Advancing Perioperative Nursing Excellence in Africa
The Center for Global Nursing collaborates with Muhimbili National Hospital to design and establish Tanzania’s first Perioperative Nurse Training Program. The Operating Room Nurse Certificate Program and 20-week Perioperative Nursing Certificate Program are the first of their kind in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Perioperative Nursing Training Program prepares nurses across Tanzania to deliver safe, consistent, evidence-based perioperative care by advancing surgical safety and surgical excellence.
Perioperative Nursing Training Course Objectives
- Apply Core Principles of Perioperative Nursing: Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the perioperative nursing role across the surgical continuum of care, grounded in patient safety, ethics, and professional standards.
- Optimize Safe, Evidence-Based Surgical Care: Implement evidence-based practices in infection control, surgical safety, and patient monitoring to provide high-quality, patient-centered care in the perioperative setting.
- Strengthen Clinical and Technical Proficiency: Develop proficiency with surgical instruments, equipment, and operating room technologies through simulation and supervised clinical placements.
- Collaborate Effectively Within the Surgical Team: Enhance communication and teamwork skills to support a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to surgical care.
Preparing for the Course: Preceptor Training
One of the first steps in strengthening perioperative education was standardizing preceptor training and practices for experienced operating room nurses rotating through 18 operating theatres at Muhimbili National Hospital across four campuses. To ensure consistency in perioperative care education, clinical training, and perioperative practice, operating room nurses completed standardized training on updated hospital protocols, instrument handling, sterilization processes, and the Five-Minute Preceptor (5MP) model, reinforced through hands-on sessions that strengthened technical skills for alignment with best practices. This landmark workshop represented the first perioperative preceptor training of its scale in Tanzania, aligning best practices across policy and practice to improve student learning and patient care.
As Dr. Silvers shared, safe surgery begins with skilled nurses
Program Faculty
Nira Matunda, BSN, RN
Nursing Officer | Muhimbili National Hospital
John Meshack, BSN, RN
Perioperative Nurse Trainer | Muhimbili National Hospital
Aneth Kaduma, MSc (Midwifery), BSN, RN
Head of Department of Operating Theatre and and Central Sterilization | Muhimbili National Hospital
Erin Brenner, MSN, RNFA
Registered Nurse | UCSF Health
Ruth Palmeri, BSN, RN
Registered Nurse | UCSF Health
Program Preceptors
Ninael Godfrey, BScN, RN (Perioperative Preceptor)
Jamiru Jafary, RN, Certificate in Perioperative (Renal Transplant Surgery And Urology Expert)
Petro Jiratu, BScN, RN (Nurse Manager, Obstetrics & Gynecology Operating Room)
Janeth Lemunge, RN, Advanced Diploma (Perioperative Nursing) (Operating Room in Charge)
*Janet completed perioperative training at Mbeya Regional Referral Hospital in Tanzania.
Bertha Mahenge, BScN, RN (Registered Nurse)
Adonice Mashanjala, BScN, RN, Certificate in Perioperative (Operating Room Nurse)
*Adonice completed perioperative training in South Korea.
Martha Ngatunga, MScN, APN, BScN, RN (Advanced Practice Nurse)
*Martha completed perioperative training at Mbeya Regional Referral Hospital in Tanzania.
Sebastian Ngtewa, MScN, BScN (Ward In-Charge, Emergency Operating Room)
Godfrey Njaganje, RN (Clinical Instructor, Obstetrics & Gynecology Operating Room)
Happy Nkya, RN, Certificate in Perioperative (Perioperative Preceptor)
Zuberi Nyirenda, RN (Perioperative Nurse; Post-Anesthesia Care Nurse, Operating Room)
Kanael Urio, MPH, BScN, RN, Post Graduate Certificate in Perioperative (Perioperative Preceptor)
*Kanael earned a postgraduate certificate in perioperative nursing from South Africa.
