How to become a Nurse Assistant in Ghana

Nurse assistants help and work under the supervision of registered general nurses, community health nurses, and midwives. Two of them are assistant clinicians and preventive nurses, and each has its duties.

The preventive nurse job is geared towards the community. They are to educate people to receive preventive services such as health screening, counseling, and immunization, encouraging them to take preventative medication, among other things, while the clinicians use their skills to care for and advise patients.

The main difference between both assistants is that the clinicians care for sick people while the preventive nurses work with people who are not ill. They help them to prevent illnesses.

Whichever you choose to become, the first thing to do is to meet the entry requirements of the various health training institutions. Go through the requirements below to see if you are qualified to apply;

Requirements for Auxiliary Programmes (Assistant Clinicals, Assistant Preventive and Community Health Nursing)

	WASSCE	SSSCE
AGE	18-35 Years	18-35 Years
OVERALL AGGREGATES	A cut aggregate score of 48 or better in six subjects which include three core and three electives	A cut off aggregate score of 30 or better in six subjects which include three core three electives
CORE SUBJECTS AND MINIMUM GRADES	At least passes (A1 – E8) in three core, thus English, Science and Maths	At least passes (A-E) in three core subjects thus English, Science and Maths
ELECTIVE SUBJECTS AND MINIMUM GRADES	At least A1- E8 in three elective Subjects	At least A – E in three elective Subjects

Entry requirements for Diploma Programmes

Registered General Nursing

Registered Mental Nursing

Registered Midwife

Registered Community Health Nursing

	WASSCE	SSSCE
AGE	18-35 Years	18-35 Years
OVERALL AGGREGATES	A cut off aggregate score of 30 or better in six subjects which include three core and three elective subjects	A cut off aggregate of 24 or better in six subjects which include three core and three electives subjects
CORE SUBJECTS AND MINIMUM GRADES	At least credits (A1-C6) in three core subjects, thus English, Science and Maths	At least (A-D) in three core subjects thus, English, Science and Maths
ELECTIVE SUBJECTS AND MINIMUM GRADES	At least (A1-C6) in three elective Subjects	At least (A-D) in three elective subjects

Post Basic Programmes (BSc)

Requirements for qualification to post basic nursing and midwifery programmes vary according to the programme of study. Student must be fit and should not be more than 50 years.

PROGRAMME	SERVICE REQUIREMENTS	QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED
Peri-operative nursing and critical care nursing	Mandatory one year rotation/internship/ national service. Three years experience in a relevant basic area or two years work experience upon a request from request from a facility after internship.	RGN, RMN, RM, RCN or Physician Assistant
PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING	Mandatory one year rotatiob/internship/national service, three years experience in a relevant basic area or two years work experience upon a request from a facility after internship	RGN, RMN, RCN , RM
POST NAC/NAP Midwifery	At least three years experience in a relevant auxiliary area	NAP, NAC, RM
Anesthesia (BSc)	At least one year rotation/internship/national service, two years experience in a relevant basic area or one year work experience upon upon a request from a facility after internship	General Nurse, Physician Assistant (medical)
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH (BSc)	Products from Accra school of Hygiene/ WASSCE students with pure science (physics, chemistry and biology)	Possess Diploma in Environmental health from KNUST, Possess WAHEB / GHAHEB/ WASSCE

As shown above, this program is especially suitable for students whose results will not permit them to do a diploma or degree course right way. The assistant programs are a good start to acquiring the basic knowledge and skills necessary to enter the health care system to become practicing nurses.

If you qualify to become an assistant nurse, you must choose a school to apply to. Below is the list of health training schools that admit students for the two-year certificate program.

Accredited Schools

• Yamfo College Of Health
• Duayaw Nkwanta Midwifery Training College
• Kintampo College of Health & Well-Being
• Holy Family Nursing and Midwifery Training College
• Sunyani Nursing & Midwifery Training College
• Drobo Nursing & Midwifery Training College
• Dormaa Ahenkro Presbyterian Midwifery Training School
• Goaso Nursing and Midwifery Training College
• Seikwa Nursing Training College
• Techiman Krobo Nursing Training
• Tanoso Community Health Nurses’ Training College
• Sampa Nurses Training College
• Kwapong Nursing Training College
• Ntotroso College of Nursing
• Fomena Community Health Nurses Training College
• Kokofu Nursing Training College
• Dadiesoaba Nursing and Midwifery Training College
• Agogo Nursing & Midwifery Training College
• Tepa Nursing and Midwifery Training College
• SDA Midwifery Training College Asamang
• Mampong Nursing and Midwifery Training College
• Kumasi Nurses and Midwifery Training School
• Kwadaso SDA Nurses Training College
• Offinso Nursing and Midwifery Training College
• St Michael’s Midwifery Training School-Pramso
• The New Yeji Midwifery Training School
• Hohoe Midwifery Training College
• Ho Nursing Training College
• Kete Krachi Midwifery Training College
• Keta Nursing and Midwifery Training College
• Ho School of Hygiene
• Koforidua Nurses Training College
• Atibie Nursing & Midwifery Training College
• Nkawkaw Nurses Training College
• Teshie Nursing & Midwifery Training College
• Methodist Health Training Institute
• Akim Oda Community Health Nursing Training School
• Osiem Saviour Church Nursing and Midwifery Training College
• Pantang Nurses’ Training College
• Korle Bu Nursing and Midwifery Training School
• Tarkwa Midwifery Training School
• Sekondi Nurses and Midwifery Training College
• Asankrangwa Nursing & Midwifery Training College
• Esiama Community Health Nurses Training College
• Sefwi Wiawso Nursing and Midwifery Training College
• Asanta SDA Nursing And Midwifery Training School
• Cape coast Nursing & Midwifery Training College
•  St John of God Nursing Training College
• Ankaful Nurses Training College
• Twifo Praso Nursing And Midwifery Training College
• Winneba College of Community Nursing
• Dunkwa-On-Offin Nursing & Midwifery Training College
• Bibiani College of Health Sciences
• Jirapa Nurses TrainingCollege
• Tumu Midwifery Training College
• Nandom Midwifery Training College
• Wa Nursing Training College
• Bolgatanga Midwifery Training College
• Navrongo Community Health Nursing Training College
• Tamale Nurses and Midwives Training College
• Tamale Community Health Nurses Training College
• Gushegu Midwifery Training College
• Kpembe Nursing & Midwifery Training School
• Yendi College Of Health Sciences
• Damongo Nurses Training College

Do you have a school in mind? If yes, then you can go ahead to apply to that school. Take the guide below to do so;

How to Apply to a Nursing Training College in Ghana

• Purchase a voucher card. To apply to any nursing training institution in Ghana, you need to visit the Ghana Commercial Bank or the Agricultural Development Bank to purchase a voucher card at GHS 200.
• This card contains a Pin and Serial Number that will be used further in the application process. A while ago, the ministry of health came up with a short code that individuals can use to purchase the cards through mobile money in the comfort of their homes but doing that at the banks is recommended because sometimes the USSD code portal gets jammed.
• Visit “healthtraining.gov.gh” on your laptop or go to the Café for assistance in filling out the Form. Visiting the café is also recommended because you will need professional guidance to fill out the Form.
• On the Website, click Apply.
• Enter the Serial Number and Pin found on the voucher you purchased. It would help to keep this voucher because you will need it later to check your application status.
• Fill out the Form with only the correct details.
• Attach the results on your certificate alongside the index numbers( thus, if you’re using more than one certificate). Attach your passport photo as well.
• Go through the application summary, and if satisfied, print out the summary. Always cross-check the application forms because the wrong information could affect your being chosen for the interview.

What Next?

After the online application, you will wait to be invited for an interview. The Health Training Institution will send you a text message or an email inviting you to the interview with other information on what to bring along that day. You need to attend the interview and do the best you can.

You then have to check the results on the interview portal. If you made it through, you would be sent an offer letter that you have to print out.

Confirm admission fees, pay to the designated bank and report to the college.

The Interview: What to Expect

The admission process is pretty simple. Usually, it’s the interview that gets some students anxious. However, if you know what to expect, it may calm your nerves a bit. First, expect about four to five people to interview you. There could be more depending on the school. These people will focus on a few things;

Your personality. The panel will be asking you personal questions to know more about you, and you’re advised to be honest and articulate with your answers while watching your tone and use of words. Your personality will tell them the kind of nurse you will become one day, and you would want them to have only the best impression of you.

Religious and political orientation. You will also be asked about your religious orientation and political viewpoints. You are advised to remain neutral about the latter and be honest with the former. Let them know that your religious views will not conflict with your work as a nurse. The panel will also pick on your moral orientation. Think about these questions before you answer them.

The panel may also ask you why you applied to college and why you think you’d be a good choice for their school. The answers to this question will be easy if you research the institution before you head there. Consider the alumni, and their history, complement the faculty, and be honest about why you chose to apply to that school.

Another thing they usually ask is how the course you chose at Senior High School is related to or linked to nursing. We all know that it’s not only general science students that become nurses. You may have been a business student but decided to become a nurse. Let the panel know how cost accounting is relevant to nursing.

Skills Needed To Become a Nurse Assistant

Apart from the basic relevant educational requirements you need to meet, there are other skills you need to acquire to become a nurse assistant or health worker. These are essential to become the best health worker out there.

• Good communication skills
• Empathetic
• Patient
• Be able to work under pressure
• Computer literate
• Possess good communication skills
• Neat
• Attentive
• Be wise in your field of study

For Those Who Would Like to Top Up

Nurses who would like to further their education and move past the assistant field will need at least three years of experience in that relevant auxiliary area after their mandatory one-year rotational, internship, or national service.

Those who would also like to study for a diploma directly, degree, and further with postgraduate programs should meet the following requirements, apply to the school of choice and wait to be called for an interview.

Uniform Worn by Assistant Nurse

For identification purposes, nurse assistants wear the green uniform with a green collar unlike the diploma nurses who also wear the green but with white collar.

When they are in school, they wear the same thing but the level they are in is indicated on the short sleeve. This means there are two small white bands on the sleeve if the nurse is in her second year of study, and one small band if she is in her first year.

The males also wear white short sleeve and khaki trousers in school.

Assistant Nurses Salary

Including taxes and other deductions, assistant nurses earn between GHS 1,200 and GHS 1,500 at the end of every month.

Conclusion

The ministry of health has done well to widen a path to all career fields in health care, in such a way that no matter how bad your grades are, you can still find a way to become a nurse. The nurse assistant field is one of those paths. With aggregate forty-eight (48) or better, you can begin your journey to becoming a qualified registered nurse.

There’s never too much information, talk to your friends who are in school or are already registered nurses. Ask them questions and weigh your options.