AFTER successfully "churning out" thousands of graduate teachers with its Bachelor In Education (Honours) programme, the Open University of Malaysia (OUM) is now eyeing to produce more specialist nurses for the country.

Aware of its responsibility to contribute to this profession, OUM is now offering the Bachelor of Nursing Sciences (Honours) programme to meet the country's acute need for more specialist nurses.

This two-year programme enables those with the Diploma In Nursing to pursue further studies in their respective field of interest.

OUM President/Vice Chancellor Professor Anuwar Ali said the university has held discussions with various parties including the Health Ministry and Malaysian Nursing Board on its plan to offer this degree programme.

The programme is offered to holders of a basic diploma in nursing who are registered with the national nursing board, he told Bernama in a recent interview.

"OUM receives overwhelming response from all parties as the programme is unique based on its flexibility.

Low study fees

He said this degree programme is planned so as not to disturb the career and family life of the nurses.

"Apart from the low study fees, the programme focuses on clinical expertise and direct involvement. These aspects will be implemented via clinical training at participating hospitals," said Anuwar.

He said this would make OUM graduates on par with those in the same field who attended the programme full-time at public or private universities in the country.

Anuwar said OUM receives support from the Health Ministry and several teaching hospitals on the clinical training for those taking the programme.

The ministry has allowed OUM to use clinical facilities at 21 government hospitals nationwide. OUM has also received the nod from Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) and Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM) for the same purpose.

Among the cooperation agreed is the utilisation of clinical facilities for six fields:

- Trauma and Emergency Nursing

- Critical Care Nursing

- Mental Health Nursing

- Paediatrics Nursing

- Renal Nursing

- Oncology Nursing

Prof Anuwar will utilise the services of senior nurses at participating hospitals where they will function as clinical supervisors.

They will give direct teaching and supervision in wards based on the printed and electronic modules issued, said Anuwar.

"It will be easier for students to practice all theories in basic and specialist nursing courses during the clinical training," he said.

Students will be supplied with the laboratory skills virtual aid to help them prepare for the clinical training.

More male nurses

As there is currently a high demand for male nurses, OUM also encourages more men to apply for the course.

The government wants males to join the nursing profession and its target is to produce 300 male nurses from the 3,000 qualified nurses produced every year.

"The need for male nurses is high now. Looking at the current international trend, male nurses have a more specific role as compared to their female counterpart.

"For example in wards, management of male patients is better handled by nurses of the same gender. This is an expanding concept and in the future more hospitals will be nurse-centric instead of being doctor-centric," said Anuwar.

Anuwar said Malaysians should change the notion that the nursing career is only for women.

OUM's concept of a university for all and distance learning does not discriminate any gender as it encourages those from both genders of any age to join its programmes.

"OUM has draw out a programme and provide information for all on the need for nurses of both genders.

Participation of more male nurses in this degree course, at least at the ratio of one to ten for male/female is hoped to change the society's view on the involvement of men in the nursing profession, he said.

"Career prospects of a male nurse can also expand more. More nurses including the males are needed in hospitals," said Anuwar.

He said they can also serve as nursing tutors as Malaysia still lack qualified people in this field.

Despite the degree-level nursing course is offered at several public and private hospitals nationwide, the country is still short of specialist nurses.

The student intake for OUM's Bachelors Degree In Nursing Sciences (Honours) is being advertised now and the academic session will begin in July.

The students will register on June 16 and the batch for the programme's first year is expected to be between 120 and 240.

- Reproduced with permission from Bernama