Paediatric nurse training activity in South Africa : a short report

There is widespread concern regarding the size and capacity of the paediatric nursing workforce, which is an important contributor to improved health outcomes for South Africa’s (SA) children. As reliable information on the size of the paediatric nursing workforce and associated training activity was not readily available, a small, exploratory study was conducted to ascertain the extent of paediatric nursing training outputs. Data from a survey of training providers were supplemented with records from a forum for paediatric nursing educators, which suggested that an estimated 153 paediatric nurses are produced in SA annually, contrary to the modest numbers suggested by official sources. Additional analysis of national registry figures suggests that the number is increasing. This holds promise of a growing paediatric nursing workforce, which could be harnessed to improve paediatric healthcare. Accurate data can assist in future planning for and training of the paediatric nursing workforce.