By Sodiq Ojuroungbe
The Ogun State chairperson of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Adejoke Bello says the existence of auxiliary nurses is not recognised in Nigeria’s healthcare system, describing them as quacks.
Bello insisted that there is no such role in the nursing profession and that anyone claiming to be an auxiliary nurse is misrepresenting themselves.
According to her, it is either you are a registered and qualified nurse or you are a quack. Many of those claiming to be auxiliary nurses are not qualified to practice the profession.
Speaking during a radio program on Fresh FM 107.9, monitored by Reportr Door Healthwise, the Ogun NANNM chairperson stressed that many of those described as ‘auxiliary nurses’ did not undergo the necessary training and licensing required to practice nursing in Nigeria.
She added that registered nurses in Nigeria must complete a minimum of three years of training, followed by a licensing exam and registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.
She lamented that the influx of quack into the nursing profession has posed a threat leading to avoidable deaths of many Nigerians.
“There is nothing like an auxiliary nurse, it is either you are a qualified nurse or you are a quack. We all know that what we call quack is fake. Our association is fighting this quackery because they are destroying and damaging our profession.
“Also, we are concerned about the lives of people. Many people have lost their lives in the hands of these people and we as an association are doing everything to tackle this quackery in our midst.
“Before you can be described as a certified nurse, you must have attended a University to study nursing or any of these colleges of nursing where you would be trained and certified.
“The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria must certify the person, and they will issue the person with a license. Anybody who does not have a license as a practicing nurse or midwife in Nigeria is not meant to attend or care for the people,” she said.
Bello, however, said the national body of the association has mandated the use of licenses as part of identity for nurses during working hours.
She added, “Our association has made it mandatory that as a qualified nurse, you have to always be with your license. It has been compulsory for all nurses to always attach their license with their main tag during working hours.
“The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, alongside NANNM from the national body will be going round from time to time to ascertain and confirm our identity.”
On how to identify fake nurses, she explained, “People need to take note of some things before they allow a nurse to attend to them. They must first look at the appearance of the person that wants to treat you.
“In some of these private hospitals where we have many quack nurses, you will see them putting on pieces of jewelry. When you see a qualified nurse, you would have known from the dressing of the person because they taught us in school how to dress.
“People have the right to ask for the identity of the person taking care of them to ascertain if they are a real nurse or fake.”
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