Becoming a Nurse in Nigeria

Abstract

ited by insufficient schools, hostels, faculty, and general classroom space. But, also, nursing enjoys a unique social status and high prestige here. Thus, educators at the moment can focus on increasing facilities rather than on recruiting. Nursing in the sense of helping has a long and traditional history in Nigeria. Survival under difficult environmental conditions would not be possible if people did not care for each other. Formal training of professional nurses, however, is relatively recent. About 20 years ago the British founded the first diploma schools of nursing, and British influence continues to dominate the philosophy and curriculums. There is one bachelor of science program at the University of Ibadan. The rest of Nigeria's federal and state operated nursing schools provide a three-and-one-half-year training. All are tuition free, and all qualify their graduates for registered nursing certificates recognized in Nigeria and throughout the United Kingdom. Generally speaking, men are not encouraged to enter nursing. A handful are admitted at certain schools, and there is one all male nursing school at Abeokuta, a city about 30 miles from Nigeria's capital, Lagos. The students represent a variety of social, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. There are nine major and some 235 smaller ethnic