PAHO/WHO COLLABORATION CENTER

The School of Nursing has been designated as a PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center for its expertise in Health Services and Nursing Development for Non Communicable Disease Care; we first received this designation in 2012.

The aim of PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centers is to provide concrete activities at national, regional and global level, in support of the strategic plans of WHO. The contribution of a Collaborating Center is agreed upon a detailed work plan, designed based on the PAHO/WHO strategic and operational plans.

Our Terms of Reference for 2016 – 2020:

• To collaborate with PAHO/WHO in ensuring that schools of nursing prepare a competent nursing workforce able to provide effective care to persons living with chronic conditions.
• To collaborate with PAHO/ WHO in the generation and dissemination of evidence based research related to chronic disease prevention and management.
• To collaborate with PAHO/WHO to develop the skills of community health care force and family caregivers to support persons living with chronic conditions.

Our WHOCC activities for 2016 – 2020:

• Strengthen self-management support as a key component of chronic disease prevention and management in nursing education programs in selected Latin American countries.
• To train advanced practice nurses (APN) with emphasis in Primary Health Care and in chronic disease prevention and management.
• To propose the implementation of a doctoral program in nursing (PhD or DNP) open to Latin American nurses.
• Organize a think tank to discuss the value and limitations of a DNP versus a PhD in Nursing for the Latin American health context.
• To collaborate with PAHO/WHO in the development and dissemination of the PAHO/WHO nursing agenda.
• Organize two international meetings on the role of nursing in chronic care focused on education, practice and research.
• Develop continuing education courses on chronic care for nurses and other health professionals.
• Develop ad hoc courses on self-management support in the context of the chronic care model, for nurse assistants and informal caregivers.