The Nursing and Midwifery Council (N&MC) convened a crucial stakeholders’ meeting for accredited continuing professional development (CPD) providers and consultants on 29th February 2024. Held at the N&MC Head Office in Accra, this gathering aimed to apprise CPD providers and consultants of the latest developments in the CPD landscape.
In her opening address, the Acting Registrar of the Council, Mrs. Philomina Woolley, illuminated the pivotal functions of the Council. Emphasizing the focus of the meeting, she highlighted the N&MC's ongoing commitment to professional enhancement and the evolution of nursing and midwifery practices. Mrs. Woolley underscored the historical trajectory of CPD initiatives, dating back to the introduction of license renewal in 1977, which ushered in a paradigm shift towards Professional Identification Numbers (PINs) and Auxiliary Identification Numbers (AINs). This aimed at augmenting practitioners' knowledge and aligning them with contemporary trends in healthcare. She elucidated the Council's progressive measures, including the accreditation of schools to administer CPD programmes in 2014, the formulation of CPD guidelines delineating requisite CPD points for license renewal in 2016, and the establishment of partnerships, such as the one with the World Continuing Education Alliance (WCEA), to furnish practitioners with free online CPD platforms.
Furthermore, Mrs. Woolley elucidated the comprehensive review of CPD guidelines in 2020, encompassing hospital and field-based activities, as part of the concerted efforts to elevate the quality of care provided by nurses and midwives. She highlighted the collaborative initiative with the MOMENTUM Country and Global Leadership (MCGL) programme under the auspices of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which introduced the Behaviourally-Focused Applied Political Economy Analysis (BF-APEA) system to augment practice standards.
Mrs. Elizabeth Acheampong, representing JHPIEGO (originally called Johns Hopkins Programme for International Education in Gynecology and Obstetrics), expounded upon the collaborative endeavours with USAID MOMENTUM to scrutinize the efficacy of existing CPD frameworks. MOMENTUM aims at Moving Integrated, Quality Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health and Family Planning and Reproductive Health Services to Scale. She underscored the imperative of recalibrating CPD goals over the next five years and fortifying CPD guidelines to effectuate tangible improvements in service quality.
Mrs. Victoria Lamina, Head of Policy, elaborated on the collaborative efforts between N&MC and USAID MOMENTUM to propel CPD initiatives into the next phase. Leveraging BF-APEA, the partnership aims to address the challenges impeding the translation of robust CPD frameworks into enhanced healthcare services. Mrs. Lamina emphasized that revalidation endeavours to imbue professional practice with contemporary insights and foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement, thereby elevating the quality and safety of healthcare provision.
Mr. Apem Darko Oklodu-Abbey, Head of Monitoring and Intelligence Unit and the designated officer for CPDs at the N&MC, delivered a succinct presentation elucidating the evolution of CPD protocols. He outlined the progression from triennial to annual license renewal cycles, citing the imperative for agility in integrating innovations into the healthcare sector and curtailing impersonation. He stated that, "it is essential to emphasize that in order to engage in the noble professions of nursing and midwifery within Ghana, one must first be admitted to an accredited institution and successfully complete a licensing examination conducted by the Council. This rigorous process ensures that practitioners are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver high-quality care to our communities."
Mr. Oklodu-Abbey advocated for a paradigm shift from relicensing to revalidation, positing that the efficacy of such programmes hinges on their viability, fairness, and alignment with public interests.
Finally, Mr. Frederick Kwasi Osei, Team Lead for the N&MC’s Management Information Systems (MIS), demonstrated how the online portal for uploading CPDs is going to work. He highlighted the ongoing efforts to make the online services of the Council as user-friendly and effortless as possible, as well as his team’s readiness to offer technical assistance to users at all times.
The meeting ended with resounding acceptance and optimism from the participants, signifying a collective commitment to advancing the noble objectives of CPD.
In conclusion, the stakeholders’ meeting underscored the collective resolve to recalibrate CPD frameworks to align with evolving professional standards and enhance healthcare outcomes. Through collaborative efforts and strategic partnerships, the N&MC remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering a dynamic and progressive healthcare ecosystem.
