Participatory Approach to Develop and Strengthen Human Resources Information Systems for Nurses in ECSA Region ECSACON 7 th Scientific Conference August 14, 2006 Pamela A. McQuide, R.N., Ph.D. Workforce Planning and Policy Advisor Rita Matte, RM, R.N. BScN, MEd Registrar, Nursing Council of Uganda
The Capacity Project Offers technical assistance, knowledge and tools for planning, developing and supporting the health care workforce through: Improving workforce policies and planning Developing better education and training Strengthening systems to support workforce performance
Presentation Objectives Identify need for health workforce data Describe Capacity Project HRIS Strengthening approach, software and ECSA country activities Review examples of Nursing Council Uganda data
Need for Data HR Challenges in the developing world: The demand for medical professionals is increasing. In response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic While the supply is decreasing. Medical professionals are dying prematurely of AIDS Medical professionals are emigrating to other countries or leaving the sector Identify need for health workforce data
Good HRIS Data is needed to answer policy questions (examples) How many doctors and nurses are being trained? What is the distribution of cadres in urban and rural areas? Who will be retiring over the next five years? How many health professionals have applied to out-migrate? How long does it take before a new employee is recruited and put on the payroll?
Data on Paper: Lesotho, Uganda and Kenya Registries
Five HRIS Activity Areas HRIS Stakeholder Leadership Infrastructure Strengthening Step Software Solutions Mature Open-Source Software Solutions Supply, Track, Plan Capacity building and sustainability
Participatory Approach Generate ownership Build capacity Empowerment Share with other o Ministries and Sectors o Countries
Capacity s HR Information System Software: Three Modules
Uganda Rwanda Swaziland Lesotho Tanzania Zanzibar Southern Sudan Kenya Ghana Mali Country Activities
Uganda HRIS Stakeholder Leadership Group well established Initial Nursing Council Certification/Licensure System in use Full data entry underway by Aug 06
Rwanda Built MOH ICT Infrastructure with Columbia Initial MOH HRH management system in use Excel workforce planning system in progress
HRIS Stakeholder Leadership Groups formed and HRIS work underway Swaziland Lesotho Tanzania Zanzibar
Interest expressed and inaugural visits planned to Southern Sudan Kenya Ghana Mali
Regional Sharing: Uganda Study Trip to Kenya, Nov 2005
How can an HRH Information System answer our key questions?
World Health Day April 2006
Home Page: Nursing Council of Uganda HR information system development & software
What percentage of student nurses were in the Enrolled Nurses program and in the Registered Nurses program? (n=981) HRIS data in practice
How does this break down by gender? Implications?
How does this break down by district? Implications?
What can we learn about outmigration from an HRIS? (one example) Registered Nurses and Midwives 35% Registered Nurses and Midwives, 324 72% 65% Enrolled Nurses and Midwives 28% Enrolled Nurses and Midwives, 127 Nurses Enrolled/Registered in Uganda, 2004 (n=37,304) Nurses Applying for External Licensing in Uganda, 2000-2005 (n=586)
Lessons Learned Comprehensive stakeholder identification and involvement from the beginning Stakeholders don t know about each other and available data sources Free and Open Source software offers best supported and most cost effective model Inter-country sharing prevents repeat mistakes, leverages successes, and ensures consistency
Next Steps! Develop HRIS Strengthening action plans for all countries Finish mature software solutions and release to open-source development community Work with global (WHO, World Bank) and regional (eg. ECSA) partners to build consensus and ensure sustainability.
Zanzibar HRIS process* *pre-capacity
Acknowledgements USAID HRSA Uganda Ministry of Health Health Workforce Advisory Board Aga Khan University Kenya and Uganda Professional Associations Ministry of Education
Thank you!