The much awaited circular on the internship program for graduate nurses has been released. Dated 8th September 2016 with circular number HCSF/EPO/EIR/CND/100/ST/97, The circular is titled "Harmonization of the schemes of service for all of Nurses and Introduction of internship program for graduate nurses without Nigeria Registered nurse and nigeria registtered midwive (NRN/NRM/) certificates in the service"

 

The circular which was obtained by a Nursingworld Nigeria correspondent Marque Isaac was signed by the head of the civil service of the federation Mrs Winifred E Oyo-ita, FCA and takes immediate effect.

 

You would recall that the National council on establishments (NCE) at its 39th meeting held in Minna, Niger state on 22nd july 2016 approved a unified scheme of service with the nomenclature "Nursing Officer" for all Nurses

 

According to the circular, with this development, graduate nurses that have not acquired the professsional qualifications of Registered Nurse and Registered Midwifery (RN and RM), are required to undergo one year internship programme. Intern Nurses are to placed on GL 08 while GL 09 has been approved as the entry point into the civil service for post-inern Nurses/ professionals

 

At the moment it remains unclear on how this circular would be implemented as nurses graduate from the university already with both RN and RM qualifications and going by this circular, the internship is for graduate nurses WITHOUT Nigeria registered nurse and midwive certificates.

 

Speaking on this issue, Jennifer Emelue of Nursingworld said "it would be wrong to start insinuating on the specific details and implementation of the internship program, she however said we must first bask in the appreciation of this land mark achievement by the leadership of the Nursing and midwifery council of nigeria, NANNM, UGONSA, NUNSA and all who made this feat possible. 

 

Click HERE to Download the Circular