The School of Nursing has received essential training equipment from Dalhousie University in Canada. The donation is expected to significantly enhance hands-on learning and practical skills development for nursing students at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).
The equipment will strengthen the school’s capacity to deliver high-quality, practical-oriented education necessary for production of competent healthcare professionals.
The equipment includes two mannequins, 15 stethoscopes, and about 10 injection pads, among other equipment that will be instrumental in improving simulation-based training, thus allowing students to gain critical clinical competencies in a safe, controlled learning environment before interacting with real patients.
The donation was delivered to JKUAT by Prof. Margaret Fitch, RN, from the University of Toronto, and Ms. Simonne Simon, RN, from the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology, during their visit to JKUAT that served as a follow-up to a previous engagement with the College of Health Sciences management aimed at strengthening collaboration and advancing nursing education.
Principal, College of Health Sciences, Dr. Reuben Thuo, expressed gratitude for the support, noting, it will improve the quality of nursing education at JKUAT. He spoke when he received the guests on Friday, September 26, 2025.
“Partnerships like this one are invaluable in strengthening our capacity to train competent health professionals who can address both local and global healthcare challenges,” said Dr. Thuo.
During a tour of JKUAT Skills Lab, Prof. Margaret Fitch noted that the donation marks an important milestone in strengthening nursing education at JKUAT, as it provides the much-needed resources to support both faculty and students.
With the changing modes of training in the world today, Prof. Fitch said, the support presents an important step in equipping students with the practical skills and confidence needed to meet the evolving demands of modern healthcare.
Echoing her remarks, Ms. Simon underscored that simulation-based learning has become a cornerstone of nursing education globally.
“Providing students with opportunities to practice critical procedures in a safe and controlled setting builds not only their skills but also their decision-making abilities, preparing them for real-life clinical situations,” Ms. Simon said.
The Dean, School of Nursing, Prof. Sherry Oluchina, thanked the visiting team and their respective institutions for their generous support, noting that their contribution will enrich the school’s teaching resources.
“This equipment will complement our existing training resources, enabling us to offer more practical, simulation-based learning experiences for our students. It will bridge the gap between theory and practice, better preparing our future nurses to provide quality healthcare services in diverse clinical settings,” said Prof. Oluchina.
