Nigerian University Nursing Students Association (NUNSA) Press Release

Posted on: Tue 19-09-2017

The fight against the breed of quacks in nursing calls for a new dimension of action. If nurses must win, there is every need for new strategies and methods. It is against this background that we suggest constant surveillance, whistle blowing, and severe punitive measures for offenders as new methods of approach. This can put the act of breeding and using quacks in place of Registered Nurses in various hospitals and health facilities in Nigeria to an end.

Every nurse in Nigeria have to accept the fact that it is our obligation and responsibility to always observe and be on the look- out for hospitals and health facilities that train and use quacks in place of Registered Nurses. This people devalue our profession but the greater harm is the damage they inflict on the lives of patients. Health care has to do with human lives and as such, only specially trained professionals should be licensed for its practice. Every nurse should be concerned. Most of these quacks are trained by doctors in the various private hospitals. It is even on record that some registered nurses also engage in this act of raising quacks. Some private individuals and religious organizations have also been noted to be a part of training centers for quacks in place of Registered Nurses. Nurses of this country must stop the I- don't- care attitude and begin the proactive approach of always being on the look-out for hospitals engaging in this nefarious act of training and using quacks. These hospitals are owned by our fathers, uncles, In-laws, friends, relatives, employers, etc. They are not ghosts, we see them everyday. We must expose them. It is our solemn duty to do.

Whistle blowing is another method those in authority have to put in place to encourage reporting of health facilities engaging in the training and usage of quacks in place of Registered Nurses. The use of incentives as reward or a substantial sum to anyone who reports those engaging in usage and training of quacks will go a long way in encouraging co-operation. The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria should make a policy to this effect to improve reporting.

A section of the Nursing and Midwifery Council regulation stipulated the payment of 1,000 naira as punishment for those engaging in training quacks. There is every need for the review of that regulation. Offenders should pay at least a million naira. We suggest that the NMCN make an immediate review of that regulation that stipulated a thousand naira which appears very ridiculous to represent the value of our profession.

Professionalism in the training and practice of Nursing in Nigeria has come to stay and it is non-negotiable. If the best practice methods are to become the rule in our health care delivery systems, then quackery in nursing must be put to an immediate end. Our future is in our hands.

Signed:

Onwuka Edmund AniefunaChinaza M.

National President Ag. National Secretary Gen.

ABUJA: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED PORTHARCOURT: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED LAGOS: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED

get professional help

anytime & anywhere

download our official app

App Store Google Play