Snapshot

APN Role Exists in Country Today:
Yes

Title:
Midwifery and Neonatology Specialist Midwife (Midwifery and Neonatology)
Critical Care Nursing Specialist Nurse (Critical Care)
Psychiatric Nursing Specialist Nurse (Mental Health)

Nationally Certified/Registered:
Yes

Recognize Foreign Licensure:
Yes

Treatment Authority:
Yes

Prescribing Authority:
Yes

Practice Autonomously:
Uncertain (Yes in rural areas)

Contact:
Nursing Council of Naimibia

Role

The nursing role in Namibia today is expected to train all nurses to also be midwives because of the high need to assist in pregnancies.  As a result, all nurses practice to this level.  Because of the lack of physicians in more rural areas, the nurses in these regions may offer thorough assessment, diagnosis, and treatment based on their being the isolated health provider in a rural area.  Training at the bachelors level has been developed as of 2008 and encouragement from the Namibian government has been to continue to expand the education of nursing (Klopper & Uys, 2010).

As of 2008, the Nursing Council of Namibia also identifies there are several specialties in nursing by which an individual can be trained as a (Health Professions Councils of Namibia, n.d.):

• Midwifery and Neonatology Specialist Midwife (Midwifery and Neonatology)
• Critical Care Nursing Specialist Midwife (Critical Care)
• Psychiatric Nursing Specialist Nurse (Mental Health)

Education & Certficiation

Individuals in the nursing roles can be trained at the bachelor level (Klopper & Uys, 2010).  While all the nurses trained in Namibia have been expected to perform midwifery care, individuals from surrounding countries who come to Namibia to work may not be trained in this task.  As a result, the Namibian schooling offers training to teach those individuals to additionally have the skills to work as a midwife (Klopper & Uys, 2010).

The individuals who pursue the specialties obtain a Masters degree in their specific subject (Health Professions Councils of Namibia, n.d.).

Specialties

The Nursing Council of Namibia does identify several specialties as nurse specialists as mentioned previously as: Midwifery and Neonatology, Critical Care, and Mental Health nurse specialists.  Nurses are also able to obtain a nursing diploma in general nursing as a: midwife, nurse with midwife capabilities, or dermatology (Health Professions Councils of Namibia, n.d.).  According to the Nursing Council of Namibia, there is government sanctioning that identifies additional advanced diplomas that allow a nurse to gain further education in various specialist subjects (Health Professions Councils of Namibia, n.d.):

• Advanced University Diploma in Operating Room Nursing Science
• Diploma in Opthalmological Nursing Science
• Advanced University Diploma in Health Promotion, Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment
• Advanced Diploma in Nursing Education
• Advanced Diploma in Critical Care Nursing
• Advanced Diploma in Dermatology
• Advanced Diploma in Anesthetics
• Advanced Diploma in Health Service Management
• Advanced Diploma in Unit Management for Registered Nurses
• Advanced Diploma in Clinical Nursing Science, Health Assessment, Treatment and Care
• Advanced Diploma in Community Health Nursing Science
• Advanced Diploma in Midwifery and Neonatal Nursing Science
• Advanced Diploma in Occupational Health Nursing Science
• Advanced Diploma in Gerontological Nursing Science
• Advanced Diploma in Child Nursing Science
• Advanced Diploma in Orthopedic Nursing Science
• Advanced Diploma in Oncology
• Advanced Diploma in Neonatology
• Advanced Diploma in Trauma Nursing Science

While this list of advanced diplomas is extensive, it is uncertain the accessibility of these advanced diploma programs, as only the first five were identified to be offered by the University of Namibia (Health Professions Councils of Namibia, n.d.).

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References:
Health Professions Councils of Namibia (n.d.).  Nursing council of Namibia.  Retrieved from: http://www.hpcna.com/nursing_min.php

Klopper, H. & Uys, L.R. (2012). The state of nursing and education in Africa: A country-by-country review [Google eReader version]. Sigma Theta Tau.  Retrieved from: http://books.google.com/books?id=SzgiwENnd4UC&source=gbs_navlinks_s