Improving Guyanese Healthcare through Safe Anesthesia Services

Safe anesthesia is vital for enhancing healthcare access and patient safety. The shortage of anesthesia providers in Guyana limits the availability of safe anesthesia services. Training more nurses and future nurse anesthesia providers will provide more Guyanese citizens with essential access to safe anesthesia. This project aims to develop and share information about the importance of the nursing profession, educational requirements, and steps to becoming a nurse in Guyana. A thorough literature review was performed using selected keywords. Articles, organizational, and government site information from this search contributed to creating an original nursing recruitment brochure. The brochure highlights the opportunities and benefits of a nursing career and addresses factors contributing to the nursing shortage. It was distributed in person and electronically to a small group of Guyanese nurses and key stakeholders, then anonymously evaluated through a Likert-scale survey and open-ended questions to assess its design and how well it reflects changes in Guyana's healthcare system. Feedback indicated that the brochure was well received, with respondents praising its clarity, readability, accurate presentation, and representation of the nursing profession. Challenges noted in the open-ended section included limited career counseling, language barriers, a lack of public awareness about nursing, and a need for more nursing schools in Guyana. Future collaboration between the Georgetown School of Nursing and the Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia is recommended to evaluate its effectiveness in fostering interest in nursing in Guyana.