THE establishment of the Faculty of Health Science at the Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan University College (KLMU) is to meet the international and domestic demand for highly trained professionals in the field of nursing, medical lab technology, occupational therapy and physiotherapy.
Recently, the faculty launched the popular and much sought-after Diploma in Nursing having already achieved its quota for the first intake.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), it is recommended that a nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:200, while the Malaysian nurse-ratio is 1:645, as reported in the Nursing and Midwifery Board in Malaysia’s website.
At least 130,000 qualified nurses are needed by 2020 to meet WHO’s nurse-to-patient ratio.
KLMU has risen to this challenge to produce qualified professionally trained nurses who are both caring and knowledgeable.
According to head of the School of Nursing, the diploma is designed to produce safe and caring nurse practitioners who are able to critically analyse and competently solve patient and health care problems that reflect evidence based practice in any healthcare setting. The programme aims to nurture students with the right balance of soft skills, critical thinking skills and nursing knowledge.
She adds that soft skills is a necessary element in nursing education as health care issues are personal and hence nurses need to be able to empathise, counsel, and advise patients in all aspects sensitively.
The intensive diploma programme is a three-year course and the curriculum covers three core sciences namely, the Health Sciences, Behavioural Science and Nursing Science.
Upon completion, graduates will be able to apply the scientific foundation of nursing to assess, plan, implement and evaluate nursing care with the necessary soft skills and critical thinking skills.
KLMU has recently invested about RM3 million into its Health Sciences Faculty state-of-the-art laboratories, including the nursing programme, fitted with hospital simulation wards, skills laboratory and a practical room.
Experiential learning is an essential part of nursing education and KLMU nurses perform their practicum at selected hospitals and clinics.
The increasing demand for quality and affordable education has also resulted in the provision of a RM200 million purpose-built campus strategically located in Wangsa Maju, Selangor.
Targeted for completion in 2010, the state-of-the-art campus is only about 15 minutes from the KL city centre.
For more information, call 03-2694 2300 or visit www.klmu.edu.my
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