Expert Seeks Policy to Enhance Nursing Profession
The Federal Government and stakeholders in the health sector have been urged to enhance the nursing profession by creating policies that would benefit nurses as well as address the migration of registered nurses.
This call was made by Dr Nnenna Eugene-Okorie, of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, during the convocation of set 44 General Nursing granduands, at the Nigerian College of Nursing, Yaba, Lagos.
Describing the rate of migration of Nigerian nurses as alarming, she lamented that, “After training these nurses, you will see them migrating to other countries where they are usefully engaged and adequately absorbed. This is a worrisome situation in Nigeria.
On his part, Acting Commandant of the Nigerian Army Medical Corps, Col. Idris Solebo, informed that half of the students admitted into the College were civilians. He attributed the acceptance of civilians as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility of the Nigerian Army over the years.
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He explained that at the completion of the three years course, the Military nurses would be sent to the Nigerian Army hospitals for an orientation programme that would last for some weeks and thereafter, deployed to institutions while the civilian students will proceed for their nursing internship before they will be deployed across the country”.
He described the registered nurses as the best the country could offer, owing to the installation of modern facilities in the college, procured by the Chief of Army Staff , Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya.
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In her remark, Commandant of the Nigerian Army College of Nursing. Col. Juliana Awuto, highlighted the courses undertaken to include: Foundation of nurses which she said was a core course that touched on the rudimentary level of nursing among others.
She therefore, advised the graduating students to build on the knowledge gathered, reminding that it was just the beginning of their career.
“I advise them to further their education. They should not just relax with this registered nurse certificate alone, there are more courses in about 150 different branches of nursing that they can go into and become specialists”.
The ceremony was also used to honour the Acting Commandant of the Nigerian Army Medical Corps, Col. Idris Solebo, as the father of Modern Nursing in the Nigerian Army.
