The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) is making a strong case for the cancellation of certificate and diploma nursing programmes, advocating for all nursing education to be elevated to the degree level.

This significant shift aims to address the challenges in the country's healthcare sector by ensuring a more qualified and professional nursing workforce.

Dr. David Tenkorang Twum, General Secretary of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, as reported by myjoyonline.com, has stressed the need for a more skilled nursing population, stating that the current system is "bizarre" with three different levels of entry into the nursing and midwifery profession.

He highlighted the dominance of auxiliary nurses, who make up almost 60% of the workforce, and stressed the need for degree-prepared nurses to become the majority.

“We think that the majority must be degree-prepared,” Tenkorang Twum stated, stressing the need for a more skilled nursing population.

“We have to cancel certificate programmes, we have to cancel diploma programs, and train nurses and midwives at the degree level,” he added.

Drawing comparisons with Nigeria, where a first degree is mandatory for registered nurses and midwives, Dr. David Tenkorang Twum argued that Ghana has the necessary resources and educational institutions to implement similar standards.

"We have the human resources and the schools so we can do that. The diploma and degree-trained nurses and midwives are professional nurses," he noted.

The GRNMA's recommendation to elevate nursing education to the degree level is a crucial step towards enhancing the quality of Ghana's healthcare system.

By prioritizing degree-prepared nurses, Ghana can improve patient outcomes, reduce maternal mortality, and align with international standards.

The successful implementation of this proposal will require collaboration among stakeholders, but the potential benefits to the healthcare system and the nation as a whole make it a worthwhile endeavour.

JKB/AE

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