Minister of state for health Fidelis Nwankwo has said “final decision” on the proposal to allow university nursing graduates spend time in internship is expected as soon as June this year.

 

It comes amidst concern to increase the number of practising nurses, replaced retired nurses and avoid a catastrophic shortfall over time.

 

Speaking at Nurses Week, organised by the National Associaton of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) in Abuja on Tuesday, he said the matter was already being considered by the office of Head of Service of the Federation.

 

NANNM president Abdrafiu Adeniji said, “Internship will provide you opportunity after reading all the theory and books on nursing care to be placed under supervision of those who are already practising to perfect your skills.”

 

 

Graduates of nursing from universities under clinical postings but even after final year are never in charge of patients, but schools of nursing curriculum allows its students supervised practise with patients.

 

The association wants internship, allowed for other health care professionals, to be extended to “nurses, who are expected to be frontline and pivotal health professionals,” according to Adeniji.

 

Despite the federal health ministry’s approval for the proposal, NANNM will still await decision of the National Council on Establishment.

 

But the association has expressed concern about shortfall in number of nurses practising in Nigeria, and says training more qualified nurses through internship programmes could help push up the nursing workforce.

 

“People are looking at [the fact] there are no doctors, no pharmacists, but the one under nurses is very drastic,” said Adeniji.

 

“Yayale Ahmed committee on Harmony came up with the actual number of nurses we have under federal ministry of health—only 22,000. Out of this, at the end of this year, more than 5% of them are retiring. And in the next five years, about 40-something per cent of them are retiring, and there is no employment. It is posing a lot of danger. It is a potential quake.”

 

by Judd-Leonar

Daily Trust