| dc.description.abstract |
This study, carried out in 2003 was cross-sectional and descriptive utilizing interviewer-administered questionnaires. Study participants were nurses, clinical officers and medical assistants, a laboratory technician and a dental therapist who were found at the health centres visited during the period of the study. In Malawi,
health centres are mostly resourced with:
- medical assistants,
- clinical officers
- nurses.
Doctors only serve at district and tertiary health care levels.
Fifty-seven healthcare workers participated of whom :
- 47 (82.5%) were nurses,
- 8 (14.0%) were either medical assistants or clinical officers,
- one laboratory technician
- one dental therapist.
At the time of the study:
- 50(87.7%) were prescribers
- 54 (94.7%) had ever issued a prescription for medications.
Participation in workshops and seminars within the past 12 months was reported by 54 (94.7%) of the participants and 49 (86.0%) reported that their health facilities had clinical hand-over meetings.
All participants indicated desire to receive professional journals for free while only 35 (61.4%) were willing to pay for a journal subscription. Current personal and institutional subscription to a journal was low, at 2 (3.5%) each. About 30% had been trained to conduct research and 23 (40.1%) had ever conducted research with only 3 (5.3%) ever written a journal or newsletter article. 47.4% had access to a working phone at work and only 3 (5.3%) had access to internet facilities at all. Only 21% were satisfied with their own knowledge on health matters.
Healthcare professionals in Blantyre’s DHO zone are using mostly clinical hand-over meetings, seminars and workshops for their CPD. There is need to improve access to relevant professional journals. The regulatory or licensing boards for healthcare professional in Malawi should seriously consider mandatory CPD credits for re-registration. |
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