The 3rd edition of the Credentialing Forum organised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (N&MC) is currently ongoing for some nursing and midwifery institutions in the country.
“The 3rd Credentialing Forum is currently underway for four (4) newly established schools and 10 existing schools, of which 8 applied for re-accreditation and 2 who have introduced new programmes,” a statement from the N&MC announced.
The accreditation and re-accreditation forum is taking place from September 27-30, 2021 at the Council’s Head Office.
Below is the full statement on the credentialing forum:
THIRD CREDENTIALING FORUM FOR NURSING AND MIDWIFERY TRAINING INSTITUTIONS
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (N&MC) is a statutory body whose mandate is derived from the Part III of the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act 2013 (Act 857).
The object of the Council is to secure in the public interest the highest standards of training and practice of nursing and midwifery.
As part of the Council’s functions, it:
- Collaborates with appropriate government agencies such as the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to ensure that nursing and midwifery institutions are accredited. Whereas N&MC provides professional accreditation, GTEC provides institutional and programme accreditation.
- Ensures that the education and training of Nurses and Midwives and other Nursing practitioners are carried out at approved educational institutions for efficient nursing and midwifery practice.
- Monitor and inspect training institutions and health facilities in collaboration with Health Facilities regulatory Agency.
In November 2020, as part of activities to mark the Council’s 50 years of existence, it launched the Credentialing Forum to strengthen its accreditation process for existing and new institutions running nursing and midwifery programmes. Two schools were vetted on the day and given accreditation.
Subsequently, the Council organized the 2nd Credentialing Forum where three newly established schools met a panel to go through the credentialing process.
The 3rd Credentialing Forum is currently underway for four (4) newly established schools and 10 existing schools of which 8 applied for re-accreditation and 2 who have introduced new programmes.
The accreditation and re-accreditation forum will be held from September 27-30, 2021at the Council’s Head Office.
WHAT IS CREDENTIALING FORUM AT THE N&MC
Credentialing Forum is a public meeting between a Panel composed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council and Institutions who have applied for accreditation or re-accreditation.
The Credentialing Forum indicates that applicants for accreditation or re-accreditation definitively must meet certain criteria according to a set of standards based on quality, efficiency and effectiveness.
NURSING AND MIDWIFERY SCHOOL ACCREDITATION CRITERIA
The criteria by which institutions running nursing and midwifery programme is measured during the credentialing Forum is in accordance with a set of criteria based on a set of quite rigorous standards.
Standards for accreditation generally include the following:
Mission and Administration: Does the program have appropriate nursing and midwifery leadership and governance?
Faculty and Staff: Is there sufficient faculty and staff to administer the program properly?
Are faculty educated and trained according to particular standards of academic scholarship?
Curriculum: Does the curriculum or curricula adequately cover all necessary standards of nursing and/or midwifery practice and appropriate competencies?
Program Resources: Does the institution possess adequate physical and financial resources to support a successful program?
Recurring Program Evaluation/Outcomes: Does the program prove successful
These are just a few of the questions each standard addresses.
If a school is not given approval or accreditation based on the results at the Credentialing Forum, the school is given the opportunity to address issues based on the report by Panel Members. They are given a chance to re-appear before the panel and justify why they should be given the accreditation.
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Issued by the Public Affairs Directorate
Monday, September 27, 2021