The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria has called on newly inducted foreign-trained nursing graduates to prioritize quality patient care and uphold ethical standards in their practice.
Speaking at the 13th induction ceremony for 179 foreign-trained nurses in Abuja, the council’s acting registrar, Ndagi Alhassan, emphasized the importance of professionalism and integrity in nursing. He noted that the inductees had successfully passed the November 2024 professional examination for general nurses, marking their official entry into the profession in Nigeria.
“The whole essence of induction is to admit them into the register of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, which empowers them to practice as nurses in the country,” he stated.
Alhassan reminded the new nurses that their primary duty is to promote health, prevent illness, and alleviate suffering. “The essence of nursing is to promote health, prevent illness and alleviate suffering or help a patient die a peaceful death. And that is what we expect them to go into the field to practice in caring for the patient.”
He also urged them to respect patients’ rights and treat each individual with dignity, saying, “In rendering nursing services, they should not go on to violate the rights of the patients.”
Encouraging nurses across the country to be good ambassadors of the profession, he advised them to remain dedicated and committed to patient care.
To address the shortage of healthcare professionals caused by the ‘japa’ syndrome, Alhassan highlighted the council’s efforts in accrediting more nursing training institutions. This, he explained, has led to an increased number of trained nurses, ensuring a steady supply of professionals to support Nigeria’s healthcare system.
“Based on the recurrent accreditation process that we have taken to training institutions, they are building capacities, both in human and material resources, to the extent that it has enabled them to get additional approval for increased student intake. This has increased the number of nurses that graduate from the institutions on an annual basis. And they are able to serve the country and the globe.”
Also present at the event, Francisca Okafor, Director of Nursing Services at the Federal Ministry of Health, congratulated the inductees and urged them to practice with compassion and care.
Best-graduating inductee, Samuel Taiwo Deborah, encouraged her colleagues to embrace continuous learning and professional development as they embark on their careers.
A proud parent, Muhammed Baba, Zonal Manager of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Minna, expressed his joy at seeing his daughter successfully complete her nursing education abroad. While acknowledging the lucrative prospects of practicing overseas, he expressed his hope that she would contribute her knowledge to Nigeria’s healthcare system.
One of the new inductees, Muhammed Balkisu Baba, shared her excitement about starting her nursing career in Nigeria and encouraged fellow foreign-trained nurses to remain dedicated to their profession.
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