UGANDA NURSES AND MIDWIVES EXAMINATIONS BOARD

EXAMINATION SYLLABUS
CERTIFICATE IN NURSING

YEAR/SEMESTER PAPER NAME Topics

Year 1/ Semester 1 Paper 1: Anatomy &  Terms used in Anatomy and Physiology
physiology l and  Human body organization
First Aid  Atoms, molecules and compounds
 Cell structure and function
 Tissue structure and function
 Blood and its composition
 Cardiovascular system
 Lymphatic system
 Digestive system
 Skeletal system
 Muscular system
First aid
 Principles of First Aid
 Components of a First Aid Kit
 Life threatening conditions
 Personal protection during first aid
 First aid in medical emergencies
 Injuries and Trauma

Paper 2: Foundations of  History of Nursing

nursing l &  Code of conduct for Nurses
computer  Principles of professional ethics and
etiquette
 Patient’s rights
 Nurses’ rights
 Nursing and the law
 Nursing standards and qualities of a nurse
 General principles and rules of all
nursing procedures
 Hospital economy
 Use of personal protective equipment
 Routine and weekly cleaning of the
ward
 Waste management and disposal
 Isolation of infectious patients
 Causes of infection
 Medical Waste disposal and
management
 Cleaning methods
 Carry out adequate feeding of patients
 Perform bladder and bowel care
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  Passing a flatus tube
 Administration of enemata
 Ward Report
 Lifting/positioning a patient
 Tepid sponging
 General principles in patient care
 Ethics in nursing care
 Principles of Infection prevention and
control
 Body mechanics
 Bed making
 Vital observations
 Bed bath
 Oral care/mouth care
 Care and treatment of pressure
Computer (to be assessed at school
level)
Paper 3: Personal and  Concepts of Microbiology
communal health &  Classification and types of Microorganisms
 Pathogenic microorganisms
Microbiology
 Normal flora
 Characteristics and mode of spread of
disease causing Microorganisms
 Pathological effects of microorganisms
 Simple laboratory tests
 Infection prevention and control
 Introduction to Immunity
 Antibodies
 Principles of immunization

Introduction to personal and communal health

 Concepts of personal and communal
health
 Determinants of Health
 Dimensions of Health
Personal Hygiene
 Introduction to personal hygiene
 Cleanliness of skin and its appendages
 Cleanliness of the inside of the body
 Special groups in personal hygiene
 Clothing and foot wear
Concepts in communicable diseases
 Disease causation and prevention
 Disease transmission cycle
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  Levels of disease prevention
 Introduction to environmental
hygiene/sanitation
 Housing
 Ventilation heating and lighting
 Safe water supply
 Food hygiene
 Sanitation

Year 1/ Semester 2 Paper 1: Anatomy &  The Respiratory system

physiology 2  The Urinary System
 The Endocrine system
 The Nervous system
 Organs of Special Senses
 The Reproductive system

Paper 2: Foundations of Topic: Perform specialized nursing care

nursing ll, Sociology and  Wound dressing
psychology  Colostomy Care
 Abdominis Parecentesis (Abdominal
Tapping)
 Vulva Toilet /Swabbing
 Oxygen Administration
 Lumbar Puncture
 Nasogastric tube to feed patients
 Gastrostomy Feeding
 Gastric Lavage
 Catheterization
 Tracheostomy Care
 Care of patients on traction
 Prepare for application of orthopedic
splints
 Bandaging
 Nursing Process
 Take history of the patient
 Perform Physical examination of the
patient
 Making a Nursing care plan
 Admission of a patient
 Nursing process
 Drug Administration
 Transfer patients
 Discharge of patients
 Last Office
Sociology and psychology

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  Definitions of terms used in Sociology
 Human groups and their effects on man
 Culture, beliefs and practices in relation to
health
 socio-cultural factors influencing the
behaviour of an individual
 Socialization
 Social aspects of diseases
 Social aspects of hospitalization
 Urbanization and delivery of health
services
 Nurse-patient relationship
 Concepts of Psychology
 Psychological Development
 Personality
 Psychological aspects in nursing care of
patients
 Mental Defense Mechanisms
 Stress and Stressors
 Emotions
Paper 3: Primary health Topic: Introduction to Primary health care
care  Concepts of Primary Health Care
 Principles, Pillars and components/
elements of Primary Health Care
 Introduction to community based health
care
 Community participation
 Community organization
 Community Mobilization
 Community empowerment
 Community entry
 Carry out community survey and
assessment
 Carry out Home visiting
 Conduct community feedback meetings
Year 2/ Semester 1 Paper 1: Medical Nursing Introduction to Medical Nursing
(I) and Pharmacology (I)  Terms used in Medical Nursing
 General causes of disease in the human
body
 Levels of disease prevention
 General principles of managing disease
Conditions of the circulatory system
 General signs and symptoms of
Cardiovascular disorders
 Inflammatory disorders of the Heart and

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 Blood Vessels
 Congestive Cardiac Failure
 Rheumatic Heart Disease
 Arteriosclerosis
 Embolism
 Hypertension
Hematologic disorders
 Anaemia
 Leukemia
 Coagulation disorders
Conditions of the respiratory system
 Common cold
 Sinusitis
 Tonsillitis
 Influenza
 Pharyngitis
 Laryngitis
 Otitis Media
 Pneumonia
 Bronchitis
 Tuberculosis
 Asthma
 Emphysema
Introduction to Pharmacology
 Terms used in Pharmacology
 Sources and preparation of
Medicines
 Concepts of Essential Drugs and
Rational Medicine use.
 Classification of Medicines &
Schedule of controlled substances
 Pharmacokinetics &
Pharmacodynamics
Paper 2: Surgical Nursing  Introduction to surgical Nursing
(I) and Gynecological  History of surgery
Nursing  Terms used in surgical nursing
 Aseptic technique
 Special investigations in surgical nursing
 Pre-operative nursing
 Peri-operative nursing
 Post-Operative Nursing care
 Natural body defense mechanisms
 Immunity
 Inflammation
 Specific surgical infections
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  Anthrax
 Tetanus
 Gangrene
 Common surgical conditions
 Surgical Shock
 Burns
 Haemorrhage
 Blood Transfusion
 Fluids and Electrolyte Imbalance
 Tumors
 Fractures
 Wounds
Gynaecologic Nursing
 Menstruation disorders
 Abortion
 Ectopic Pregnancy
 Cervical erosion, trauma and polyps
 Pelvic Inflammatory Diseases
 Infertility
 Vesico-Vaginal Fistula(VVF) and Recto-
Vaginal fistula (RVF)
 Cancers of Reproductive Health Organs
(Breast, Cervix, Uterus, and Ovaries)
Paper 3: Pediatric nursing  Characteristic features of a normal infant
(I) and Palliative care and child
 Care of the new born
 Child growth and development
 Breastfeeding and its effects on child
growth and development
 Child health and nutrition
 Methods in determining the nutritional
status of children
 Malnutrition in children
Palliative care
 Concepts of hospice and palliative care
 Pain management in palliative care
 Management of common symptoms in
Palliative care
 Psychosocial support to terminally ill
patients

Year 2/ Semester 2 Paper 1: Medical Nursing ll Conditions of the digestive system

and Pharmacology (ll)  Stomatitis
 Gastritis
 Peptic Ulcer Disease
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  Jaundice
 Hepatitis
 Liver Cirrhosis
 Cholecystitis
Medical conditions of the urinary system
 Urethritis
 Cystitis
 Pyelonephitis
 Glomerulonephritis
 Nephrotic syndrome
 Renal failure
Medical conditions of the Central Nervous
system
 General signs and symptoms of the nervous
system disorders
 Meningitis
 Encephalitis
 Cerebral vascular accidents (Stroke)
 Unconsciousness (Coma)
 Poliomyelitis
Medical conditions of the Endocrine system
 Diabetes Mellitus
 Thyrotoxicosis
Pharmacology II
Specific antimicrobial agents
 Antibiotics
 Quinolones
 Anti-Tuberculous agents
 Anti-Helminths
 ARVs
 Antifungal agents
Medicines acting on specific body system
 Cardiovascular
 Gastro intestinal
 Respiratory system
 Urinary system
 Medicines acting on specific organs, eye,
ears, nose, throat
 Dermatological medicines
 Hematological medicines
 Endocrine system medicines
 Central Nervous System medicines
Therapeutic agents
 Anti-neoplastic agents
 Analgesics

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Paper 2: Surgical Nursing  Surgical conditions of the head
(ll) and Paediatric nursing  Head Injury
(Il)  Surgical conditions of the neck
 Goitre
 Thyrotoxicosis/thyroidectomy
 Tonsillitis-Tonsillectomy
 Surgical conditions of the chest
 Trauma of the chest
 Lung abscess
 Pleural effusion
 Infection of the breast
 Breast cancer
 Surgical conditions of the abdomen
 Acute Abdomen
 Ruptured Spleen
 Ano-rectal Surgical conditions
 Perineal absess
 Anal Fistula and Anal Fissure
 Rectal prolapse
 Surgical conditions of the genital urinary
system
 Enlargement of Prostate Gland
 Urethral Strictures
 Genital urinary Trauma
 Paediatrics
 Common health problems during
childhood
 Nature and causes of diseases
 Diseases of the respiratory system
 Conditions of the gastro-intestinal tract
 Diseases and conditions of cardiovascular
system
 Diseases/illness of Central Nervous
System
 Diseases and conditions of genito-urinary
tract
 Endemic and epidemic diseases
 Tumors in children
 Conditions of the eyes and ears in
children
 HIV/AIDS in children
 Integrated Management of Childhood
Illnesses
 Surgical conditions in children
 Congenital malformations in children
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  Fractures
 Burns
 Surgical conditions of the gastro-
intestinal tract
 Children involved in accidents
 Provide first aid management of various
accidents in children
 Admit children involved in accidents
 Educate mothers on prevention of
accidents

Paper 3: Mental health  Concepts of mental health and mental

nursing and Occupational illness
health  Classification of mental illnesses
 Etiological factors of mental illness
 General signs and symptoms of mental
illnesses
 Assessment of the mentally ill
 Referral system
 Nurse- patient relationship
 Therapeutic environment
 Therapeutic modalities in psychiatry
(Psychological and Physical therapies)
 Common functional psychiatric disorders
 Common organic mental disorders
 Substance/alcohol abuse
Occupational health
 Types of occupational health hazards
 Occupational health hazards in different
work places
 Prevention and control of occupational
health hazards
 Role of a nurse in prevention of
occupational health hazards in work
places
 Healthcare waste management
 Injection safety methods
 Workers compensation Act
Year 3/ Semester 1 Paper 1: Tropical Medicine Tropical Diseases/communicable diseases
and surgical nursing lll  Introduction to communicable diseases
 Measles
 Malaria
 Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)
 Helminthic diseases (Intestinal worms)
 Onchocerciasis (River blindness)

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  Schistosomiasis
 Elephantiasis (Bancroftian Filariasis)
 Dracunculosis (Guinea worm)
 Typhoid Fever
 Dysentery
 Cholera
 Brucellosis
 Ebola
 Yellow Fever
 Mumps (Parotiditis)
 Chicken Pox
 Rabies
Ear, nose and throat (ENT) conditions
 Common tumours of ear, nose and
throat
 Foreign bodies in ear, nose and throat
 Epistasis
Eye conditions
 Conjuctivitis
 Trachoma
 Stye
 Foreign body
 Eye Trauma
 Glaucoma
 Corneal ulcer
 Cataract
Paper 2: Reproductive  Pillars of safe motherhood
health, Guidance and  Methods of family planning
Counseling  Management of STI’s/HIV/AIDS
 Adolescent health and development
 Adolescent and reproductive health
 Adolescent friendly health services
 Post abortion care
 Signs and symptoms of pregnancy
 Signs and symptoms of labor
 Management of 2rd stage of labor
 Management of 3rd stage of labor
 Care of a baby’s cord
 Health education of mothers
 Referral system for mothers
 Signs and symptoms of 3rd stage of labor
 Management of 3rd stage of labor
 Examination of placenta
 Health education of mothers
 Referral system
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  Identification of mothers at risk and
their referral
Guidance and Counseling
 Introduction to Guidance and
Counselling
 Counselling procedure and Techniques
 Communication in guidance and
counseling
 Group counseling
 Ethical codes in counselling
Paper 3: Health service  Commonly used concepts used in Health
management and Service Management
Entrepreneurship  Uganda Health Sector
 Leadership in Healthcare delivery
 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
 Management roles in a health facility
 Motivation
 Delegation
 Conflict resolution
 Team Building
 Decision-making and critical thinking
 Communication in health care
 Customer care
 Public relations in health service
delivery
 Management of health facility resources
Entrepreneurship
1. Introduction to Entrepreneurship
2. Entrepreneurship skills
3. Setting up a Business
4. Business opportunities
5. Types of business enterprises
6. Business competition
7. Marketing Health Services
8. Business sustainability and growth
9. Monitoring and evaluating a
business

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