Pediatric Oncology Nursing in Ghana

The World Health Organization (WHO) developed a Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer in 2018 with the goal of reducing suffering, improving quality of life, and increasing the survival rate of children with cancer globally to 60% by 2030.  Nursing education was identified as a key component in improving quality of services in pediatric oncology. 

In 2020-2022 a specialized pediatric oncology curriculum, developed by Ghanaian stakeholders and international partners, was taught by Colleen Nixon, RN, and Kim Shephard, RN, from the BCH Global Health Program to 29 nurses from 6 hospitals throughout Ghana. Program outcomes included increased nursing knowledge, confidence, and growth in nursing skills. Post program evaluations identified recommendations for ongoing nurse education.

In January 2024, 4 nurses from the BCH Global Health Program and 4 nurses from Ghana’s Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Accra and Komfu Anoke Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi partnered to address previously made recommendations for continued nurse education for graduates of the Pediatric Oncology Nurse Specialty Program that took place in April, 2024.

Alongside the KATH and KBTH Ghanaian nurse partners, Carly and other BCH global nursing team members facilitated a two-day Pediatric Oncology Reunion and Symposium at the Ghana Collage of Nurses and Midwives with 33 Ghanaian nurses in attendance.

Additionally, the BCH nursing team taught a physical assessment skills course to ~60 pediatric nurses at KBTH and participated in nursing rounds on the outpatient and inpatient pediatric oncology units. Feedback from the reunion and training included positive outcomes such as increased understanding of compassion fatigue, presentation skills and strategies to cope with related anxiety, knowledge of mentoring and advocacy, and knowledge of the PDSA cycle and SMART Aims for quality improvement projects. The attendees strongly recommended future educational programs and for consideration of symposiums at rotating locations throughout Ghana. 

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