Challenges for nursing education in Angola: The perception of nurse leaders affiliated with professional education institutions

Abstract

Background: Angola is one of the African countries with the highest morbidity and mortality rates and adevastating lack of human resources for health, including nursing. The World Health Organization stimulates andtakes technical cooperation initiatives for human resource education and training in health and education, with aview to the development of countries in the region. The aim in this study was to identify how nurses affiliated withnursing education institutions perceive the challenges nursing education is facing in Angola. Methods: After consulting the National Directory of Human Resources in Angola, the nurse leaders affiliated withprofessional nursing education institutions in Angola were invited to participate in the study by email. Data werecollected in February 2009 through the focus group technique. The group of participants was focused on thecentral question: what are the challenges faced for nursing education in your country? To register and understand theinformation, besides the use of a recorder, the reporters elaborated an interpretative report. Data were coded usingcontent analysis. Results: Fourteen nurses participated in the meeting, most of whom were affiliated with technical nursingeducation institutions. It was verified that the nurse leaders at technical and higher nursing education institutionsin Angola face many challenges, mainly related to the lack of infrastructure, absence of trained human resources,bureaucratic problems to regularize the schools and lack of material resources. On the opposite, the solutionsthey present are predominantly centered on the valuation of nursing professionals, which implies cultural andattitude changes. Conclusions: Public health education policies need to be established in Angola, including action guidelines thatpermit effective nursing activities. Professional education institutions need further regularizations and nurses needto be acknowledged as key elements for the qualitative enhancement of health services in the country. © 2013 Marchi-Alves et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.