Establishing a Social Marketing Strategy for a Continuing and Professional Development Library for Nurses and Midwives in East, Central and Southern Africa

Over the last year the East, Central and Southern Africa College of Nursing (ECSACON), with the support of the African Health Profession Regulatory Collaborative for Nurses and Midwives (ARC), has been developing a Continuing and Professional Development (CPD) Library for nurses and midwives in 17 countries in Africa.  This is an online library that will contain approved training modules for nurses and midwives to access and use for re-licensure, and will contribute to the overall sustainability of newly created national level CPD programs in the region.  It is the first attempt to collect and organize high quality CPD content under a regional umbrella, and additionally, is innovative in its marketing to councils, ECSACON members, and nurses and midwives.  However, development of a website and library is just the first step. Innovative strategies, such as a social marketing campaign, are necessary to ensure that the newly developed CPD Library is a well-utilized and lasting resource.  The social marketing strategy was developed using information collected from a stakeholder analysis, regional nursing and ECSACON executive leadership meetings, Google analytics from the website, and a desk review of potential implementation partners.  This marketing campaign will ensure that the ECSACON CPD Library is sustainable through the development of lasting partnerships with organizations, institutions and professional bodies globally. Sustainability through having a plan for country buy-in, partnerships and financial security will help ensure there is the capacity to continue this project for years to come.