Online Learning and Curriculum Support:
The aim of is to support the scaling up and upskilling of Nurse Anesthesia Training in Liberia and develop the Phebe Nurse Anesthesia Program as a Regional Center of Excellence in Nurse Anesthesia Education.
The BAAC partners have been working together since 2017 to strengthen the nurse anesthesia curriculum, advance faculty development, and strengthen clinical teaching and support faculty and clinical preceptor development. Selected accomplishments to date include the development of a rigorous, competency-based curriculum which was approved by the Liberian Board of Nursing and Midwifery as the national anesthesia curriculum and recognized by the International Federation of Nurse Anesthetists; expansion of clinical training opportunities for first and second year students allowing them to complete more cases of increasing complexity; development of Liberian/US co-led on-line learning, increased enrollment and graduation; and expansion of the on-line grand rounds to include anesthetists from across Liberia.
In support of this initiative BAAC funds:
- Full scholarships (tuition and board and room) for two students per year with an emphasis on students from rural, underserved areas
- Tablets for all students, loaded with learning resources. The tablets are used throughout the program and graduates have them when they go out to practice, often in areas where they practice alone
- Internet enhancements to support on-line learning
- Co-teaching: Phebe/U.S. based CRNA/NP faculty co-teach hybrid classroom/on-line anesthesia courses
- Support for website development to host the on-line teaching
- Awards at graduation for the student with the Highest GPA and who participated in the greatest number of cases
- Refurbishing a bus to bring students to clinical affiliations
- Stipends for students to travel to other locations for clinical affiliation. This is critical to their meeting the requirement for 250 cases of increasing complexity prior to graduation
- Preceptor trainings