THE Ministry of Health has opened applications for its Professional Nursing Training Programme, inviting persons between the ages of 18 and 40 from all regions of Guyana to pursue a three-year nursing programme through a hybrid approach.
The programme, administered through the Ministry’s Health Sciences Education department, will combine virtual theoretical instruction with practical sessions conducted within the respective regions.
The initiative is intended to expand access to professional nursing education by allowing students, particularly those outside Georgetown, to complete the theoretical component remotely while receiving practical training closer to home.
The Ministry’s Health Sciences Education department is responsible for addressing gaps between the demand and supply of health workers through continuous clinical, technical and nursing training programmes.
The Professional Nursing Training Programme will run for three years, after which successful participants will be subject to a five-year contractual obligation.
Several entry pathways are available.
Applicants can qualify with a minimum of five CSEC or CXC subjects at Grades I, II or III, including English A, Mathematics and at least one Science subject. Accepted Science subjects include Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Integrated Science and Human and Social Biology.
Another pathway requires a minimum of five CSEC subjects at Grades I, II or III, including at least one Science subject, together with a General Education Development (GED) Diploma, IDCE Mathematics and English.
Applicants can also qualify with a minimum of five CSEC subjects at Grades I, II or III and either Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) Level 6 qualifications or a Bachelor’s Foundation Programme in Science or General studies.
A fourth pathway is available to persons with at least three years’ experience as a Nursing Assistant, together with IDCE Mathematics or a GED Diploma, or SCQF Level 6 or a Bachelor’s Foundation Programme in Science or General studies.
Applicants are required to provide several documents when registering, including an NIS card, TIN certificate, valid passport, active bank account and valid police clearance.
The application deadline is Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
Applications can be submitted through the Ministry’s Health Sciences Education training portal at hsetraining.health.gov.gy.
The hybrid nursing initiative was introduced as part of Government’s effort to rapidly expand the country’s nursing workforce. In 2023, the Ministry announced plans to significantly increase the number of trained nurses, with the programme using virtual theoretical instruction and practical training to reach students across the country.
Backed by PAHO and the University of São Paulo’s Ribeirão Preto School of Nursing, the Ministry of Health undertook a major overhaul of Guyana’s nursing education system, with the Brazilian institution serving as a PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing Research Development.
The programme has since produced what the Ministry described as a historic expansion of the nursing workforce. In August 2026, 669 registered nurses graduated as the first cohort of Guyana’s Professional Nursing Hybrid Training Programme, making it the country’s largest-ever graduating class of professional nurses.
The scale of the programme represents a major increase over Guyana’s traditional nursing output. The country’s three established nursing schools in Georgetown, New Amsterdam and Linden had previously produced about 200 nurses annually.
The hybrid model combines virtual theory with practical and clinical training in simulation laboratories established at various locations across the regions, allowing students to gain hands-on experience without having to relocate to Georgetown.
The Ministry is now seeking another group of applicants as it continues efforts to expand the nursing workforce and strengthen staffing across Guyana’s healthcare system.
