School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

By Yvonne Kageha.

USIU-Africa has announced the addition of the much-anticipated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSc Nursing) program as part of its degree program offerings. This program is set to offer world-class knowledge and skills with an integration of cutting-edge technology which will not only reshape the nursing education locally and internationally but also produce competent and innovative nurses that will solve global problems.

The program is designed for students who view nursing as a lifelong mission dedicated to holistic healing of all in society. It equips learners with the clinical expertise, ethical grounding, and resilience needed to transform healthcare outcomes in their communities and to practice nursing globally. While announcing the program to the university community, Prof. Amos Njuguna, Deputy Vice Chancellor Academics-Transformative Teaching, Learning and Research argued that this program is designed to equip future nurses with cutting-edge knowledge, hands-on clinical training, and a strong foundation in patient-centred care. “We look forward to welcoming our first cohort of nursing students and shaping the future of healthcare locally, in the region and globally,” he added. The Dean, School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Prof. Shital Maru mentioned that this program is designed to meet healthcare standards locally and globally. “Nursing is more than a profession—it’s a calling. Our program nurtures skilled, compassionate nursing professionals with an intrinsic motivation to serve with purpose and integrity to practice nursing globally,” she added.

This is more than just a course; it is a pathway to excellence. The pursuant of this program will benefit from accreditation by WASC Senior Colleges and Universities Commission (WSCUC), Commission for University Education (CUE), and the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) that guarantees the graduates meet the highest international nursing standards, state-of-the-art facilities including next generation nursing skills laboratory as well as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies, and holistic learning approach where they will develop hands-on clinical proficiency, critical thinking and social responsibility skills. Additionally, because of the clinical partnerships the university has established, the students will be able to gain hands on experience through clinical practice at leading hospitals and healthcare facilities. These facilities include, Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral, and Research hospital, Githunguri sub-county hospital, Dove mental health hospital, Chiromo Group Hospital, Limuru health center, Tigoni Level 4 hospital, and Githurai Langata health center.

On the same note, the university has established partnerships with leading U.S.-based universities. This will allow students to take part in exchange programs that will offer platforms for engaging in cross-cultural exchanges. Moreover, the Nursing faculty will provide a supportive learning environment, practical mentorship, and tailored guidance to help students thrive from admission to graduation and in nursing practice to practice nursing globally.

Upon completion of the program, graduates will have a range of valuable skills in patient centered care where they will have the ability to integrate not only knowledge and skills but also compassion in provision of care. They will also be able to take part in decision making for local and global issues, practice ethically, develop and implement nursing training curricula. Armed with these skills, the career possibilities for graduates of this program are diverse. The nursing profession has a wide variety of specialized roles across different areas of patient care thereby presenting versatile career options for graduates.