By Timothy Onyango

On November 28, 2023, The School of Nursing hosted a group of nursing students from The Nairobi Hospital at the Daystar University School of Nursing complex in Main Campus Athi River.

The University has had an MOU with the Nairobi Hospital for several years now. Over time Daystar University sends 4^th year nursing students to the Nairobi Hospital School of Nursing for teaching practice twice a year. 

This year, the Nairobi Hospital sent their students for an interactive session with 4^th year students due to undertake their final year clinical rotations in various hospitals. The interactive session themed “Elevating your brand” was a compliment of the Nursing Leadership and Management , Strategic Management class for BSc Nursing students.

With the support of Dr. Margaret Sirima, the Principal, College of Health Sciences at the Nairobi Hospital, the student team of 5 was  led by  Ms. Margaret Gitau , a Nursing student undertaking a program in Marketing. The students who were well branded for their organization took turns to expound on “a brand is a product or a service that delivers a consistent and distinctive benefit to the customer.”  Nurses should be conscious of what they bring to the table as they get into the personal space of the patients in health care. The highlights of the session included a practical approach in:

1. Defining one’s purpose  by identifying individual  long-term vision and mission.
2. Personal branding in terms of uniqueness, values and individual contribution, is what one can bring to the table.
3. Embodying one’s brand through social interaction since it can move their brand closer or far away from their dreams, and
4. Considering how nurses answer questions raised by employers or clients.

The students went on to explain how they carry out the ward management assessment in their organization. The confidence exuded as managers carried out their leadership role was key.  

Ward management entails a grasp by the nurse manager on the resources which include time and people they are managing. Further, they were urged to strive to create rapport with colleagues and know policies that guide the role of the nurse manager.

The Daystar Nursing students were very engaged  and appreciative  of the insights shared insight  from  the Nairobi Hospital. The students from the two institutions will continue to collaborate where Daystar Nursing students will be invited to the Nursing Symposium at the Nairobi Hospital.