Nurses are the unsung heroes in the medical industry; however, their role is crucial that has been understood during the COVID-19 situation. Upon celebrating World Health Day, WHO has recently published a report saying the scope for the nursing profession is growing at a faster pace, and the world demands 6 million more nurses by 2030 to achieve global developmental health goals. The professional scope for nursing professionals is expanding. However, the expansion is enough to meet increasing demand.
Top 8 Reasons for Students to Choose Nursing as Their Career
Besides being a noble profession, nursing has greater scope for students to have a compelling career. Listed below are a few reasons why students should consider nursing as their career.
- Demand is growing at a faster pace that ensures job security.
- Nursing is the best-paying healthcare profession next to doctors.
- With the proper nursing qualification, you can get the opportunity to practice nursing across the globe upon clearing the eligibility tests of the respective counties.
- The profession gives you a sense of satisfaction.
- Nursing is a highly challenging job where you may have to risk your life while working in a situation like the COVID-19 pandemic. Every challenge has reward and job satisfaction.
- It creates opportunities for you to help people who are in need.
- It creates room to grow professionally with higher degrees and greater experience.
- Besides all, nursing is a noble profession that has been respected for the service they do to humanity.
Nursing in Zambia: An Overview
Studying nursing in Zambia fetches you not only a noble profession but also a financially rewarding career. Taking up a degree in nursing would be a brilliant choice to have a compelling career and find plenty of options to upgrade your qualification and enhance your career henceforth.
As per a 2018 report, Zambia has a shortfall of 20,000 nurses that is ever-growing and expected to reach millions in the next 10 years. And, the Zambian government has planned to recruit 30,000 nurses before 2030. You can be one if you start your degree now.
Besides all, changing health problems and challenging pandemics shackle the entire healthcare industry across the globe. The need for doctors is high everywhere. However, demand for nursing professionals is the pressing need of the hour that needs to be addressed with immediate effect. Otherwise, we may have to meet a huge shortage in the near future.
Benefits of Being a Registered Nurse in Zambia
In general, taking up nursing as a career is highly beneficial for the aspirants. When you complete a degree in nursing, you can register yourself as a nurse officially and practice nursing in Zambia. A registered nurse can enjoy job security, good pay, flexibility in shift timing, variety of specializations to choose, opportunities to grow ahead, service to humanity, sense of satisfaction, and much more.
A nurse with a bachelor of nursing (BSN) degree from the nursing schools in Zambia can enjoy monetary benefits and get leadership roles in the renowned hospitals in Zambia. The salary, in most cases, is 5,650 ZMK, which lies in the medium range. Nurses who earn at the higher end of the monthly salary average can earn up to 11,200 ZMK. Besides, those who are in the nursing profession in Zambia are more likely to get a salary hike of around 5% every 31 months.
Practice Nursing Abroad After Completing Nursing Degree in Zambia
The future is bright for those with a BSN degree. As per the WHO report, the shortage of nurses worldwide is around 5.9 million, especially in countries with low or middle incomes. So, there is a huge demand for those with a BSN degree.
Once they complete their degree, the nurse can opt to work in several African countries. The COVID-19 pandemic is also showing no signs of slowing down worldwide. Therefore, there is an urgent demand for nurses in several countries.
How to Become a Registered Nurse in Zambia
To become a nurse, you should have required proper education qualification as the profession demands high professionalism. Here are a few steps to become a registered nurse in Zambia:
- Take up an accredited nursing course in Zambia;
- Pass the licensure exam of the General Nursing Council of Zambia (GNC) that is conducted bi-annually (May/June and November/December) to test the competence level of the BSN degree holders and qualify nurses to practice;
- Get registered; and
- Get placed in the best hospital in Zambia.
How Soon Can You Become a Registered Nurse in Zambia?
It depends on the program you choose after your Grade 12. You can choose a diploma program in nursing or a BSN degree. However, your competency, role at hospitals, and salary range will differ based on the program you choose. The following are a few options for you to become a registered nurse in Zambia.
- Diploma in Nursing – Three Years
- Bachelor of Nursing (Four-Year BSN + HPFP) – Five Years
- Bachelor of Nursing – Four Years
- Bachelor of Nursing – Three Years
What Are the Entry Requirements for Nursing?
Based on the course you choose, you may have to satisfy the following requirements:
- Three-Year Diploma in Nursing
A diploma in nursing course is a 3-year full-time program. To take up this program, you need to complete your Grade 12 in the science stream and score the required level with scores designated by the universities offering nursing courses in Zambia.
- Five-Year Bachelor of Nursing (Four-Year BSN + HPFP)
If you have a Grade 12 School Certificate or General Certificate of Education (GCE) with 5 credits or better (four of which must be English Language, Mathematics, Biology, and Science), you are eligible to take up this 5-year BSN degree that includes a one-year Health Professionals Foundation Program (HPFP).
- Four-Year Bachelor of Nursing
If you have A Level with a pass in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, and have completed HPFP, you are eligible to take up this four-year BSN degree.
- Three-Year Bachelor of Nursing
If you have completed a diploma in nursing and got registered nurse licensure, you are eligible to take up this three-year RN-BSN degree.
Which Is the Best Nursing School in Zambia?
In Zambia, there are plenty of nursing schools offering BSN degree. However, taking up the nursing course in a nursing school like Texila American University (TAU) that offers best-in-class education and extensive training in a well-built infrastructure and well-equipped laboratories.
The BSN degree at Texila American University is a popular option. Students have gone on to find well-paying jobs and as a result, the popularity of the BSN course has remained steady over the years. TAU is, therefore, a leader among nursing schools in Zambia.
If you choose to study at TAU and register for 2020 intake, click here to get more details about the program and the nursing university in Zambia.
Why Should You Choose Texila American university to Pursue a BSN Degree?
Being one of the leading registered nursing schools in Zambia, TAU would be the right choice to study nursing in Zambia in 2020 as it has:
- World-Class Infrastructure
Built with majestic exterior and elegant interior, Texila American University has state-of-art infrastructure and campus facilities. Spacious classrooms enabled with technology shall leave students with fond memories alongside learned skills and knowledge. If you could visit Lusaka, take a tour to the TAU campus and feel the excellence.
- Well-Equipped Laboratory Facility
This nursing school in Zambia has world-class laboratories equipped with equipment, dummies, specimens, and everything that a nursing student should have to complete his/her course with 100% perfection. TAU would be the only nursing school in Zambia that has a few instruments required for nursing education, thereby accelerating an environment of learning.
- Highly Qualified Faculty
Besides all, teachers must be a crucial part of any educational institution. TAU has well-qualified faculty from across the world to teach and train nursing students in a more productive way. Through the highly structured modules, TAU has made learning and teaching simplified.
- International Standard Education
Envisioned to transform the society and the life of students, TAU has never compromised on providing quality education. Moreover, TAU adopts a handpicked curriculum for students to learn the nook and corner of the course with ease.
- High-Level Training
TAU believes that only practical learning will enable students to learn the required skills, and hands-on experience is required to excel in their respective professions. Thus, the lab at TAU, Zambia campus, is fully equipped with learning materials to create lively learning and educate students on the required skills.
- Best-in-Class Accommodation
The university also offers accommodation for students with comfy rooms and pleasing ambiance to have a blissful, safe stay. Multi-cuisine food is also available for students from a diverse region.
You may wish either to practice nursing in Zambia or to take an overseas nursing placement in a diverse African hospital. Look no further than Texila American University’s BSN course in Zambia.