Bridgetown, Barbados, 9 June 2022 (PAHO) - Experts from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Subregional Programme and University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Nursing recently carried out a site visit to assess the Associate Nursing Programme in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI).
The activity followed a review of the Nursing Program Curriculum, as well as its alignment to the Curriculum for Nursing Education Programme BSc Nursing for CARICOM Countries, in close collaboration with PAHO Bahamas and TCI Country Office.
The on-site assessment included a visit to TCI Community College (TCICC) facilities and practicum locations in Grand Turk and Providenciales, interviews with Ms. Clara Gardiner, Interim President TCICC and academic authorities, faculty and nursing students. The team also met with the Council of Nursing and Midwifery and national health authorities, including The Honourable Jamell Robinson, Minister of Health and Human Services, The Honourable Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education, Labour, Employment and Customer Services, and Ms. Desiree Lewis, Permanent Secretary of Health.
The assessment of the Associate Nursing Programme produced a report with main findings and recommendations. Coming out of the visit, strategic changes were suggested by the team to transform and upgrade the current associate degree curriculum to a bachelor's degree programme in the short and middle term.
The country also agreed to begin the process of defining a Memorandum of Understanding with the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC), to adopt the Regional Examination for Nurses Registration. Commendably, both TCICC and the Council of Nursing and Midwifery have the full support of national authorities to achieve the objective of in country training of local nurses.
