Clinical Nursing Department Overview
The department is headed by the Principal Nursing Officer and four assistants, namely the Deputy Matron, Floor Matron General, Floor Matron Maternity and Floor Matron Special Areas. The nursing department caters for the core business of the institution and the Ministry as a whole which includes bedside nursing, public health nursing and first line case management. The Principal Nursing Officer presides over 30 departments which provide the above mentioned activities. This is done through mentorship and supervision by Sisters in Charge. The department is also responsible for grooming and mentoring student nurses who become the future core service providers.
The nursing department is comprised of the Principal Nursing Officer, Deputy Matron, Matrons, Sisters In-Charges, Senior Sisters. Junior Sisters, Primary Counsellors and Nurse Aides. Though there are several other departments that provide services, the nursing department is the core business of the institution and hence the need for highly qualified staff. The department is manned by holders of Masters Degrees, Bachelor of Nursing Degrees, Diplomas in Nursing Administration and post basic qualifications like Midwifery, Intensive Care, Operating Theatre, Anaesthesia, Psychiatry, Ophthalmology, Oncology,Renal Nurses and Paediatric Nurses. These are Clinical Officers among the nurses who assist in the provision of emergency comprehensive care.
The Principal Nursing Officer is a member of the Nurses Council and she sometimes chairs meetings. The Principal nursing Officer sits in the Full Board Meeting and is a member of other subcommittees and this assists in the achievement of the mandate of the department of provision of quality hotel services to the whole catchment area including Chitungwiza Urban. Chitungwiza Central Hospital is the only ISO certified Government (Public) institution and this is attributed to a well functional, well articulated innovative nursing department.
Department Activities
Among the departments there are adult wards which admit general patients namely Ward 1 to Ward 4 and Paediatric Wards. Maternity side comprising of ANC: Maternity admissions, Early Labour Ward, Labour Ward, Caesar Ward, Neo Natal Unit, Post Natal Ward Special Areas comprises:- OPD, Casualty, Observations, Main Theatre, Small Theatre, Renal, ICU, CSSD, Annexe, OIC, Home Based Care, Family Planning, VIAC. Wards 1 – 4 are adult wards where patients are admitted. These include surgical and medical adult patients, in these wards the nurses together with the doctors provide health assessments, admissions according to standard procedure, carrying out investigations as necessary to enable proper diagnosis and effective treatment of disease and conditions and evaluating this care during audits.
The departments (wards) have conducive environments permissive for quality patient care where there is provision of hotel services to the patients incorporating relatives and significant others in the patient care to strengthen community partnerships leading to good outcomes. The Principal Nursing Officer ensures provision of adequate resources through proper use and maintenance of the same.