Creating Nursing Leaders in Uganda for Global Health Promotion

Background and Issues: Makerere University has started the first clinical graduate nursing program in Uganda. Advanced practice roles, e.g. midwifery, provide the opportunity to address preventive health needs that can save lives. Uganda has a persistently high fertility rate (6.7 children per women) which contributes to high maternal morbidity and mortality (Nalwadda, Mirembe, Byamugisha, & Faxelid, 2010). This presentation 1) briefly describes an intense three week advanced practice health promotion course; and 2) describes an innovative practice component to help students learn new skills and target a population normally ignored. Description: The Advanced Health Promotion course was a collaborative effort between faculty at Makerere University and Johns Hopkins University. In the course six advanced midwifery students developed a community health promotion program. The students identified family planning education as a need and specifically targeted males in a low income working community. Community leaders corroborated the need and in partnership, planned and implemented the program. Over 41 males actively participated. Lessons Learned: Despite stereotypical view points, men eagerly participated and were interested in learning about contraceptive practices. The graduate students gained a greater appreciation for their health promotive role with hard to reach populations. Exposure to contraceptive use messages in non¬traditional settings by advanced practice nurses has the potential to address unmet family planning needs.

Recommendations: Advanced nursing roles should be promoted in low income countries with focus on developing skills that have been traditionally outside the nurse's role. With limited health resources emphasis should be on health promotion and prevention.