In this article you will read about SOLUTIONS TO UNDER-PLACEMENT OF GRADUATE NURSES IN NIGERIA
SOLUTIONS TO UNDER-PLACEMENT OF GRADUATE NURSES IN NIGERIA
Over some time ago since BNSc degree programme began in Nigeria, the schools of nursing had the earlier placement in the Nigerian civil service. This placement seemed to be quite interesting but as the global revolution in nursing evolved, degree nursing became a priority. Several universities had to establish as well as initiate the bachelor of nursing sciences programme. With an earnest expectation of graduation the students crossed all ‘T’s and doted all ‘I’s hoping to have an appreciable placement in the civil service but reverse was the case. Most times when they peruse through the civil service scheme and view the placement of their counterparts in the health sector such as the physiotherapists, pharmacists and laboratory scientists who are highly placed than them it becomes a nightmare considering the number of the academic year spent in the nursing school.
This under placement begins in internship and post NYSC. It can be traceable to the mistake made by the forerunners of the internship establishment before it was consented to by the national establishment council (NEC). In as much as the grievous mistake has been made all graduate and non graduate nurses in Nigeria still celebrate them for their zeal, courage, appreciable and incorruptible efforts in actualizing the inception of internship. In my opinion, it is obvious that there is only one solution as at now to achieve the proper placement of graduate nurses in Nigeria which is correcting the level of internship entry after school.
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A lot of political and nonpolitical movements have been initiated by the members of university graduate of nursing science association (UGONSA) in the various state chapters. Different states civil service heads have been visited in anticipated NEC meeting to resolve this despicable under placement of graduate nurses. One will quickly conclude that this is a probability but I will like to say that it the best and surest way to approach this menace of graduate under placement diplomatically. The states visited include; Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Nassarawa, Jigawa, Yola, Bayelsa, Edo, Borno, Niger, Kwara, Osun etc.
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The ravaging and rampaging stampede of ill placement must be stopped because it is more or less like the African adage “monkey dey work, baboon dey chop”. It reduces the professional effort of the graduate nurses. Good incentives promotes good working environment and attracts more energy for function. Appropriate remuneration must be given appropriately. NANNM on the other side need to lobby the political stakeholders or civil service stakeholders involved in the NEC resolutions such as the head of civil service of the federation and others. Ceaseless lobbying should be considered in a way to find favour for our demand to be granted because even the bible says ‘gift attracts favour’. Lobbying could be in the form of courtesy visits or financial obligations. Nursing must rise beyond its present state in Nigeria. I therefore, congratulate the effort of UGONSA as well as submit that more should be done even as NANNM play its role in achieving this goal. If we don’t achieve it now then we stand to regret it later and the generations unborn. We can together correct the mistake of graduate nurses under placement.
DANLADI AMINU R.N, BNSc
