Diploma in Nursing requirements, units, and opportunities

A diploma in community health nursing is a course that will equip learners with the right competence in knowledge, skills, and attitude to becoming an all-round and competent nurse. It exposes the student to all areas of nursing that the student may encounter in the field.

For an institution to offer nursing-related courses in Kenya it should be registered by the Nursing Council of Kenya. Check the approved nursing institutions in Kenya. The council approves middle-level colleges and universities.

Please note if you train in an institution that is not registered by the council then you cannot be registered to practice nursing in Kenya.

The entry requirement for a Diploma in Nursing

For a diploma in community health nursing students will require a mean grade of C in KCSE. For cluster subjects, you need a C in English or Kiswahili, a C in Biology/Biological Sciences, and a C- in any one of the following: Chemistry,  Physics/Physical Science, or Mathematics.

Those who have done a Certificate in Community Health Nursing can also upgrade to a diploma. To upgrade a student should be registered by the Nursing Council of Kenya and have work experience of 2 years post certificate graduation date.

The upgrade to the diploma will take 1 ½ years.

Diploma in nursing units per year and semester in KMTC

A diploma in community health nursing course takes 3 years and is covered within the learning institution and field in the real hospitals for practicum.

For the KMTC diploma, each year is divided into 2 semesters with its units for that period. Below are the units that are covered per year per semester.

Year 1

Semester 1

1. HIV and AIDS
2. Environmental Health Nursing
3. Community Health Nursing I
4. Maternal Newborn Health I
5. Introduction to RH and Midwifery
6. Sociology and Anthropology
7. Psychology
8. Fundamentals of Nursing I
9. Anatomy and Physiology
10. Microbiology and Immunology
11.  Applied Communication in Nursing
12.  Communication

Semester 2

1. Fundamentals of Nursing
2. HTN 1201: Hematological Nursing
3. Human Nutrition
4. Health Promotion
5. Immunization
6. Community Health Nursing II
7. Family Planning and Reproductive Health
8. Maternal and Newborn Health Nursing II
9. Gender and Sexuality in Reproductive Health
10. Pulmonary Nursing
11. Specialized Procedures I
12. Medical-Surgical Nursing
13. Hematology
14. Cardiovascular Nursing
15. Trauma, Emergency and Basic Life Support
16. First Aid
17. Pharmacology I

Year 2

Semester 1

1. Community Strategy
2. Research
3. Gynaecology & Reproductive Health Nursing
4. Perioperative Nursing
5. Alimentary, Biliary and Dental Nursing
6. Pharmacology II

Semester 2

1. Ophthalmic Nursing
2. ENT Nursing
3. Endocrinological Nursing
4. Orthopedic Nursing
5. Mental & Psychiatric Health Nursing
6. Pediatric Nursing, ETAT+ & IMCI

Year 3

Semester 1

1. Health Systems Management
2. Healthcare for special populations
3. Communicable & Vector-borne Diseases
4. Epidemiology
5. Community Assessment & Diagnosis
6. Gerontological Nursing & HBC
7. Dermatological Nursing
8. Neurological Nursing
9. Teaching Methodology

Semester 2

1. Gynaecology Nursing Practicum
2. Casualty Nursing Practicum
3. Postnatal Ward Practicum
4. Pediatric Nursing Practicum
5. Community Health Nursing Practicum IV (Sub county Health Experience)
6. Community Health Nursing Practicum III (Rural Health Centre)
7. Community Health Nursing Practicum II (Community Diagnosis)

Nursing specializations career path

After the general diploma in community health nursing you can advance and do a degree in nursing. You can also specialize in the many options that the field offers instead of remaining a general nurse. 

Some of the areas you can specialize in are,

1. Dialysis Nurse
2. Neonatal Nurse
3. Nurse Anesthetist
4. Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
5. Nurse Midwife
6. Clinical Nurse Specialist
7. Oncology Nurse
8. Trauma Nurse
9. Public Health Nurse
10. Pediatric Nurse

Employment areas/opportunities in nursing

A nurse can work in many areas that require some kind of health care. However, below are some of the areas in which you can seek employment opportunities after you have done the course.

1. Hospital public and private
2. School
3. Public health clinics
4. Home healthcare
5. Health insurance companies
6. Health technologist
7. Health educator
8. Community health worker