Work continues locally to establish nursing degree

The Antigua and Barbuda government has progressed in its effort to establish a Bachelor of Science degree in the study of Nursing locally.
Margaret Smith, the principal nursing officer in the Ministry of Health has disclosed that the government is close to being able to offer nursing students a bachelor’s degree at the Antigua State College.
“We are close to offering a Bachelor of Science degree which is what is required to be the entry point for nurses so that our nurses can be on [equal standing] with other nurses within the region,” she said on OBSERVER Radio while giving an update on the 45th annual Regional Nurses Board Meeting, which was recently held in Guyana.
Antigua and Barbuda remains among the few Caribbean territories that do not offer nursing degrees locally.
Currently an associate’s degree in nursing is obtainable from the Antigua State College.
“So, when we are ready to move towards attaining [bachelor’s degrees], it
will be through the Antigua State College,” Smith said, adding that an agreement to transfer credits with a university will have to be formed before any announcement is made.
“Of course, there will have to be some form of articulation arrangement with the University of the West Indies Mona and the [Antigua and Barbuda Institute of Information Technology]. Those are the two options we are looking at right now,” she said.