The Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) has warned Kenyans against enrolling in nursing courses offered by unrecognised institutions, including a college running an unapproved program.
In a statement on April 18, NCK said that it is the sole authority responsible for regulating nursing and midwifery training programs and institutions in Kenya.
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The council added that any course offered without its approval is not recognised and does not meet the required standards of training and professional practice.
As a result, NCK issued a warning to the African International Technical College, accusing it of advertising and offering a nursing-related course without the council’s approval.
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“The Council wishes to draw your attention to Section 21 of the Nurses and Midwives Act CAP 257 Laws of Kenya, which stipulates that, any person conducting nursing training courses without Council approval, upon conviction, is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding five hundred thousand shillings (Ksh.500,000), or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or both,” said NCK.
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Fake courses
Further, the council notified the entire public that Nurse Aid, Nursing Assistant and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) training are not recognized programs by the NCK.
The council also maintained that it will not be held responsible for any damages arising in contract, tort or otherwise from the use or inability to use the information contained in the warning notice or from any action or decision taken as a result of using the said information.
“The Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) is committed to ensuring the highest attainable standards in nursing and midwifery education and practice,” the statement adds.
Prospective students and their guardians have been urged to be on the look-out and verify the accreditation status of any institution before enrolling3 in any nursing or midwifery program.
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NCK approval of training institutions
To date, the council has approved 145 nursing and midwifery training institutions to train students at degree, and basic & post basic diploma levels for various specialty areas of nursing and midwifery practice
In addition, NCK has provided standards of nursing education in Kenya and the education policy to provide a framework of reference for the nursing and midwifery education programs in the country in preparing safe and competent nurse and midwife practitioners.
“We perform accreditation of programs/courses. Any school, college or institution intending to offer nursing and/or midwifery education program for the purpose of preparing individuals to be awarded certificate, diploma or degree in nursing and/or midwifery is required to seek approval from the Nursing Council of Kenya,” notes NCK in its website.
Official recognition for a new program is granted to an institution after the council conducts a visit to the institution to ascertain its readiness to admit students.
Renewal on the other hand is done upon expiration of the initial approval (after 5 years). NCK conducts an evaluation visit to ensure that the institution continues to maintain the set standards.
For a list of approved institutions and programs as of 28th October 2024, one can visit NCK’s official website via (https://nckenya.com/approved-training-institutions/).
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