Browsing by Author "Gitonga, Pius"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Describing Diversity in University Enrolment in Kenya
    (2016) Gitonga, Pius; Gatere, Ruth; Mwaura, James
    The identifiable benchmarks that showcase description of ‘diversity’ in enrolment or admission for university education in Kenya were described. Universities encourage multiethnic student and staff populations purely based on merit. In achieving “a globally competitive and prosperous nation with a high quality of life by 2030” (GOK, 2007), institutional attention to meritocracy and promotion of national cohesion through diversity and unity for success is essential. The overall quality of education in the universities is affected to a larger extent by large number of students against limited resources. Diversity focuses on demographic variety of student’s social and religious background but not tribal affiliations. A systematic and brief review of available evidence was used to describe diversity of enrolment for university education in a fast growing university and higher education system. The professional practices of scientific research were adhered to as stipulated in the Declaration of Helsinki (Maltby, McGarry, William, & Day, 2010). Expansion of universities is rapid due to increasing number of students who are interested and want to pursue university education. In both public and private universities enrollment is a serious exercise for both the university and the ‘freshmen’. Literature reviewed pointed at increasing complexity of forces in university education system, dynamics and diverse enrolment options, reputation and social positioning of universities in the society, diversity as humanistic patterns were found significant. Enrollment trends and impacts showed increase in demand for university education, and the risk of decreasing quality and predictability of outputs and results. This description proposes that all human need to equivocally advocate for and ensure equitable distribution of merit and opportunity for a sustainable future in university education. There is need however to determine national diversity index for university enrollment in Kenya.
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    Indicators of Professional Competence for Sustainable National Development in Kenya
    (2016) Gitonga, Pius; Gatere, Ruth; Wakapa, Eddah
    The indicators for professional competence in university education are desirable for assessment and prediction of sustainable national development. The goal was to create an evidence based focus between Kenya’s national development strategies (educational) and the learner’s professional competence in achieving sustainable development for themselves and for their country. The indicators of the professional competence for university students were reviewed using a modified Competencies Assessment Tool (CAT) adapted from American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE, 2014). The indicators were identified as; effective communication and relationship management, leadership skills, professionalism, knowledge of the practice environment, and business skills and knowledge. Professional competence education and training has not kept pace with these challenges, largely because of fragmented competence development strategies that produce ill-equipped graduates. young professionals, however, will develop sustainable competence if they will be empowered but not micromanaged, sponsored to serve as role models, allowed to manage their own scale of innovation, trusted without being prejudiced, and be positively challenged rather than being marginalized. We recommend that the university should: develop ethical values among all university students, encourage competence development to match theory in the university education, promote responsibility and interest among learners, decide on strategies for sustaining professional competences, and formulate tests to assess competency level for employability of all final year university students.
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    Instructional Roles in Diploma Nursing Education in Meru: Adaptation, Self Sufficiency and Sustainability
    (Kenya Methodist University, 2013) Gitonga, Pius
    Nursing education forms the basis of professional existence, development and sustainable future. The purpose of this study was to establish how nurse educators adapted to increased instructional workload, how they were self-sufficient in performing, and how they would sustain instructional roles in diploma nursing training in colleges within Meru. The target population was fifty two nurse educators who were all invited to participate. Forty six nurse educators participated in the study by availability, willingness to participate and giving a signed consent. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was carried out using a self-administered questionnaire for data collection after a pilot study showed validity and reliability of the tool. Data was collected after consent appointments with the principals and respondents of the participating colleges and was analysed using descriptive statistics performed at 95% confidence interval. The findings are presented in tables, bar graphs, pie charts and a discussion. The study found out that nurse educator to student nurse ratio was 1:20 which indicated instructional role overload. It was evident that there was role overload, teamwork challenges, lack of a mentoring program for novice faculty, and limited role orientation before role assignment. Educators had adequate adaptation mechanisms in planning, adjustment of instructional plans and taking in arising additional instructional roles. Adequate commitment to instructional roles and long service in the same diploma nursing training institution were indicators of selfsufficiency. Adequate adaptation mechanisms and self-sufficiency were indicators of sustainable instructional role performance. The recommendations made were; diploma nursing training institutions to recruit more nurse educators, ensure an orientation program for inducing novice faculty to institutional culture of performing the instructional roles, encourage and ensure planning and execution of plans for instruction and solve instructional challenges as a team for continuity/sustainability of diploma nurse training and education.
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    Staff Profile: Mr. Pius Gitonga Gervasioh
    (2016-03) Gitonga, Pius
    Pius Gitonga is a tutorial fellow in the school of nursing, University of Embu where he is currently teaching various undergraduate courses. He holds a Master’s Degree in Nursing Education; acquired from Kenya Methodist University. He is a PhD (Nursing Education and Administration) candidate in the University of Nairobi. His research interests are in the area of nursing education, empathy, adaptation and self-sufficiency
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    Values of Caring and Knowing: A case of Malaria
    (2016) Gitonga, Pius; Mwamisi, Joseph; Gatere, Ruth
    Health care is a universal right for all human beings; individuals or families or communities. Care is a universal need for all humans. The relationship between caring and knowing is complex and involves a constant reflective process of professional training. Caring involves displaying kindness and concern for others while knowing is the state of being aware or informed. In fact, people do not care how much we know until they know how much we care about them. Knowledge of self-worth creates value for others, their pain, the standards of care and processes to alleviate pain, suffering and patient’s perspectives and dimensions of pain, care and healing. Caring takes a very strong, intelligent, and compassionate person to take on the tasks of caring with passion and purpose to maintain the health and well-being of the human person. Anecdotes suggest that even those without diseases require some degree of care and love. In many occasions, whenever pain comes our way, we desire to be healed from the obnoxious feeling. During the healing process, care is given by family members or health care professionals; knowing how to take care for the suffering is a professional preparation and the proximity to those in needs by their significant others and family members plays a pivotal role in the healing process. The sick should also be willing to be optimistic in the healing process. The family members and significant others need to know that taking care of the sick and weak is more demanding than taking care for the well and healthy. Caring to know the other person’s pain and caring to know what causes it and how to relieve or remove it, is important knowledge as we purpose to heal the human person through diagnosis, planning and implementing treatment regimens and discuss about integrated care protocols. Medical and nursing knowledge helps make our caring acts more productive and fruitful. Knowing and caring is our drive and our avenue to show empathy to sick, healthy, recovering or deteriorating from illnesses and diseases