Zambian Nurses Train to Improve ICU Patient Management Skills for Better Response to COVID-19 Critical Cases

Zambia Health Care Providers have risen to the occasion to improve Nursing ICU Patient Management Skills. In a joint effort, Mary Begg Community Clinics and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Zambia are training 20 public and private ICU nurses on COVID-19 ICU Patient Management to promote effective nursing care and better management of COVID-19 critical cases in Zambia. Northrise University is pleased to host this essential training, which will help Zambian Nurses better respond to COVID-19 critical patients who desperately need urgent care and management.

The facilitator, Thesia Du Toit, an ICU Expert Trainer from Bayview Nursing School in Mossel Bay, South Africa, has over 20 years of health care experience. Thesia is facilitating with two Zambian Nurses from Mary-Begg, Mirriam Mumba, and Muchindu Kampuyu, trained trainers of the program. Together, they are training fifteen (15) GRZ ICU nurses on the Copperbelt, five (5) Mary Begg nurses, and two (2) Northrise University School of Nursing faculty. While the course applies to COVID-19, it will also deepen knowledge of general intensive care in both theory and practical skills, including critical care patient handling, ventilation, electrocardiography, and more.

Mary-Begg Community Clinics General Manager, Mr. Sean Seymour’Dowd, shared that part of what Mary Begg Community Clinics do as a Corporate Social Enterprise is giving back to the community using three pillars; Community Clinics which attend to about 600 vulnerable people per month with a target of 5000, public health awareness campaigns on cancer and other diseases, and public health strengthening through the donation of equipment to public health facilities and training and development. He was especially grateful to Northrise University, a community partner, for hosting the training. “It’s great for the private sector to give back to the public sector and to contribute to the development of nursing care and patient management in Zambia,” he said.

Northrise University hosted this training to actively support the Zambian Health Care system through training that is likely to reduce the country’s health burden by reducing the COVID-19 hospital stay, increasing bed spaces as well as reducing mismanagement of COVID-19 cases, specifically on the Copperbelt.

After training, it is hoped that participants will increase their knowledge of the ICU environment, train other ICU nurses, and create a ripple effect of ICU Patient Management Skills for better COVID-19 case management.