African Nurses and Midwives Network (ANMN)
Nursing in the contemporary era.
Globally, healthcare system is facing and will face a number of challenges in providing high-quality; innovative and cost-effective care now and in the future. These challenges include population size, rampant communicable diseases and increasing chronic non-communicable disease (CNCD) resulting in double burden, rising health care costs, technological change, need to improve the equity and accessibility of the health care system.
Nurses and midwives are a key contributor to meet the challenges described above because they represents the majority of all registered health practitioners, accounts for a significant proportion of health services’ expenditure, work across all sectors and settings of the healthcare system, integral to the delivery of a range of health services from community-based primary health care to the tertiary sector and available all the times (24 hours).
Nursing is a diverse discipline which encompasses a range of overlapping roles like delivering clinical care, patient care coordination, driving safety and quality improvements, health service development and systems management, research and education. As a profession, they take a holistic, patient-centred approach to care and are often the frontline of healthcare delivery. As a result, they play a critical role in identifying and responding to changes in patients’ health status, preventing adverse events and supporting patients throughout their care journey.
Nurses and midwives connect challenges at the local level and the broader context, understand the factors that have shaped the current health system, look beyond day-to-day challenges to develop long-term strategies, retain and develop country’s nurse workforce, shape the design and delivery of new models of care, ensure the health system is accessible, responsive and able to meet the needs of all; know relationship between education, research and practice, create positive practice environments and deliver high quality care.
These nurses and midwives need leadership who influences them to accomplish common goals to inform the strategic direction of health system, help drive the necessary changes within organizations at all levels of the health care system, informed by the patient-centred care philosophy of nursing, have an understanding of the complex challenges facing the nursing profession and have a strong knowledge of the broader health system.
As a result, nurse leaders are well placed to advocate for the strategic development, health workforce and models of care. However, the contribution that nurse leaders make is not always fully recognized or positions are not secure within health care organizations and the wider health system; or those in leadership positions at all levels lack the resources, visibility or formal authority to be optimally effective which could be due to lack of unity, weakness of professional association in terms commitment, membership advocacy and organization.
Therefore, ANMN will act as a regulator for national/regional nursing bodies in Africa, hence serve as a platform to move the nursing agenda of members (policy making, dissemination, implementation, collaborations, partnerships, etc.)
ANMN will partner with individuals and groups, both statutory and non-statutory bodies, to meet her goals. All African Nurses and Midwives will be united, bringing a new age for health care delivery, education, innovation, and research and policy development to Africa. In this regard ANMN will transform nursing and midwifery in Africa, taking into account African cultures, diversities, and dynamics.
Background to the establishment of ANMN
There is limited collaboration between nursing professionals within and outside Africa and those that do collaborate are regional based. Current regional organisations are ECSACON, SANAM, and CNMF. However, their strength and scope of reach across Africa needs to be explored given that these organisations are predominantly regional based. These organisations might not be functioning optimally on the African continent as they serve particular regions. Furthermore, the mandates of these regional organisations are predominantly education as they are mostly nursing colleges. They thus offer programmes that are specifically tailored to needs of those who want to study further. Ultimately these organisations do not have a focus on Africa as a continent. Another example are organisations, mostly operating in Southern Africa that are predominantly focused HIV/Aids. These are service delivery orientated organisation.
Organizations use individuals to achieve their goals, which in most cases are short term goals. For instance NURSINGNOW has national bodies and country specific individuals who operate solely in those countries and will be operational for a period of three years. Such an onerous organisation can only thrive through a well-established structure. Furthermore, organisations mostly do not know who exactly to approach and how to reach nurses and midwives in the various countries in Africa.If ANMN existed we will be there to give these bodies (organisations) a direct link to organizations in Africa to liaise with. ANMN can advise them (consultation) on the best approach to what they are trying to achieve in a specific country.
ANMN will not expect, force or prescribe to organisation in the various countries in Africa to adapt their standards believing that they will join willingly. ANMN will develop our own standard for a particular practice areas in nursing and Midwifery. We will present what we developed to the nursing organizations and encourage them to consider it / and or adopt it. For instance, in terms of clinical research nursing, ANMN will take note of, and draw inspiration from, standard developed for clinical research nursing practice by the International Association of Clinical Research Nursing (IACRN) and the American Nursing Association.
Ultimately we will develop our own standards of research practice in and for Africa. The question remains whether, and how many, nursing standards countries in Africa can boost about? What we need to show is that standards developed in and for Africa are effective for patient and practice outcomes regarding patients in Africa. Another question to ponder on is whether nurses and midwives in Africa have similar well recognized standards as the rest of the world? Are we in Africa subjected to similar rigorous criteria as our western counterparts?
To our knowledge there is no single NCLEX test center in Africa. Furthermore, even CGFNS is scares resulting in nurses and midwives travelling to India, the Philippines etc. It is thus envisioned that ANMN have a strong background and leadership for nurses and midwives who wish to take such exams. As a leader ANMN will collaborate with bodies like NCLEX, CGFNS, Canada equivalent, Australia equivalent etc. It is also possible that ANMN can operate and manage a center on behalf of these examination bodies.
Although no one can practice in Africa, ANMN can serve as a review center and forward reviews, and probably examination outcomes, to licensing bodies in countries. This idea is based on the example set in the USA where a person can take NCLEX, then get licensed by the individual states in the USA. Such an option does not exist in Africa. ANMN can serve as the first similar body. Countries in African can serve as the member states with their individual licensing protocols.
Ultimately, it will be a matter of enrolling countries in Africa to share own perspective. It will also be important to form relationships with organisations based outside Africa because these organisations could be aligned with our ideology and would want to become ANMN members. For example, Sigma Theta Tau, a USA based organisation, adopts any nursing organization interested in joining them. This they achieve by establishing chapters worldwide.
VISION: To provide an avenue to impact nursing and midwifery practice and research in Africa
MISSION: To influence healthcare policies and standards of nursing and midwifery practice by being an innovative nursing organization in Africa to empower its members for them achieve excellence in person-centered care through education, creativity, collaboration and leadership.
POSITION STATEMENT:
We are influencing and harmonise nursing and midwifery across Africa and act as an avenue to change the standard and perception of nursing and midwifery in Africa uniquely connected to and linking nurses and midwifes in Africa.
ANMN is working towards linking nurses and midwives in Africa together through which we influence the standard and perception of nursing practice and standard.
PRINCIPLES GUIDING ANMN
ANMN respects international borders, national laws and policies alongside professional ethics binding the nurse of a given state/country.
TARGET POPULATION/AUDIENCE/MEMBERS
Primary target population (individual membership): African nurses and midwifes network is an organisation endeavouring to give all nurses and midwives in Africa one voice.
Secondary target populations (group/organisational membership):
- Organisations/partner that support nurses and midwifes in Africa
- Affiliations (Ministries of Health, ECOWAS, AU, ETC…)
- Nursing and midwifery student organisations (generic undergraduate students)
- Regulatory bodies
Membership Categories :( will have various / different levels of engagement)
- (Corporate membership) Nursing led organizations in Africa or owned by an African nurse
- Individual membership
- Organizational/Association membership
- Country specific and Regional nursing bodies (ie WACN, ECSACON ETC.)
Aims/Objectives highlight:
ANMN is an initiative to serve as a moderator to International nursing bodies seeking to collaborate with nurses, midwives and other nursing parastatals in African countries.
Also through hard work ANMN will serve as a platform to seek for a seat at the tables of for nurses and midwives during health care related policy making and as well an arm of African Union (AU) as well as the ICN and WHO.
ANMN will be a gateway/gatekeeper for national/regional nursing bodies in Africa, hence serve as a platform to move the nursing agenda of members (policy making, dissemination, implementation, collaborations, partnerships, etc.)
ANMN will in the long run serve as a nursing regulation body in Africa as well as certification for other nurses and midwives wishing to practice in Africa. While most National Bodies are concerned with curriculums, indexing and licensing ANMN will ensure coalition of these nursing bodies in Africa. ANMN will endeavour exchange of knowledge and resources, nursing skills improvement, regulation of nursing practice through policy development and implementation, and recognition of nurses and midwives’ achievements in the African Nursing sector. ANMN will support individual members, championing of innovation within nursing sector in Africa, building a central coalition between international nursing bodies such as ICN, CNMF, Etc. and African nursing sector through ANMN (within and outside Africa), hence building the national and regional nursing bodies into one formidable force.
Areas of Focus/Benefits:
| PRIMARY OBJECTIVES | AREA OF FOCUS
BENEFITS |
ACTIONS TO TAKE TO REACH OBJECTIVES/AREA OF FOCUS |
ADVOCACY
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LEADERSHIP
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NETWORKING
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Create a channel of communication to reach nurses |
EDUCATION
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Information/access to news and recent happenings in African nursing profession (Newsletter) |
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES
EDUCATION:
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Mentorship programmesOnline and physical Courses for nurses and midwives (Free and paid) with CPD
Scholarships / Grants seeking Workshops and conferences discounted rates (ANMNprogrammes and ANMN approved/endorsed programmes) |
ACTIVITY – MATCHING ALL OBJECTIVES
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Continental Award Programme for outstanding nurses and midwives in African Charitable aspect of the nursing organization (Giving to the society, raising funds to advance nursing research, and nursing education as well as career advancements). Corporate social responsibility of ANMN. |
Meetings:
With over 56 African Countries, we hope to have revolving ANMN general meetings at all levels of the establishment: Headquarters, Regional Headquarters and Country secretariats.
We therefore invite all nursing associations, nursing councils, Nurse led NGOs, and Nurse led Private companies to be part of this initiative as members. We believe ANMN will in the near future structure activities for nurses and midwives in Africa, be a strong voice for nurses and midwives in areas such as entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership, human resource development for health: nursing focused, political and health policy formation as well as be a strong platform networking platform for African nurses and midwives.
Membership Categories: [FEES] (will have various / different levels of engagement)
- (Corporate membership) Nursing led organizations in Africa or owned by an African nurse: 150 dollar
- Individual membership: $15 dollar per year
- Organizational/Association membership: 200 dollar/annum
- Country specific and Regional nursing bodies (ie WACN, ECSACON etc) 250 dollars/Annum
Structure:
- Headquarters:
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- President
- Vice President
- Executive secretary
- Board of Trustees (Executive arm)
- Treasurer
- African Nurse General
- African Midwife General
- Regional Secretariats: Regional Directors-General secretaries (Representation from all member countries in the region )
- Country Offices: Country Directors-secretaries (All member states)
- Zonal Offices: Coordinators – Zonal secretaries (All states in the zone)
Each structure level has its own unique work ranging from policy making to implementation and monitoring etc. We seek to engage enthusiastic nurses and midwives in all African countries who could champion the initiative. We hope to target the entire African continent. The initiators in the countries will oversee the growth and development of the association with the help of the founders using operational guidelines and subsequently form a structure for the association in their regions and countries as country representatives at the headquarters
OFFICE BEARERS OF African Nurses and Midwives Network
P: President
VP: Vice-President
ES: Executive secretary
RS: Regional secretariat
RD: Regional Directors
GS: General secretariat
CD: Country Reps
To do and TimeLine:
- Launching (December) 2020
Criteria for Country Developments:
Country Chapters:
The President updated the house information from the Board meeting on the criteria to function as a Country Chapter:
- That Country Chapter shall be opened with at least 10 registered members
- That country Representatives shall receive copies of constitution and guidelines of ANMN as well as copy of the registration upon launch of the chapter
- That Country Representatives shall be responsible for registration of their country members and remitting the finds to the headquarters through bank account or card.
- That members shall receive online certificates upon payment of their membership fees
- That the start-up kit will be circulated to country Representatives as soon as possible
- That all country Representatives shall register themselves immediately to retain the status.
- That all country Representative should be a regular attendant of ANMN Executive Council Meetings.
- Have its first meeting and submit minutes of such meeting to the headquarters through the Secretary General
- Apply for approval of the chapter, receive approval and receive a Liaison officer for Country who will direct the country on how to smoothly grow its chapter.
- Shall transfer all names of members and 50% of member’s fee to the headquarters while retaining the remaining 50% for its operation
- Submit its annual programme directory
ANMN working groups
- Research working group
- Telenursing/Innovation WG
- Education and Policy WG
- Partnership, Collaboration and Implementation WG
- Governance/ Liaison/communication WG (establishment of chapters etc)
Working Committee
(Directors of programmes)
(Chairs of all the working groups will form the WC)