Nurse training faces quality questions

Questions over whether some newly qualified nurses are leaving training institutions without the practical skills expected of entry-level professionals dominated parliament's recent inquiry into Namibia's health training institutions.

During week-long consultations in Otjiwarongo, lawmakers, regulators, training institutions, and representatives of the private health sector questioned whether the country's nursing education system is producing graduates adequately prepared to care for patients.

Presenters warned that graduate readiness varies across institutions, noting that some struggle to perform tasks expected of entry-level nurses.

The concerns raised broader questions about patient safety, the consistency of training standards and whether the rapid expansion of nurse training is being matched by quality assurance.

Welwitchia University told the committee that only a limited number of hospitals are accredited to provide practical training, forcing universities and colleges to compete for clinical placements.

Members also questioned whether the healthcare system has sufficient capacity to provide meaningful practical experience as student enrolment continues to increase.

Questions were also raised over whether institutions have adequately equipped simulation laboratories before students are deployed to hospitals, arguing that simulation-based learning should be an essential part of preparing future nurses to treat patients safely.

Job squeeze

Presenters also warned that growing numbers of nursing graduates are entering a labour market not always equipped to absorb them immediately, leaving some waiting months for employment while their clinical skills risk deteriorating.

MPs raised concerns that parents continue to pay substantial tuition fees in the hope of securing a professional career for their children, only for some graduates to spend months looking for work. Some argued the issue extends beyond employment, raising broader questions about consumer protection and institutions' responsibility to ensure students enter a profession with realistic job prospects.

Representatives of the Namibian Private Practitioners' Forum said approvals for new nursing programmes appear disconnected from labour market demand and called for a comprehensive workforce planning framework to determine how many nurses the country needs before additional programmes or campuses are approved.

They also recommended making workforce impact assessments a prerequisite for approving new programmes.

The concerns were reinforced by figures presented to the committee showing that the Health Professions Councils of Namibia had targeted 25 640 registered health practitioners by the 2023/24 financial year, but the actual number reached 28 600.

Of these, 16 526 were nurses, representing about 55% of all registered health professionals.

The submission argued that while the increase reflects expanded training opportunities, it also raises questions about whether workforce planning has kept pace with graduate output and the health sector's ability to absorb newly qualified nurses.

Stricter regulations

Several submissions called for closer collaboration among regulatory bodies to avoid duplication and strengthen oversight of new programmes.

Welwitchia University told parliament that nursing programmes undergo multiple layers of scrutiny before students can be admitted.

The university said its lecturers are professionally registered, its curricula accredited and students receive both simulation-based and clinical training. However, it acknowledged that limited clinical placement opportunities remain a challenge for all institutions offering nursing programmes.

Private healthcare representatives nevertheless maintained that regulation should not end with programme accreditation.

They argued that policymakers need to consider whether the country has sufficient employment opportunities, clinical placement capacity and healthcare funding to support the growing number of graduates.