Malawi’s First Pediatric Critical Care Nursing Program

A new master’s degree program in pediatric critical care nursing is expected to increase the number of pediatric health workers in Malawi. With fifty percent of Malawi’s population under the age of 16 and a relatively high under-five child mortality rate of 42 deaths per 1,000 live births, the government has prioritized growing the number of pediatric specialists in the country. 

Partnership matters

Seed is partnering with Kamuzu University of Health Sciences to establish Malawi’s first speciality in pediatric critical care nursing. To start, we deployed two educators to help develop a curriculum for a new master’s degree program in pediatric critical care nursing, as well as a preceptor training program for practicing nurses at Queen Elizabeth Centre Hospital. 

Classroom and clinical training makes a difference

The preceptor training program prepares practicing nurses to become preceptors, who clinically train and mentor nursing students as they rotate in the hospital wards. Clinical training is a key part of nursing education – allowing students the opportunity to apply what they learned in the classroom to a clinical setting with real patients.

Milestones achieved early

Together, our partners, educators, and team achieved our milestones early. Student enrollment in the program launched two years earlier than originally planned. This earlier-than-expected success of the nursing master’s program means that faculty and practicing nurses are able to pivot to training students more quickly than anticipated, alleviating the need for more Seed educators and creating a path forward for bringing life-saving, sustainable pediatric nursing care to communities in Malawi. 

Learn more about our work in Malawi.