Education minister Janet Museveni has said government is planning a policy to ensure that nurses and midwives who mistreat patients are penalized.
Museveni explained that they were disturbed by the widespread public outcry on the attitude and general orientation of nurses, midwives and many other categories of health professionals deployed into service.
“There are increasing reports of cruel, insensitive and unethical conduct and behavior amongst them,” Museveni said.
“Apart from openly displaying their discomfort while handling patients, who understandably deserve and expect greater care and compassion, it is not uncommon to see them [nurses and midwives] shouting and displaying all forms of disgust at patients.”
The minister expressed her concerns in her speech at the release of the 22nd series of examinations conducted by the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Examinations Board (UNMEB) on Friday, February 24 in Kampala.
She told Mulago nursing students and tutors that it is a basic principle of human psychology that care, love and compassion are vital elements in the healing process.
Some 5,500 diploma and certificate candidates from 64 accredited nursing schools sat for these examinations from November 7 to 11 in 2016. Of these, 4,120 are female and 1,380 male. While presenting the results, Hellen Kataratambi, the UNMEB executive secretary, said at least 4,368 candidates passed the examinations. Of the candidates, 1,595 were diploma students and 3,905 were certificate students.
According to the results, the certificate in midwifery programme registered the highest number of candidates at 1,454 where no male students took part. Out of the 3,905 certificate candidates, 3,087 passed while 85 were deregistered and 733 students were ungraded.
Kataratambi attributed the performance to deliberate efforts by UNMEB to strengthen the capacity of tutors, clinical instructors and hospital mentors in practical skills assessment.
At diploma level, of the 1,595 candidates, at least 1,281 students passed the examinations. UNMEB also approved the release of results for 15 candidates for the May 2016 examinations while those of four candidates have been withheld for breaching examination regulation 6.3 1 (b) which prohibits candidates from submitting incomplete or fraudulent clinical record books. The board conducts four examinations every year.
She said the affected candidates would be advised to undertake six months hospital-based mentorship and practical training for adequate skills acquisition.
“Result slips and certificates for all successful candidates have been processed and are ready for distribution to students,” she said.
REGULATING NURSES
Meanwhile, speaking to The Observer on the sidelines of the release, John Wakida, the registrar of the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Council (UNMC), said nurses and midwives ought to take care of their patients professionally but some remain undisciplined.
“Our anthem is very clear. We are chosen to love and serve but not mistreat patients,” Wakida said, adding that the council, also at the level of the High court, will continue to summon all errant health professionals.
Wakida said the council goes ahead to cross-examine nurses and midwives and, if found guilty, it may recall their certificates, suspend, warn or withhold one’s salary.
But if the case is grave, one can be deregistered from the profession. The UNMC committee sits twice annually to hear complaints from patients and or their caretakers and those collected from its 13 regional centers across the country.
According to Wakida, currently, there are about 55,000 nurses and midwives actively working in the health sector.
nangonzi@observer.ug