Nurses and nursing education in Ghana: creating collaborative opportunities.

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Nursing Education
• International Collaboration

Background:

• A faculty member from Georgia Southern University (GSU) visited Ghana in 2003 to establish a partnership with a local nursing school.
• The visit involved clinical practice and discussions with Ghanaian nursing educators, documented through a daily journal.
• The paper integrates health data from Ghana to emphasize critical health issues and the potential impact of international collaboration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To encourage dialogue and creative collaboration between nurse educators from diverse settings.
• To provide 'verbal snapshots' of nursing realities in Ghana, motivating reader engagement.
• To underscore Ghana's health issues and the role of collaborative efforts in strengthening its health system.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of a faculty member's journal from a 2003 visit to Ghana.
• Integration of health statistics specific to Ghana.
• Discussions with nursing educators in Ghana.

Main Results:

• Established a collaborative relationship between Georgia Southern University and a nursing school in Ghana.
• Facilitated a meaningful exchange of resources and experiences for faculty and students.
• Identified critical health issues in Ghana relevant to the global community.

Conclusions:

• The established relationship successfully fostered an interchange of resources and experiences.
• Further collaboration is planned, with funding currently being sought.
• The initiative demonstrated the potential of international partnerships to enhance nursing education and health systems.