multisectoral collaboration, and appro¬priate resources to educate, train, and empower nurses to be at the forefront.
Implementation strategy for advanced practice nursing in primary health care in Africa
Advanced practice nursing (APN) is a term used to describe a variety of possible nursing roles operating at an advanced level of practice. Historically, APN roles haves evolved informally, out of the need to improve access to health care services for at-risk and disadvantaged populations and for those living in underserved rural and remote communities. To address health needs, especially ones related to primary health care, nurses acquired additional skills through practice experience, and over time they developed an expanded scope of practice. More recently, APN roles have been developed more formally through the establishment of graduate education programs to meet agreed-upon competencies and standards for practice. The introduction of APN roles is expected to advance primary health care throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, where few such roles exist. The strategy includes the adaptation of an existing framework, utilization of recent research evidence, and application of knowledge from experts on APN and primary health care. The strategy consists of nine steps. Each step includes a national perspective that focuses on direct country involvement in health workforce planning and development and on implementation. In addition, each step incorporates an international perspective on encouraging countries that have established APN programs and positions to collaborate in health workforce development with nations without advanced practice nursing.
Leadership in nursing: why should we discuss it?
The Nursing Africa campaign, which will end in 2030, involves a collaborative partnership across the globe. The campaign aims to improve health around the world by raising the profile and status of nurses globally, influencing policymakers, and supporting nurses to lead, learn, and build a worldwide movement. The campaign advocates for more nurses in positions of leadership and for enhancing their influence on national and international policies to address the current social issues that affect health care systems. Nurses have direct interaction and build trust with the general public. They are involved in all levels of health care delivery and can serve as instrumental leaders in transforming the health care system.