Better child health care expected at GPHC with 27 staff completed training

Georgetown : The Government of Guyana in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has trained 21 nurses and six paediatric care assistants through its Paediatric Nursing Programme to ensure a better child health care system at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Sumiko Yoshida, Senior Volunteer and Paediatric Nurse Educator lauded the GPHC for the support she received throughout the two-month programme. Yoshida was also amazed by the dedication of nurses to the programme and said some nurses attended classes on their day off.

Aarissa Singh Paediatric Ward Manager, Surgical Unit said this year’s training programme has seen increased participation by nurses.

Yoshida said she looks forward to training another batch of nurses in 2015 through 2017 and in new courses; cardiac recognition, infant and child resuscitation, and paediatric critical care.

She said the goal of JIC is to improve the paediatric nursing services, the paediatric nursing educational training and improving the paediatric ward environment.

Singh said the recently completed training exercise is the third of its nature conducted at GPHC in collaboration with JICA. She added that in October 2013, 19 nurses graduated from the programme.

She added that the programme is designed to provide nurses with the knowledge and skills required to manage emergency situations through assessment and quick interventions. Further, it has a number of areas such as team dynamics, coping with death, infant and child resuscitation and vascular access.

Nurse training

Nurses are expected to become more confident, competent in patient care delivery, and in caring for infants and children which will improve paediatric/patient services.