NONM Strategic Priorities

Five out of the eight NONM’s Strategic Priorities Directly Relate to the Interests of Nurses and Midwives. NONM hopes to achieve the following objectives in a quest to contribute to improving nursing and midwifery in Malawi;

Lobbying and Advocacy

NONM advocates for nurses and midwives on issues that affect them. The priority areas that NONM lobbies and advocates for include;

That the government should employ adequate numbers of nurses and midwives as the vacancy rates are so high in public hospitals yet so many registered nurses and midwives are unemployed. Some stay for up to two years or more without employment.

Good working conditions for nurses and midwives. So far there have been successes on this. Some of them include provision of hot meals to nurses and midwives on night duty, personal protective equipment (PPEs), risk allowance and that registered nurses should not be receiving same pay as auxiliary nurses. NONM also hopes to achieve other better working conditions that have not yet been achieved like; Good housing, better salaries and provision of uniforms.

Caring for Carers

As an organization whose part of its mission is to safeguard the socio-economic welfare of its members caring for the carers is a priority. NONM achieves this by supporting nurses and midwives when chronically ill, providing support to orphans, needy and retired nurses and providing decent burial for deceased nurses and midwives.

Professionalism

Nursing and midwifery as a profession requires its staff to be professional in all disciplines including dressing, conduct as well as in their professional development. NONM contributes in professionalism by giving out best nurse’s awards, ensuring that the dressing code is kept by all nurses and midwives and provision of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Empowerment & capacity building

NONM empowers and builds the capacity of nurses and midwives by conducting capacity building trainings that are offered to its members free of charge. For the period between 2020 and 2021 NONM has trained at least 285 nurses and midwives in leadership, trade unionism and labour laws and it hopes to train even more nurses and midwives in the same subjects.

Improving the image of nursing & Social responsibility to the community & environment.

NONM improves the image of nursing and midwifery by reminding the public of the noble job nurses and midwives do and by making sure that the challenges that the present-day nurses/midwives face, that make them fail to do their work as they should have done, are understood by the general public. Through its communication section, NONM produces video documentaries on various themes and engages journalists with the sole purpose of achieving the aforementioned end.