The Nurse Educators Group Ghana (NEGG) has called on the government to consider implementing a research and book allowance scheme for its members to enable them publish research work they have conducted.
The group is also concerned about the exodus of nurse educators to Europe and the Americas and is urging the government to introduce incentive packages to motivate them to stay.
Speaking at the 8th biennial delegates conference at the Pentecost Convention Centre in Gomoa Fetteh in the Central Region, NGG National Chairman Matthew Adamu Bakinam said that there is also a need for the government to consider converting the various nursing colleges into degree-awarding institutions to better equip Ghanaian nurses for the job market.
“Research work is a motivation,” he said. “When you do research work, it is part of career progression. So the more you do research, you get research grants. Our colleagues at Teacher Trainee Colleges are taking research and book allowance. We also attended the same universities, we have masters, we have PhDs. What is preventing us from getting that? So that is why today we have sent a message to the ministry that at least by November something should be done about this.”
He also said that the exodus of nurse educators is a major concern for the group. “Most of our members are leaving the country,” he said. “As we speak, about 50 nurses tutors left the country from last to this year. So if we are okay we should stay. And every country that loses its human resource, loses a lot. And if we look at the cost, it is a financial loss to the state. So our leaders must do something.”
