EFFECTIVE HUMAN RESOURCE AT QUECH

The government of Malawi has implemented a policy at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QUECH), the Malawi’s largest public hospital, whereby there is no shortage of staff in the un paying wards. Patients are always attended to in good time and good manner because most of the nurses are students.

It is a good gesture since people opt for the paying side in order to get full attention from the nurses. This time it is different since there are first year and second year students from the Malawi College of Health Sciences and the Kamuzu College of Nursing (KCN). Esther Jere who was admitted at 5b ward explained that the availability of the student nurses have improved the provision of health care facilities in the wards. Patients no longer complain of late delivery of medicine and hostile behavior of older nurses.

“I was assigned a nurse on my bed throughout who was at my service full time. This nurse was very polite in such a way that I never needed a guardian.” She explained.

One of the student nurses from KCN, Besani Saka explained that students are posted in the public hospitals from first year so that they should get used to the nursing profession. He also said that they treat patients very well because they have a passion to assist the sick.

“It is my duty to take care of the patients, in other countries patients do not have guardians to attend to them because it is the duty of the nurse. As nurses we also want to implement that here in Malawi.” Saka explained.

By Hazviperi Mbizi

Tags: QUECH