News

The University of Botswana (UB) School of Nursing has joined the global observance of Brain Awareness Week, aiming to increase public understanding of the progress and benefits of brain research.

The campaign, held on the 12th of March 2025 at the Centre for Continuing Education (CCE), focused on the theme "Healthy Brain, Healthy Mind – Addressing Factors that Impact Brain Development, Plasticity and Remodelling."

Welcoming participants, the Head of the School of Nursing, Dr Matula Samuel, underscored the significance of brain awareness initiatives in fostering a deeper appreciation of the brain’s adaptability and potential.

Dr Samuel described the human brain as the most complex structure and the foundation of all characteristics that define humanity. He emphasised that the brain enabled individuals to envision, imagine, speak, plan, solve problems and make decisions. Furthermore, he highlighted its vast potential in clinical practice, education and research, underscoring the importance of continuous exploration and understanding of brain function.

Presenting on palliative care for patients with neurological conditions, Dr Norman Carl Swart, an Oncology and Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner at the School of Nursing, said palliative care was a holistic approach aimed at improving the quality of life for patients and their families facing life-threatening illnesses. He explained that it focused on the prevention, assessment and management of pain, along with addressing physical, psychosocial and spiritual challenges associated with serious health conditions.

Dr Swart stated that the primary goal of palliative care was to enhance the quality of life by promoting comfort, providing comprehensive care and minimising unnecessary suffering. He added that palliative care also focused on empowering patients and their families to navigate the challenges of serious illness, offering relief and support to help them cope with unavoidable suffering.

He said patients that received palliative care included patients with AIDS, cancer, heart failure, liver failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congenital heart disease (Children) and multiple scleroses and others. Furthermore, Dr Swart said palliative care components comprised symptom management, communication and advance care planning, psychological and spiritual support as well as inter-professional team approach.

Meanwhile, delivering a presentation on the management of patients from the accident and emergency unit to the intensive care unit, Senior Lecturer and Emergency Nurse Specialist at the School of Nursing, Dr Mamalelala Tebogo, highlighted the severity of skull fractures, noting that a significant amount of force was required to break the human skull.

She underlined the importance of examining the cervical spine in patients with skull injuries to prevent paralysis. Dr Tebogo further outlined common types of head injuries, including epidural hematoma, subdural hematoma, focal brain injury and diffuse axonal injury, stressing the need for prompt assessment and specialised care to improve patient outcomes.

School of Nursing Clinical Anatomist, Dr Sodiq Lawal, encouraged participants to apply for neuroscience research grants from international organisations such as the International Brain Research Organisation (IBRO), International Society for Neurochemistry (ISN) and International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB).