Development of a paediatric oncology short learning program for nurses in Malawi
Abstract
Executive summary
The type of research study
This is a sequential multi method study which will use purposive sampling technique.
The problem
Care of children with cancer is highly specialised and requires well educated, trained and
dedicated nurses to provide high quality care (‘Andersson et al. 2012). In Malawi, the
curriculum for nurses has limited content for oncology nursing, as such nurses receive little or
no paediatric oncology-specific education during pre-service education (Hockenberry et al.,
2020). Unlike in high income countries (HIC) and other low and middle income countries
(LMIC), where nurses are given an orientation education programme when newly hired or
allocated to paediatric oncology settings, in Malawi, no such education and training is
available. Most preparation occurs as part of institutional orientation and nurses learn on the
job through experience, intuition, doctors’ instructions and everyone teaches them as they see
fit (Tynjälä, 2008). This has also been seen to promote transfer of negative characteristics at
the work place as nurses may be learning from mistakes (Hussein et al. 2017; Tynjälä, 2008).
In addition, nurses are rotated to other units within the hospital annually or every two years, a
practice which further compromises sustainability and quality of care (Gundo et. al. 2019; So
et al., 2016). Consequently, nurses provide substandard care to children with cancer, thus
contributing to poor patient outcomes (Day et al., 2015).
In Malawi, many children who are newly diagnosed with cancer report to hospital with
advanced disease. This makes it difficult to treat cancer that is curable when treatment is
instituted early and make cancer treatment to be expensive. These issues and many more
provide a complex and unique situation for Malawi. As such there is need for well-prepared
nurses with appropriate knowledge, skills and attitudes to properly provide individualised and
holistic care to children with cancer and their families.
Education and training of nurses in paediatric oncology specialty has been identified as an
important step in improving care of children with cancer in LMIC (Challinor et al., 2014). In
Malawi, there is no paediatric oncology education and skills training program for nurses
working in paediatric oncology settings. As such the learning needs of nurses in paediatric
oncology care remain unexplored.
Main Objective
To develop a paediatric oncology short learning program for nurses in Malawi.
Specific Objectives
1. To explore the paediatric oncology learning needs of nurses in Malawi according to
nurses, other health care professionals and parents/guardians.
2. To validate a paediatric oncology short learning programme for nurses in Malawi.
3. To evaluate a paediatric oncology short learning programme for nurses in Malawi.
Methodology
The data collection methods in this study will include scoping review, focus group
discussions, pre and post-test questionnaire, semi structured interviews and participants to
the short learning program will respond to a learning program evaluation form with open
ended questions.
Expected Findings and Dissemination
Findings of this study will inform the development of a paediatric oncology short learning
programme for nurses in Malawi. The developed short learning programme will empower
nurses with appropriate knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide evidenced based nursing
care that will lead to improved health outcomes of children with cancer in Malawi. Findings
from this study will be published in peer reviewed journals and will be presented at local and
international conferences. A PhD thesis will be submitted to the University of the
Witwatersrand, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences libraries and College of Medicine
Research Ethics Committee.
Description
Keywords
ONCOLOGY