During the DUT Saturday weekly zoom meeting that presented the current status of Diaspora University, Susan Mutua of Florida proposed the starting of the Diaspora University School of Nursing. Currently the Diaspora University plan is for opening three schools: School of Engineering, School of Business and the School of Arts, Science and Technology.
Reports in the U.S show nursing with about 4.3 million licensed registered nurses (RNs) and over 600,000 licensed practical nurses. The nurses contribute to the healthcare sector that is about 18% of the $28 trillion U.S. GDP. This calculates to about a $5 trillion healthcare system. Estimates are about 100,000 Diaspora Kenyans in the U.S are in the field of healthcare with a majority in the nursing career.
The U.S, developed nurses system, calculates to about 5 million nurses supporting the U.S population of 340 million. This is a ratio of 1 nurse to 68 person's in the U.S. Kenya has an opportunity of training nurses and growing the number of nurses to reach 600,000 nurses in the next 10 years to support the projected population of over 60 million. This will achieve a ratio of 1 nurse to 100 person's. Diaspora University School of nursing started by the Diaspora Kenyans will be part of training and growing the number of nurses.
The Diaspora Kenyans nursing professionals will not just open a School of Nursing but will also contribute to the growth of Kenya GDP by implementing the systems of healthcare needed to achieve the right in Kenya constitution 43. (1) Every person has the right— (a) to the highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to health care services, including reproductive health care.
The Diaspora Kenyan scientists in the fields of medicine research, production and supply have started Daktari Biotechnology Ltd for producing medicines and vaccines that the nurses administer. Dr. Wilson Endege of Boston, MA and diverse Diaspora scientists will also start the Diaspora University department of biology and biotechnology, the department of chemistry and biochemistry and pharmacy.
RN Bui Thuo of Riverside, CA is spearheading the equipment and supplies plan that will be implemented through MSMEs. The short run goal is to achieve the equipment and supplies through imports. Through establishing MSMEs in Kenya the long term goal is to manufacture the equipment and supplies in Kenya. and be part of growing the GDP of Kenya.
Margaret Mueni of Dallas, TX during the Saturday's meeting joined Susan in establishing the school of nursing plan. Diaspora Kenyans in the field of Nursing who have joined Diaspora University Town (DUT) or who shall join DUT can also join in establishing the certificate, degree and specialized programs that will be offered by the school of nursing.
The nursing careers the school of nursing would train nurses for: Emergency, Critical/Intensive Care, Maternity, Pediatric, Hospital, Geriatrics, Oncology, Neonatal, Hematology, Urgent Care, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Family, Forensic, Home Health, Managed Care, Nurse Anesthetist and other fields.
The Diaspora Kenyans nurses founding the Diaspora University School of Nursing plan will also be part of designing the Diaspora University Medical Hospital departments and specialized clinics that include: Emergency, Critical/Intensive Care, Observation, Antenatal, Maternity, Pediatric, Kidney/ Renal, Oncology/Cancer, Orthopedic, Ophthalmology, Hematology, Obstetrics, Gynecology, Surgery, Physiotherapy, Rehabilitation, Psychiatric, Trauma, Respiratory, Geriatric, Dental, Diabetes, Dermatology, Venereology, Pharmacy, Radiology, Laboratory and others.
