Nursing Schools and Programs in Ghana

Nursing Studies in Ghana

Independence Square, Accra, Ghana

Nursing in Ghana is taught in English and regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana (N&MC). Students can train through a three-year diploma or a four-year university degree, and both routes end with the Council's licensing examination. For an international student, the degree route at a university is the most direct way into the system.

SpainExchange lists 1 school in Ghana with nursing programmes: the University of Ghana, in Legon, on the edge of Accra. Its School of Nursing and Midwifery belongs to the College of Health Sciences.

How nursing education is organised

The N&MC conducts licensing examinations for nurse assistants, nurses and midwives. According to the Council, registered general nurses are those who have completed a three-year diploma or a four-year degree course in nursing at an accredited institution. Nurse assistants follow two-year courses and work under the supervision of a registered nurse or midwife.

After the basic qualification, nurses can take one-year post-basic courses that the Council also examines, for example in public health nursing, ophthalmic nursing, peri-operative and critical care nursing, and ear, nose and throat nursing.

At the University of Ghana, the bachelor's degree lasts four years. Each academic year has two semesters of 16 weeks. Students do three weeks of clinical practice during each semester and six weeks at the end of every academic year. The school lists these undergraduate programmes:

• BSc General Nursing
• BSc Mental Health Nursing
• BSc Paediatric Nursing
• BSc Public Health Nursing
• BSc Midwifery
• Special Weekend Programme (diploma to degree)

The School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Ghana

The school was set up in 1963 as a post-basic nursing institution, a World Health Organisation project requested by the Ministry of Health. The degree programme began in 1980. In 2003 the department became a school within the College of Health Sciences, and it has been called the School of Nursing and Midwifery since the 2016-17 academic year. It has five departments: adult health, community health, maternal and child health, mental health, and research, education and administration.

Graduate study is also available. The school runs a Master of Science (MSc) of 12 months and a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) of 24 months in nursing. Applicants need a bachelor's degree in nursing with at least a second class lower division, must be registered nurses with at least two years of practice, and must pass a selection interview. The PhD in Nursing is planned over four years and requires a minimum of 75 credits.

Admission and language

Two groups are considered for the bachelor's degree: applicants with the West African Senior School Certificate (WASSCE) or an equivalent, and holders of a diploma in nursing, who enter at Level 200. WASSCE applicants need at least C6 in the core subjects and in each elective, preferably science electives. Programmes of the College of Health Sciences, nursing included, can only be chosen as a first choice.

International applicants apply through the university's international admissions pages and the International Programmes Office. The University of Ghana charges international undergraduate applicants a non-refundable application fee of US$55. Academic fees differ for Ghanaian and international students and are published per college for each academic year; at least 50% must be paid before registration for the first semester.

Teaching is in English. The school asks PhD applicants to be proficient in English, and the N&MC requires documents in other languages to be translated into English.

Licensing and recognition

A degree alone does not give the right to practise. Graduates must pass the N&MC licensing examination, which is held several times a year: in February/March, June/July, August and November/December. Candidates who fail may re-sit without a limit on the number of attempts. Those who pass register with the Council, receive a provisional licence and a log book for a period of rotation and national service, and afterwards obtain a Professional Identification Number (PIN) and a certificate of registration.

Nurses trained outside Ghana who want to work in the country must also pass a licensing examination, which the Council organises twice a year for this group, in June and December. They then complete a three-month practical orientation in a hospital accredited by the Council. The documents required include a transcript of training, verification of registration from the home council and a certificate of proficiency in English.

Careers

Registered nurses and midwives in Ghana practise independently and together with other health professionals, and they supervise nurse assistants. With a post-basic or master's qualification, nurses move into specialist areas such as public health, paediatric, mental health or critical care nursing, or into teaching, management and research.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to become a nurse in Ghana?

According to the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana, registered general nurses complete a three-year diploma or a four-year degree. The bachelor's degree at the University of Ghana lasts four years. After that comes the licensing examination.

Is nursing taught in English in Ghana?

Yes. Teaching at the University of Ghana is in English, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council works in English. Foreign-trained nurses must show a certificate of proficiency in English when they apply for registration.

Can a nurse trained abroad work in Ghana?

Yes, after registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Foreign-trained nurses must pass the Council's licensing examination and complete a three-month practical orientation programme in an accredited hospital.