Preparing the Nursing Workforce to Care and Treat People Living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa: A National Case Study in Zambia's Competency-Based Blended Learning Approach

Zambia

Lastina Lwatula will discuss Jhpiego’s work preparing Nurses to provide antiretroviral therapy to people living with HIV in Zambia. As a Regional Senior Technical Advisor with extensive education and training experience she will describe the need to prepare nurses for this essential role, national efforts made to date and the complex set of factors within the society and health system that have influenced progress. She will highlight Jhpiego’s recent collaborative work with the Government of Zambia aimed at developing a competency-based blended learning training response needed to reach all nurses deployed within the health system.  Ms. Lwatula will also highlight collaboration with the Nursing Council focused on institutionalizing this training within a fledgling continuing professional development system. 

Conclusion

Jhpiego continues to collaborate with Ministries of Health and other key stakeholders to support policy, regulation, education and practice that maximize the ability of nurses to improve the health and wellbeing of people in low and middle income countries throughout the world.  We hope that by sharing experiences gained by our most experienced nurses from within the region most affected by the HIV epidemic, those who participate in this symposium will leave with a better appreciation of the complex dynamics involved in health systems strengthening.