At a glance
- Travel to Africa and get valuable work experience by joining our Nursing internship in Kenya. You will be shadowing doctors on their rounds. This will make up your future career and CV!
- During the internship, you can rotate through different hospital departments. You will be taught how to give a diagnosis and treat patients.
- You will be based in the town of Nanyuki and live with a local host family. Make the most out of your free time to explore the country, local food, and traditions.
Is a Nursing internship in Kenya right for me?
This project is ideal for anyone looking to gain nursing work experience in a medical setting. It will add a lot of value to your CV if you want to study nursing. You will also be able to explore different nursing specialisations that could help you plan your future career.
No experience? No problem! The goal of this internship is for you to learn. You’ll gain a lot from shadowing local nurses and doctors. We recommend taking advantage of any opportunity to ask questions and take notes.
If you participate in a community outreach, our medical coordinator will teach you what you need to know before you start working. All outreach work is supervised by a medical professional.
Our Nursing internships run year-round and you can join at any time. We encourage you to stay longer, so you can learn and gain as much nursing work experience in Kenya as possible.
What will I be doing as a Nursing intern in Kenya?
You will work in a health clinic or hospital in the town of Nanyuki. During your internship, you will:
Your work will focus mainly on the following:
Shadow local nurses
For the first few days of your internship, your role will be mainly observational. You will shadow the local nurses as they do their daily rounds and gain insight into the nature of the work they do.
During this time, it’s important to make notes and ask as many questions as possible. When the nurses see that you’re enthusiastic and interested, they may be willing to give you more responsibilities. If you do practical work with permission from the nurses, it will be supervised.
Help with basic health checks
It is important to build up trust and a good relationship with the local medical staff. This will help you get involved with more practical work. The kinds of tasks you may help with include dressing wounds, monitoring a pulse, and checking blood pressure and temperature.
You’ll also do health checks during community outreaches. These are important, as they help disadvantaged communities access basic healthcare services.
Attend workshops
We hold regular workshops for all our medical interns. These are usually run by our qualified Medical Coordinator in Nanyuki.
These workshops allow you to ask about specific things you have seen at your nursing placement in Kenya. It is also great for learning techniques and skills to put into practice during outreaches, like measuring blood sugar levels.
What type of Nursing placements are available in Kenya?
This internship is ideal if you want to be exposed to a variety of hospital departments and specialisations. During your internship, you can choose to spend time in some of the following departments:
- Maternity
- General Medicine
- Surgery
- Paediatrics
- Laboratory work
You can also choose whether you want to work with adults, children, and/or mental health patients.
Where will I be working as a Nursing intern in Kenya?
Nanyuki
You will be based in the little town of Nanyuki, about 200 km northeast of Nairobi. It is a market town, where people gather to stock up on fresh produce, meat, and other essentials. The town is also the gateway to the Laikipia plateau, one of Africa's most important wildlife conservation areas.
As a Nursing intern, you will work in either a smaller health clinic or a large hospital. Due to the rural location of both these placements, you can expect to work with equipment that is more advanced than what you might find in hospitals at home. They also cater to a number of surrounding communities, so tend to be busy throughout the day.
A typical day as a Nursing intern in Kenya
Start your day with a hearty breakfast enjoyed around your host family’s table. Then set off to the clinic or hospital, using either public transport or walking. The local staff will show you the way on your first day.
Your working day normally starts at 8am and the first bit of the morning will be dedicated to helping local nurses prepare for their rounds. By 9am, you will start shadowing them as they check on different patients.
Between 12pm and 1:30pm, you will get to enjoy an hour-and-a-half’s lunch. If your host family lives close by, you can head home to eat and rest for a bit. Alternatively, you can enjoy a packed lunch at the hospital.
You will continue shadowing nurses on their rounds in the afternoon. The most important medication of the day is normally administered in the morning (or evening). Because of this, the afternoon is the ideal time for you to assist the nurses with more basic practical tasks. These might include monitoring heart rates and taking blood pressure or temperature.
On some afternoons, you will attend workshops with other medical interns. We will let you know in advance which days to set aside for this.
Evenings and weekends are your free time to relax, explore and learn more about Kenyan culture. Be sure to do some travelling with fellow interns. Check out wildlife in one of the game reserves in the vicinity or go on a hiking trail or two.
What are the aims and impacts of this Nursing Internship in Kenya?
There are two main aims of this project: to offer you the opportunity to gain experience in nursing and to serve the local community through your work.
As a Nursing intern in Kenya, you will work alongside medical professionals and explore different departments within the clinic or hospital where you work. This will give you the opportunity to explore various specialisations and learn more about a wide array of conditions and illnesses. It will also allow you to add valuable experience to your CV.
Besides getting nursing work experience in Kenya, you will also help make a difference through community outreach work. Many of the communities we work with have limited access to basic healthcare services, or cannot travel for medical care.
We have outlined five goals in our Medicine & Healthcare Management Plan for Kenya:
- Encourage an understanding of medical practices and promote an exchange of medical knowledge
- Improve the quality of healthcare provided to patients
- Improve access to basic healthcare for disadvantaged groups
- Improve hygiene standards
- Reduce the number of cases of malaria
Join our Nursing Internship in Kenya and help us achieve these long-term goals while gaining professional work experience.
Management plans
We set out the aims and objectives of our projects in documents called Management Plans. We use them to properly plan the work you’ll do. They also help us measure and evaluate our achievements and impact each year.
Ultimately, our Management Plans help us make our projects better. This in turn means you get to be part of something that makes a real impact where it’s needed. Read more about our Management Plans.
Measuring our impact
Our projects work towards clear long-term goals, with specific annual objectives. Every volunteer and intern we send to these projects helps us work towards these goals, no matter how long they spend on our projects.
Every year we take a step back and look at how much progress we've made towards these goals. We put together a Global Impact Report, which documents our achievements. Find out more about the impact our global community of volunteers, interns and staff make, and read the latest report.
Food and accommodation
You'll stay with a host family in Nanyuki. They'll welcome you into their home, eager to share their customs and learn about yours. We believe this is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture of Kenya and enjoy a unique experience.
We'll try to ensure you live alongside at least one other volunteer or intern at the same host family. Your room will be modest, but comfortable, clean, and safe.
Find out more about our accommodation.
Your programme fee includes three meals a day. Get ready to try exciting new flavours like ugali (a maize staple), nyama choma (grilled goat meat), githeri (bean stew), and so much more. Your host will provide delicious local cuisine daily, while staff will take you to some of Nanyuki’s best restaurants.
Leisure activities and free time
Interning in Kenya is the perfect opportunity to explore this extraordinary country. With a vast array of activities, you’re sure to find plenty of ways to fill your evenings and weekends.
A trip to East Africa wouldn’t be complete without a safari. As you explore the savannahs, spot wildlife like elephants, lions, and even the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe.
Our projects are based in Nanyuki, which is known as the gateway to Mount Kenya. With this majestic mountain on your doorstep, it’s worth taking a day to hike around the base.
You can spend evenings at buzzing restaurants, listening to live music and trying local dishes. Kenya also has must-see markets, with bright textiles and hand-carved sculptures.
You can spend your free time exploring independently or travelling with a group. With so many volunteers and interns joining us throughout the year, you’re sure to make new friends and travel buddies during your trip.
Safety and staff support
Your safety and security is our prime concern. We have many procedures and systems to ensure you have the support you need to enjoy your trip with peace of mind. Our Projects Abroad staff are available 24 hours a day to help, and will be on hand to make sure you settle in well at your accommodation and placement. If you encounter any problems, they will be available to help at any time.
Find out more about safety and backup.
This placement is fully researched, safety audited, and risk assessed in accordance with the British Standard BS8848 for the Adventure Travel Sector.
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