Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) has approved Kitale-based Equip Africa College to start offering nursing programmes.
The council has also allowed the institution to admit 40 students per year for Kenya Registered Community Health nursing programme.
“The management is required to ensure compliance with tutor: student and nurse: student ratios as stipulated in the standards of nursing education and practice for nurses in Kenya,” reads a letter dated August 9, to the executive director of the college and signed by NCK registrar and Chief Executive Officer Edna Tallam-Kimaiyo.
She said students studying the programme will undertake their clinical experience at Kitale and Bungoma county referral hospitals.
“The council expects that the institutions will maintain standards of service for patients’ safety and provide continuous mentorship to trainees. Additionally, the management should ensure that the identified gaps are appropriately addressed and forward progress report to NCK by October 31,” reads the letter to the health facilities medical superintendents.
Kitale County Hospital is a level 4 facility with a bed capacity of 250. It has an average occupancy of 100 per cent while Bungoma has a bed capacity of 265 with an occupancy rate of over 100 per cent.