Nursing is one of the noblest professions in Nigeria, with several opportunities for nurses in clinical practice, teaching, research, entrepreneurship, and administration.
Even though quacks have tried to get into the field, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), which is in charge of regulating the profession, has been able to keep up a world-class standard of education, practice competence, and a fair public image.
Because of these things, there is a lot of competition in getting into nursing schools.
The NMCN gives nurses in Nigeria licenses to work as professionals after they have gone through rigorous and thorough classroom and clinical training and passed required professional exams.
There are a few ways to get training to get to this level of professionalism.
In Nigeria, you have to go to either a School of Nursing, a School of Basic Midwifery, or a University to learn how to be a nurse.
The School of Nursing offers three years of training in a hospital setting that leads to a Certificate in General Nursing.
The program is set up so that nursing students can learn in the classroom for half of the time they are in school. The other half of the time, they are out in the field doing clinical work.
In the same way, the School of basic midwifery has a three-year training program for people who want to become midwives.
Even though this path is slowly being taken away, it used to be very popular.
Nigeria also has a number of universities that teach people how to be nurses.
The program takes five years and ends with a bachelor’s degree and professional certifications.
Compared to the other training paths, this one gives student nurses more time to learn in the classroom and less time for clinical placements.
In the fourth year of their studies, nursing students take the professional exam to get a Certificate in General Nursing (RN).
In the fifth year, they can choose to study Midwifery or Public Health Nursing.
At the end of the fifth year, they would take exams that would allow them to work as midwives (RM) and public health nurses (RPH).
They also get a bachelor’s degree along with these professional certifications.
So, the total qualifications are “RN, RM, RPH, BNsc.”
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Schools of Nursing in Nigeria
It is a common practice for schools of nursing in Nigeria to operate as a department within a public or private teaching hospital.
Teaching hospitals are typically founded by educational institutions that provide a degree program in the field of nursing.
However, schools of nursing do not offer degrees such as Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSC) to their graduates;
Rather, they offer either Registered Nurse (RN), Registered Midwifery (RM), or a number of certifications to their students, depending on the courses that were taken.
That is why we have stated the difference between studying to be a Nurse at the University and studying to be a Nurse at the School of Nursing.
One is very much advantageous over the other.
Learn the differences between schools of nursing and nursing schools at a university level by reading the below article.
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As an illustration, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) is a self-governing institution that serves as the umbrella organization for the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH).
Although the university’s nursing program is housed on the university campus, the Teaching Hospital’s school of nursing is located within the hospital complex itself.
If a student is interested in obtaining a degree in Nursing, he/she will be required to gain admission into the university and submit his application through JAMB UTME.
If he is interested in attending the school of Nursing, he can choose not to take the JAMB UTME, which is basically the universities entrance examination.
A program leading to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree typically takes students through a minimum of three years of study at an accredited university.
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Nursing as a field of study available in Nigeria
The Nigerian Nursing and Midwifery Council regulates the practice of nursing and midwifery in the country (NMCN).
According to the organization, the following are the eligibility requirements for the programs listed below.
General Nursing Program Information (Registered Nurse)
In Nigeria, the General Nursing Program is the first degree earned by a nursing student.
Students who successfully finish the program get the title of Registered Nurse (RN) after completing three years of hands-on clinical experience.
If you wish to enroll in this course, you must possess the following abilities:
One scientific course and five credits from a Senior Secondary School Certificate or its equivalent, including English Language and one scientific course (Biology, Chemistry, or Physics).
Post-Basic Midwifery Education Program (Registered Midwife)
The Post Basic Midwifery Program is the next available program after completing the requirements to become a Registered Nurse (RN).
After successfully completing this course, you will be eligible to become a Registered Midwife (RM).
Following the receipt of your practicing license, you will begin your work-study program, which will allow you to get valuable practical experience while still in school.
Within the scope of this opportunity, you’ll gain knowledge of patient registration procedures and receive specialized training in some of the fields listed below.
- Nurse Anesthetist
- Public Health Nursing
- Pediatrics
- Orthopedics
- Ophthalmics
- Occupational Health Nursing
These nursing specialization programs frequently provide you with job certifications in addition to the mouth-watering perks of being a Registered Midwife (RM), such as:
- Accident and Emergency Nursing
- Perioperative Nursing
- Psychiatric Nursing
- Burns and Plastic
- Intensive Care
- Ear, Nose, and Throat Nursing
- Cardiothoracic Nursing
- Nursing Administration
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Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BNsc)
Following completion of this program, you will be eligible to practice as a Registered Public Health Nurse (RPHN) (RPHN).
Every Nigerian university that offers the curriculum needs students to study for a total of five years.
If you want to enroll in this course, you must meet the following requirements:
- One or two sittings of the Senior Secondary School Examination (SSCE).
- Mathematics, English, Chemistry, Physics, and Biology credits are required.
A Master’s Degree in Nursing (Post-doctorate Studies)
Doctoral nursing degrees are currently offered at only two universities in Nigeria.
A Master of Philosophy in Nursing program is only available at Obafemi Awolowo University (Ile Ife) and the University of Ibadan (Ibadan), both located in Nigeria’s capital city.
If you want to pursue a Master’s degree in public health nursing, you must first complete the Registered Public Health Nurse (RPHN) level of training.
All of the aforementioned requirements must be met in order to study nursing at Nigerian institutions.
Nursing Schools in Lagos
Nursing schools in Lagos state are greatly sort after.
Lagos state is home to a significant number of nursing schools.
The fact that these prestigious nursing schools have received accreditation and that their tuition rates are competitive is one of the many benefits they provide.
They also offer the best education possible, these nursing schools have a lot of prospective students that are interested in enrolling there.
Attending one of the top nursing schools in Lagos is one of the best decisions you can make if you want to work in the healthcare sector.
Why? This is due to the fact that nursing is one of the most in-demand professions.
Nurses are regarded as having a lot of opportunities, significant incentives, and a lot of personal fulfillment.
You may be asking why nursing is so important.
They are quite important since they assist patients, particularly at their most vulnerable moments, and they go a long way toward being their support during this recovery phase.
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