In a swift reaction to the editorial titled: Nurse pulls off baby's hand during delivery written by Samson Folarin of the Punch Newspapers and published yesterday the 29th of December 2016, Nurses across the country have taken the editors of punch to task over their continued use of the word "Nurse" in their headlies to cover headline stories involving "Quacks" across the country.

 

Toyin Saraki the founder of wellbeingafrica, a Goodwill Ambassador of the International Confederation of Midwives, an Advocate for Maternal Newborn and Child Health, Rights, Equity and Empowerment in her reaction tweeted directly to Punch newspapers twitter handle saying: "Auxiliary nurse" (A Quack) is not a qualified midwife, and is certainly not qualified to deliver a baby @MobilePunch

 

The Chairman National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Lagos State Council, Comrade Awojide, Olurotimi Julius in a letter which was obtained by nursingworldnigeria also reacted to the post by writing to the punch newspaper Editor. The letter dated 30th December 2016 reads as follows:

 

The Editor,

Punch Newspaper.

 

My attention has been drawn to a publication in your newspaper of Thursday 29th December, 2016 with the caption "Nurse pulls off baby's hand during delivery". 

 

The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Lagos State Council is highly perturbed by this publication and wonders whether people are really knowledgeable about who is a Nurse. We hold your newspaper in high esteem and by this we expect correct information at all times. Nursing is a noble profession and Nurses are well trained scientifically to identity complications at anytime.

 

By emphasis, let me briefly describe a Nurse; a Nurse is someone who having acquired minimum of five credits at GCE " O" level in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and English is then admitted into an accredited Basic School of Nursing or Department of Nursing in a University for 3 and 5 years respectively and obtain Registered Nurse certificate or Bachelor of Nursing Science degree. 

 

Nigerian Nurse Threatens To Sue Punch Newspaper Over Defamatry Publications

 

And both must be duly register and licensed by the Nursing and Midwifery council of Nigeria. A Nurse that is interested in establishing a Maternity Centre is equally expected to proceed for Midwifery training and be registered and licensed as a Midwife.

 

By this information we expected your title of the story to read FAKE NURSE.  We want to passionately appeal to you to join us in waging war against quackery in Nursing profession. 

 

One of the dangers of quackery is what we are witnessing now.  I want to assure you that as Nurses we are committed to providing qualitative and Evidence Based Nursing Practice to the citizenry. Our goal is for our clients to attain, maintain or recover optimal health and quality of life.

 

Thanking you for your expected cooperation in the struggle to eradicate quackery in Nursing.

 

God bless you.