The Lillian Carter Center for International Nursing is currently offering technical support in Kenya to computerize and analyze existing supply and demand data on the nursing workforce and student nurses.

Why?

All workforce data are currently in a paper format making it nearly impossible to comprehensively assess current workforce needs and develop strategic plans to meet the country’s growing health care requirements. 

The Goal

To create a computerized database that will act as a catalyst in identifying and addressing the needs facing nursing in Kenya. 

The Process

Great effort is being made by the consultants to ensure Kenyan stakeholders maintain ownership of the project.  Kenyan nursing leaders will be the ones who utilize the workforce data for analysis and initiatives.  Therefore, it is important to address their needs when deciding on the content of the database. 

The exact format of the database and list of questions to be answered will be determined by joint decision making bodies based in Kenya as identified in the process plan.

The National Nursing Workforce Analysis provides the first opportunity for key nursing leaders to discuss their shared interest.  The collaborative nature of the Kenyan Nursing Workforce Analysis necessitates that careful and extensive communication and support structures be set in place.  A formalized structure for meeting and for disseminating information now exists. 

The Questions

Some of the questions that will assist in uncovering the needs for Kenyan nurses are listed below. 

• What is the number of nurses in the workforce?

• How many nurses are lost to migration?

• What qualifications do nurses in Kenya hold?

• How death, especially to HIV/AIDS, occurs in the nursing workforce?

• What positions are available to nurses?

• Where are the openings for nursing located and in what sectors?

The Collaborators

• Kenyan Nursing Council and the Office of the Chief Nurse in the Ministry of Health

• Director of Medical Services in the Ministry of Health (MOH)

• Chairperson of the National Nurses Association of Kenya

• Deans/ Chairpersons of six schools of nursing from public, private, and mission sectors

• Several executives from public, private and mission sector employers of nurses

• Center for Disease Control (CDC)

• Lillian Carter Center for International Nursing

View the Memorandum of Understanding for Collaboration signed by the Ministry of Health and Nursing Council of Kenya