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Welcome to the UCSF Center for Global Nursing (and Advanced Practice)
at the Institute for Global Health Sciences.
In this newsletter, you can expect to find opportunities, events, and other information about UCSF nurses, advanced practice providers, and our global partners working toward global health solutions.
| | CGN's Programs, People, & Events | Join CGN to Celebrate International Nurses Day | |
Join the Center for Global Nursing to Celebrate International Nurses Day!
Join the Center for Global Nursing (CGN) community on Tuesday, May 12, as we celebrate the incredible contributions of nurses across the globe, honoring their leadership, innovation, and commitment to advancing quality care, health equity, and stronger communities worldwide. Enjoy an inspiring hour of awards and presentations from a variety of speakers, followed by a lively hour of networking, tasty treats, and a fun raffle. Join us as we come together to celebrate the invaluable impact nurses have across global health systems.
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
4:00 – 6:00 p.m. PDT
📍 Mission Hall, Room 1400
💻 Or join us via Zoom
*Refreshments will be provided for those who plan to attend in person!
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International Council of Nurses Webinars
IND 2026: Empowered Nurses Save Lives
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The International Council of Nurses is excited to share the IND 2026 Webinar registration links! The IND 2026 webinars are designed to:
- Launch and disseminate the IND 2026 report
- Showcase the Seven Powers of Nursing through evidence and real-world examples
- Amplify the voices and leadership of National Nurses Associations (NNAs)
Click on the link to register for your preferred session:
| Exciting Updates from the Clinical Global Scholars Program | | |
UCSF and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) Clinical Global Scholars advanced patient care through shared learning and partnership in Eldoret, Kenya, by:
- Participating in quality improvement workshops, clinical engagement, and A3 project development
- Focusing on addressing real clinical challenges through problem-solving, shared learning, and meaningful collaboration
Through December 2026 and beyond, the teams will continue to engage in sustained virtual collaboration to advance their projects, strengthen partnerships, and ensure lasting impact.
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| Expanding Pediatric Assessment and Emergency Care Training in Kampala, Uganda | | |
CGN partnered with the Department of Nursing at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda, to launch a 3-day Training of Trainers (ToT) in Systematic Assessment Resuscitation Training (StART) Pediatric Basic Life Support (BLS).
- 12 nurse trainers were prepared through the ToT and then led trainings with the support of our teams for 48 additional nurses caring for pediatric surgical patients across the hospital.
- Designed in Africa for the African context, StART BLS focuses on reducing child morbidity by equipping providers with updated, evidence-based resuscitation skills tailored to local clinical needs.
- These newly trained facilitators will lead additional sessions in May and June, expanding the program’s reach to more than 100 additional nurses.
This work was made possible through a grant from KidsOR, supporting efforts to strengthen nurses’ capacity to deliver safe, timely surgical and emergency care for children. Their investment is enabling a sustainable and scalable training model that can be expanded to reach even more providers and facilities.
| | Advancing Pediatric Emergency Nursing in Laos | |
CGN member Kim Branciforte (UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital) partnered with CGN Global Advisory Member Maly Chittaphai and the nursing team at Lao Friends Hospital for Children (LFHC) to advance implementation of the AAP ICATCH Grant (2025–2028). Together, they:
- Implemented a train-the-trainer model using WHO ETAT, adapted for the Laos context
- Strengthened pediatric emergency care through content review, case discussions, and hands-on simulation
- Trained six nurse leaders in ETAT, including the use of the Laerdal simulation BEC learning lab
- Launched the next phase of training to reach all 86 nursing staff across emergency and outpatient services
| CGN Director Represented UCSF at the WHO Global Forum of Collaborating Centres | |
Dr. Rebecca Silvers, Director of the UCSF Center for Global Nursing and Nursing Lead for the UCSF WHO Collaborating Centre on Emergency, Critical, and Operative (ECO) Care, represented UCSF at the inaugural WHO Global Forum of Collaborating Centres, where she:
- Joined representatives from 800+ Collaborating Centres across 80+ countries to advance WHO’s “Health for All” vision and GPW14
- Participated in discussions centered on “Collaborating for a Healthier Future” to strengthen health systems and advance evidence-informed policy to accelerate global health impact
- Identified key priorities, such as strengthening global networks, building workforce capacity, fostering equity, and advancing innovation and preparedness to build a more resilient and equitable global health future
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Roxana Benavides, MSN
Inpatient Nurse Practitioner, UCSF Health
Roxana Benavides is an Inpatient Nurse Practitioner with the UCSF Department of General Surgery at Parnassus. Roxana's areas of specialty include Neurology and General Surgery.
Roxana is an active member of the UCSF Center for Global Nursing and a recipient of the 2024 and 2025 Travel Awards, which supported her in providing free general surgery services to uninsured populations. In May 2024, Roxana was the first Nurse Practitioner to travel to Hospital de la Familia in Nuevo Progreso, Guatemala, where she served on the General Surgery volunteer team. During her time at Hospital de la Familia, Roxana managed the General Surgery Clinic and performed pre-operative consultations for patients with complex hernias, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, and various body masses. She completed history and physical examinations, coordinated patient surgery scheduling, and managed admissions, discharges, and daily rounds for surgical patients. In addition, Roxana supported care delivery by assisting with language interpretation for surgeons and medical staff.
We are honored to recognize Roxana Benavides for her commitment to advancing global health equity, leadership in delivering compassionate, high-quality surgical care, and continued dedication to improving health outcomes.
| CGN Director Presented at the Society of Critical Care Medicine Congress | | |
CGN Director Dr. Rebecca Silvers and collaborators presented their work evaluating the WHO Basic Critical Care Course (BCC) from the pilot in Belize City, Belize, at the Society of Critical Care Medicine Congress in Chicago, USA. Their findings include:
- BCC is a new 5-day course providing foundational critical care training to all cadres, regardless of practice setting
- BCC offers a scalable, systems-based approach to improving early recognition and management of critical illness across settings
| | CGN Members and Global Partners Present at GICS Conference in Colombia | | |
At the Global Initiative for Children’s Surgery (GICS) VI Conference in Bogotá, Colombia, CGN Seed Awardees Meshack John Mashara, BSN, RN, Perioperative Nurse Trainer at Muhimbili National Hospital, and Erin Brenner, MSN, RNFA, Registered Nurse at UCSF Health:
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Highlighted the essential role of nursing leadership in expanding access to high-quality surgical care in Tanzania
- Meshack presented a perioperative nursing training program featuring a train-the-trainer model and a 20-week curriculum aimed at building capacity and improving care systems
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| CGN Global Nursing Advisory Council Member: Advancing Global Intensive Care Collaboration | | |
In April, Bhawana Regmi, MSc, RN, Assistant Professor at Kathmandu University and CGN Faculty and Global Nursing Advisory Council member, visited St. George Hospital in Sydney, where she:
- Toured the ICU and observed its advanced infrastructure, strong organization, and multidisciplinary, evidence-based care approach
- Met with nursing leaders to discuss the current landscape of critical care nursing, including key strengths, challenges, and future collaboration opportunities in education, research, and the exchange of best practices
| | CGN's Educational Opportunities | | |
Register Now!
CGN's Global Nursing Impact Series
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Join the Center for Global Nursing for a conversation with Evelyn Bigini, highlighting her perinatal mental health research collaboration in Sierra Leone.
Evelyn Bigini, PhD(c), MSc, RN, is a PhD Candidate at the UCSF School of Nursing and a Graduate Student Researcher with UCSF Global Action in Nursing (GAIN). Her work focuses on assessing and improving perinatal mental health in collaboration with Partners In Health in Sierra Leone. Her projects include education and research related to the mental health of both patients and healthcare providers. Evelyn is a 2025 CGN Seed Awardee, which supports her examination of providers’ perspectives on perinatal depression and mental health, the occupational impacts of caring for patients with perinatal depression symptoms, and the coping strategies used by providers at Koidu Government Hospital in Sierra Leone.
This series is open to all nurses, global partners, and professionals interested in global health.
- Register for CGN's June 9th Global Nursing Impact Series that will be held on Zoom from 7 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. PDT (4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. CEST)
| | Register for CGN's Introduction to Cultural Humility Course | | |
CGN’s Introduction to Cultural Humility Course offers a foundational exploration of cultural humility within the contexts of nursing, advanced practice, and global health sciences. The course supports nurses and Advanced Practice Providers in recognizing personal bias, understanding how power and privilege shape clinical encounters, and building skills to foster more equitable, respectful partnerships in all settings.
This course is open to all nurses and Advanced Practice Providers, whether or not they are participating in CGN’s global programs.
- Register on Nursing Connect for CGN's October 20th or November 10th Cultural Humility Course.
3 CEs provided.
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CGN Travel Award applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Applications are reviewed in April and October.
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Are you working with a global health organization and need to fund your own visa or flight? CGN is committed to supporting our members as they engage in meaningful global health work. Apply now to qualify for up to $1500 in travel costs, and take the next step in your global health journey!
Qualtrics Application Process:
- Complete the application questionnaire
- Provide an invitation letter to work abroad
- Attach your CV or resume for up to $1500 in travel costs
Applications are evaluated based on the project's sustainability and efforts to collaborate with local partners.
| | Have you implemented a WHO ECO Acute Care Tool? | | |
The World Health Organization (WHO) is working to strengthen health systems through integrated service delivery, connecting primary, emergency, critical, and operative (ECO) care into a seamless continuum. By improving how care is organized, planned, and accessed across the system, WHO aims to ensure that people receive timely, high-quality acute care that truly meets their needs.
To support this vision, WHO launched the Acute Care Action Network (ACAN), a global initiative focused on advancing the implementation of WHO’s acute care tools. ACAN works to expand the reach and impact of these resources, while also identifying where additional, purpose-built tools may be needed to support effective implementation on the ground.
We invite you to share your experiences with implementing WHO’s ECO acute care tools. Your insights will directly inform the development of practical resources to strengthen implementation efforts worldwide. We’re particularly interested in learning about:
- How acute care tools are being applied in practice
- Key challenges and factors that enable successful implementation
- Gaps where additional resources or support are needed
- Locally adapted tools or materials that have proven effective
- Priority areas where ACAN can better support implementation
Your input is invaluable in shaping the future of acute care delivery.
| | 9th Africa Interdisciplinary Health Conference | |
Register now for the 9th Annual Africa Interdisciplinary Health Conference (AfIHC), organized in collaboration with Mzumbe University, on the theme Bridging Disciplines to Address Dual Burden of Infectious and Non-Communicable Diseases in Africa. The conference will be hosted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and online on August 19-21, 2026, with the Pre-Conference Workshop on August 17-18, 2026. The conference is founded and co-directed by Dr. Jerry Ouner (Nutor), PhD, RN, Associate Professor at the UCSF School of Nursing and Faculty for CGN's Certificate in Global Nursing.
| | Postdoctoral Nursing Opportunity (USA) | | |
The National Clinician Scholars Program (NCSP) is the only postdoctoral research fellowship for physicians and doctorally-trained nurses across multiple disciplines and specialties. Scholars explore diverse topics, from artificial intelligence and climate change to health systems innovation and implementation science, driving impact across clinical, public, and academic sectors.
If you are a UCSF doctorally trained nurse or physician, please consider applying for the two-year leadership and research training fellowship (2027–2029 cohort). This transformative program is designed to develop innovative clinical investigators and health care leaders.
Applications opened May 1, 2026, and close July 15, 2026. Selected applicants will begin the program in July 2027.
| | Muhimbili National Hospital Introduces a Perioperative Nursing Course in Tanzania | | |
Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), with support from the UCSF Center for Global Nursing (CGN), is launching a five-month Perioperative Nursing Course for registered nurses.
This course, the first of its kind in Africa, provides an opportunity to establish high and consistent standards of perioperative nursing practice for operating room nurses. The blended program of weekly theory sessions, skills labs, and supervised practice builds competence in perioperative assessment, sterile technique and safety, team communication, and protocol-aligned standardized care across orthopedic, obstetrics and gynecology, general and gastrointestinal, pediatric, ophthalmology, ENT, dental, and urology. The course is open to all nurses, with OR nurses especially encouraged to apply.
For more information, please contact Aneth Kaduma (Course Coordinator) at aneth.kaduma@mnh.or.ta
| | Pediatric Volunteer Opportunity in Laos | | |
Lao Friends Hospital for Children (LFHC) is the only hospital in northern Laos that provides specialty pediatric care, offering free services to underserved families in the region. It focuses on improving access to essential health services while supporting sustainable healthcare through training local providers. Volunteering offers a meaningful way to contribute to the hospital's mission and make a difference in children's lives.
Lao Friends Hospital for Children accepts applications for medical and nursing volunteers throughout the year. All individuals interested in volunteering should be able to spend two months at LFHC during their first visit. Anyone interested is welcome to send their resumes to hr@fwablaos.org.
| | Our website serves as a central hub for information about CGN's educational initiatives, collaborators, and members to foster a vibrant community of nursing professionals. By providing access to our programs, events, and collaborative opportunities, we aim to empower nurses and APPs and support pathways for them to engage in global health solutions. | | Center for Global Nursing Membership | | |
Become A CGN Member
We want to identify those committed to being a part of the UCSF Center for Global Nursing (& Advanced Practice) and prepared to join our global partners in collaborative initiatives. We look forward to having all those faculty, staff, and interested students become core members of the CGN.
Please take the survey below to identify your interest in the Center for Global Nursing (& APP) membership. Membership requirements:
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Interest and/or Expertise in Global Health (including health equity)
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Education & Training, including our Cultural Humility course (see registration information above) and Global Health 101x (more information on how to register in the attached survey)
| | Highlight Your Achievements | | |
Share Your Achievements with CGN
We are excited to highlight your achievements in our newsletters, on social media, and on our website.
Have you been involved in global partnerships, earned a new degree, published research, or accomplished something noteworthy this past month? We want to hear about it!
Please email Anisha Rao (anisha.rao@ucsf.edu) to share your achievements and let us shine a spotlight on your contributions at home and abroad.
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Follow us on social media!
We are now sharing our updates in real time on
Instagram and Linkedin, follow along here:
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Please send all global nursing/APP announcements and shout-outs to our email: Globalnursing@ucsf.edu
We would love to celebrate with you and include these in our upcoming newsletter.
| | Feel free to refer colleagues interested in receiving our newsletter or those with inquiries about the Center to our website. | | | | |
