Pre-service training 2019

Since 2015 Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) and NESI/University of Antwerp are closely collaborating to improve the pre-service training in immunisation at nursing and midwifery training institutions in Kenya. With its network of 31 colleges across the country, KMTC is one of the leading health training institutions in Kenya, and is also the driving force advocating for updating EPI curricula at all pre-service nursing and midwifery training institutions in the country. 

Following a survey to determine the technical competences (knowledge, skills and attitudes) of nurse lecturers in EPI at the different KMTC colleges, a workshop was organised to strengthen the teaching and learning of immunisation within the existing curriculum for the pre-service Kenyan Registered Community Health Nursing (KRCHN) programme. Consensus was obtained on the EPI content to be incorporated in the pre-service KRCHN curriculum, using the EPI prototype curriculum as a guideline. Following consensus on the EPI content, an EPI learning guide to be used by students during the skills laboratory sessions has been developed.

The last step in the process of strengthening EPI pre-service training at KMTC is the organisation of a refresher training course for all nurse lecturers on current immunisation guidelines and practices, in order for them to deliver the updated EPI content with confidence. Currently the implementation of the course is being planned and training materials have been compiled.  

The experience of KMTC is being documented and can serve as an example for other health training institutions and other countries to evaluate and revise their respective institutional EPI curriculum.

Since 2015, Universitas Padjadjaran (UNPAD) and NESI/University of Antwerp are closely working together to strengthen the EPI pre-service training at nursing and midwifery schools in West-Java, Indonesia. The first phase of the study entitled “Evaluation of the curriculum on immunisation at nursing and midwifery schools in West Java Province, Indonesia” was initiated during 2015. The objectives of the study included: (1) to map which EPI-related topics are taught; (2) to list materials and demonstration equipment used in EPI teaching; (3) to evaluate knowledge on EPI of students and lecturers; and (4) to determine strengths, gaps and training needs.

The study took place at public and private nursing and midwifery schools in the districts of Bandung, Garut, Tasikmalaya and Kunningan in West Java Province, Indonesia. A total of 7 training institutions, including 10 nursing and 5 midwifery programmes were reviewed. All programmes have EPI related content included in their curriculum, but variation between programmes was observed and no standard EPI curriculum is available.

A protocol has now been developed to include additional nursing and midwifery schools in the study and to extend the study to other provinces of Indonesia to get more in-depth knowledge on current EPI training at the different nursing and midwifery schools. Following the extended survey, a standard EPI curriculum will be developed and refresher courses for current EPI lecturers and tutors will be organised.