The University Hospital has been designated as one of the centres for the 2017 Practical Licensure Exams by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). By this approval, the UCC Hospital has received hundreds of final-year training nurses and midwives posted by the Council to use the University Hospital as part of their Practical Licensure Exams, which will herald the theoretical exams in August. Candidates, who read academic programmes in Registered General Nursing, Registered Midwifery, Registered Critical Nurse and also Registered Mental Health Nurse, are expected to sit for the exams, spanning from July to August. In an interview, the Nurse Manager of the Hospital, Mr. Thomas Tamag, said last year (2016), a team from the NMC visited the Directorate to inspect and assess at first-hand the facilities of the Directorate and the feasibility of using the facility as an exams centre.According to him, the team expressed satisfaction with the high-powered equipment at the hospital and subsequently recommended the Hospital to the NMC for consideration. Consequently, he said the Council posted final-year Degree nurses of the University to the Directorate to undertake their 2016 Practical Licensure Exams, after meeting the Council’s requirements. Mr. Tamag indicated that the upcoming exams are in three phases, with both the first and second batches of diploma nurses starting theirs on July 10-15 and July 17-21 respectively, whilst the Degree nurses will sit for the exams on July 31 to mid-August. He advised candidates to abide by the rules and regulations governing the conduct of the exams and eschew all forms of examination malpractice.Mr. Tamag entreated staff and Unit Heads of the Directorate to co-operate with the candidates and examiners to make the exercise a success. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the regulatory body that monitors, enlists and regulates the activities of nurses and midwives in Ghana. The body is also responsible for the examination of student nurses and midwives for the award of their professional licensing.
