American Nursing Institute (ANI) opened its' doors in Mandalay in June to educate more nurses, and wishes to provide books & a proper library. Nurses deliver the majority of care in Myanmar, often in remote areas, where they encounter poor access to current heath care information, equipment or materials. Since sanctions were lifted in Myanmar, the situation has improved, but they are still far behind. There is only one nurse per 1,000 people. In the US, there are over 10 nurses per 1,000 people.
Since sanctions against Myanmar have been lifted, there are many individuals who wish to become nursing professionals. Doing so would improve the healthcare situation, as currently there is only one nurse or midwife per 1,000 population. This shortage, particularly in rural areas, can have dire consequences. Unfortunately, there is a lack of schools and resources to train them. American Nursing Institute was opened in 2016 to fill some of this need, and are in need of books and a proper library.
In Myanmar, limited resources may be dangerously out of date or nonexistent. Nurses must respond to a wide range of needs: immunization, health promotion, childbirth, & care of injured, elderly & dying. To address this, the International Council of Nurses/MSD Nursing Mobile Library was created to provide up to date info in a transportable trunk. This trunk, and the resource materials in it, will provide years of reference to nursing students and impact their patients for years to come.
The library contains more than 80 titles, covering surgery & anesthesia to how to look after a refrigerator & manage a health center store. These provide quick access to critical information, improve knowledge and training, strengthen the health of the community, help nurses to empower others, and assist in sharing & instruction. This will affect the lives of thousands of students & patients. Knowledge is power, and it very definitely saves lives, particularly in remote rural settings.
