Website SolidarMed Zambia
Swiss Organisation for Health in Africa
Consultant to analyze data from assessment tools submitted by selected Colleges of Nursing and Midwifery
1. INTRODUCTION
Zambia is a politically stable country in Sub-Saharan Africa with a long-standing tradition of free government-provided healthcare for all citizens. However, as a resource-constrained country, its health services are underfunded and, despite innovative approaches used to deal with its human resource for health shortfalls and the introduction of charges for certain services, the MoH still faces a critical shortage of healthcare workers. The newly elected government (August 2021) has made the health worker shortage a key agenda item, and already committed additional budgets to recruit an additional 12,000 healthcare workers[1].
To support government to address the shortage of nurses and midwives, SolidarMed worked with the MoH to pilot the decentralised model of nurse training, in which more nurses can be trained through existing colleges and clinical facilities, with no loss to quality, or major increases in unit costs. This model was piloted at one college (St Luke’s) from 2015 to 2018, and due to the positive outcome there, the same model has been successfully replicated at two further colleges (Chilonga and St Paul’s) since 2019. In comparison with the traditional model, the decentralized model produces twice the number of graduates per year. In this way, our nursing project is already supporting the reduction in staff shortages. But to narrow the gap further expansion by scaling the model is required, as indicated in the current National Human Resources for Health Strategic plan Zambia, 2018-24.
As part of the process to prepare for the scale-up of the decentralized model in the new nursing project, 14 colleges of nursing and midwifery have been selected by the project Steering Committee for detailed assessment and their suitability to implement the model. A self-completion assessment tool was emailed to the fourteen colleges which all offer the following programmes: Registered Nursing (RN), Registered Midwifery (RM) as well as Public Health Nursing (PHN). Having completed their forms, the MoH and SolidarMed validate the data via site visits.
2. PURPOSE
With support from MoH and NMCZ, SolidarMed is looking for a consultant to undertake a monitoring and evaluation assignment which will require him or her to analyze data and provide a spreadsheet summary. The report will help the stakeholders to select the nurse training institutions that are best suited to implement the decentralized model.
3. THE ROLE
On behalf of MoH and NMCZ, SolidarMed will hire a short-term consultant. The consultant will review and analyze data from the assessment tools received from selected colleges and prepare a summary spreadsheet (see attached) for use in the final decision-making process.
4. SCOPE OF WORK
The consultant/ expert will work closely with SolidarMed to:
- Review tools used for data collection
- Design a summary spreadsheet (drawing from Annex 1)
- Analyze data
- Populate the spreadsheets
- Discuss and confirm the draft
- Produce a document
5. WORK LOCATION
During the period of engagement, the consultant will be required to work closely with the SolidarMed Nursing Project Manager. The consultant can either work from our office or in their preferred location.
DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT
The consultant will undertake the assignment for 14 working days and the consultant should be available for briefing when required. During the consultancy, strict adherence to the timeframe shall be required. It will be required of the consultant to attend stakeholder meetings upon request during the process until the report is finalised and disseminated.
The final report shall be submitted to SolidarMed on an agreed date.
6. DESIRED BACKGROUND
The consultant will be required to possess the following qualifications and experience:
1. Previous experience with monitoring and valuation (provide sample of a report)
2. Degree in social or natural sciences
3. Record of having participated in data analysis at different levels
It will be an advantage if the consultant has:
4. Postgraduate qualification
5. Knowledge of nursing and midwifery training and practice in Zambia.
The consultant should possess the following attributes:
1. Work independently with strict timelines
2. Planning skills
3. Carry out research, analyze and present complex information and;
4. Possess interpersonal, teamwork and communication skills.
7. SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION
Eligible Candidate(s) should submit a Resume with references to past similar experience and a financial proposal for the assignment, it should be costed in Kwacha on daily rate and sent electronically to [email protected] The submission should be delivered not later than the 17:00hrs on 24th June 2022.