Hello dear, how are you doing today? Today, we will be talking about nursing schools in Nigeria. But before we go into that let us talk about Nursing. If you already know everything about nursing, you can use the table of content to jump to the section that you are interested in.
What is Nursing?
According to Wikipedia, Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. They also take on vital roles of education, assessing situations, and support
Nursing in the twenty-first century is key in making a patient’s health care journey stressless and successful. Nurses labour relentlessly to recognise and defend the needs of the individual throughout the whole patient experience, and wherever there is someone in need of care. Nurses are essential in protecting public health because they ensure the most accurate diagnoses and continue to educate the public about crucial health issues.
Nursing as a Profession
Nursing is one of the top and most competitive professions in Nigeria! Nursing is a great, noble, and lucrative career with numerous opportunities for nurses in clinical practice, teaching, research, entrepreneurship, and administration.
You might think I’m exaggerating when I say nursing is a rewarding profession. Allow me to expose your eyes to some Nursing facts. Although being on this website indicates that you are passionate about this career and are looking for the finest school to study the course, it does not imply that you know everything there is to know about it.
Nursing, as an essential component of the health care system, entails the promotion of health, sickness prevention, and the care of physically ill, mentally ill, and disabled people of all ages in all health care and other community settings. Their expertise is in high demand. It does, however, come with a lucrative salary. In reality, you must have seen multiple Nurses before seeing a Doctor in a hospital. Doctors cannot do everything on their own!
Advantages of Nursing
If you’ve finally decided to study nursing and intend to venture into it as a career, you might be wondering what the benefits of being a nurse are. Nursing provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity to be a part of something bigger than yourself: to serve others and alleviate suffering in the world.
Nurses are often well-respected members of society with high levels of job security because of the enormous demand for their services worldwide. Nurses are also well compensated for their labour. Furthermore, if you choose to become a nurse in a country where there is a nursing shortage, such as China or India, you can be assured of consistent employment and good pay. Yes, you are not limited to the shores of Nigeria alone. Nurses are in high demand in the United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada and many more.
Nursing is an excellent way to explore the world and discover new locations and cultures. Nurses are frequently deployed across countries by the organisations that hire them, such as the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders.
While working overseas, nurses are frequently offered the opportunity to learn another language. Consider the possibility of conversing with patients who do not speak your native language!
The appropriate career for you is Nursing if you appreciate helping others and feel a calling to serve. Nursing is a tremendously rewarding profession. It will give you various chances to improve and broaden your perspectives.
There is always space for advancement in this career, and it is not restricted to the fundamentals of nursing; you can also specialise in gerontology, paediatrics, or critical care.
If you don’t find what you’re looking for in another area of specialisation, nursing is a fantastic method to care for yourself and others.
There are many different types of nursing occupations available, ranging from the most typical form of a nurse (such as those who work in a hospital) to working as a social worker, teacher, or even conducting research.
How Much do Nurses Make?
Glassdoor states that ‘the estimated total pay for a Registered Nurse is NGN 250,000 per month in Nigeria , with an average salary of NGN 90,000 per month ‘. However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for nurses is $77,600, or $37.31 per hour.
The Royal College of Nursing anticipated that the average annual income of an NHS nurse will be £33,384. The salary increase implemented across the NHS indicates that the average is now likely to be closer to £35,000. More broadly, they estimate that the average nurse income is between £33,000 and £35,000.
Average Annual Salary of Nurse Practitioners vs. Doctors
While both nurse practitioners and doctors can earn high salaries, doctors earn nearly twice as much as nurse practitioners. In reality, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, doctors often earn $200,000 or more each year on average. Nurse practitioners, on the other hand, can make as high as $111,840 per year.
The geographical region where services are delivered, years of experience in the profession, and the type of healthcare facility where they work are all factors that may influence the salary nurses and doctors receive. Furthermore, certain nurses and doctors may be expected to work nights, weekends, or answer calls, which might improve their earning potential.
Can a Man do Nursing?
When discussing the genders that can practise nursing as a career, several questions arise.
Is nursing exclusive to women? Can a male/man work as a nurse? What is the proper term for a man nurse? Is it possible for a man to be a nurse? Is it possible for a man to study nursing? Is it necessary for a nurse to be a female? Is it possible for a nurse to be both male and female?
You may be sure that all of these queries will be answered today on Scholarsly.
All of these queries have a simple answer: Yes, a male can be a nurse! Of course, a man can work as a nurse!
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than 12% of Registered Nurses in the United States are men as of 2019. While nursing has historically been a female-dominated business, the tide is turning towards gender equality in many professions.
Male nurses are frequently referred to as “Nurses,” and while some male nurses are overjoyed that there is a label for their gender, others are not!
What is the Difference Between a College of Nursing and a School of Nursing?
The terms schools of nursing and colleges of nursing are interchangeable. So there’s no difference. Schools of Nursing are higher education institutions established to practically train students to become practising nurses who, upon graduation, will be ready to take work in any accessible hospitals in the country.
Which school is good for nursing? Understanding Nursing Schools
Nursing Schools are post-secondary school in Nigeria where people who want to be nurses can get training. After graduating from school, you will be a qualified nurse with the ability to work in any institution of your choice. In Nigeria, it takes roughly three years to complete Nursing school and become a certified nurse.
The Requirement to Study in Nursing Schools in Nigeria
To get admitted to a nursing school, you must have completed your secondary school education and have passed at least 5 courses at credit level in your WAEC or NECO in no more than two sittings. English Language, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Health Science are among the courses offered.
If you want to become a nurse in Nigeria, there are two possibilities. The first option is to enrol in a five-year nursing programme at any Nigerian university that offers the programme. Because admittance to higher education schools in Nigeria is tough, the easier choice is to attend a School of Nursing. After graduating from Nursing school, you can go to the NYSC program.
Duration of Study in Nursing Schools
Every authorised nursing school in Nigeria has a set number of years for each student to study, and complete their nursing programme. However, based on the nursing program you choose, being a registered nurse can require between 16 months to four years.
Moreover, there are multiple nursing schools in Nigeria offering various training courses, so understanding the available ones, as well as their study year, will be quite beneficial on your route to becoming a licenced nurse in Nigeria.
As a result, the following are the accredited years of study in Nigeria, depending on the certificate to be awarded:
- Three (3) years Basic General Nursing Program;
- Three (3) years Basic Midwifery Training Program; and
- Five (5) years Generic (BNSc) Nursing Programme.
The first two are available in the Colleges of Health Sciences and Health Technologies, while the third is a five-year programme leading to a degree certificate in Bachelor of Nursing Science. After your BNSc, you can go further for Masters and then a PhD which is the highest degree in Nursing.
A PhD in Nursing is called a Doctor. So if you see a nurse being referred to as Dr, you know what it means.
A nurse can also become a Doctor by attending medical school and obtaining an MD thereby becoming a medical doctor.
How Difficult is Nursing School?
Nursing school is not difficult. However, if you are not a disciplined student, nursing can be a very tough vocation to pursue, particularly in Nigeria. It is critical to conduct an extensive study before choosing a school where you would be happy. This article got you covered with that.
Look for schools with high reputations that let students work with their assigned clinical preceptors throughout their first year when looking for the ideal school for you.
Good schools, such as the best nursing schools mentioned below, offer high standards and a well-structured curriculum on which you can rely.
At the end of the day, nursing isn’t particularly difficult; you’ll be fine. Simply being willing to work hard will ensure your success. Your life can be transformed into something spectacular with education!
All you have to do is select the appropriate school and begin learning. You can select one of the best nursing schools mentioned in this post. With the number of competent nurses graduating each year, there is a high demand for nurses in Nigeria and around the world.
Employment Opportunities for Nurses in Nigeria
A nurse in Nigeria seldom goes a month without work. However, specialisation, years of experience, abilities and clinical competence, and, in some situations, education level all have an impact on career possibilities and pay.
- Pediatric nurses with years of experience and skill in their field can serve in the paediatric
- There is critical care nursing specialist employment available in the intensive care unit, which may be an adult or paediatric intensive care unit (ICU).
- In the operating room, perioperative nurses help surgeons.
- Renal nurses provide care to patients with renal disorders who are undergoing dialysis, kidney transplant, or other invasive kidney procedures such as kidney biopsies in dialysis units at kidney transplant centres.
- Anaesthetic nurses operate in both critical care units and operating rooms, where they administer anaesthesia and care for patients in the post-anaesthetic care unit.
- General nurses can work in many different contexts, including medical and surgical departments.
- Occupational health nurses work in factory clinics and industrial settings in Nigeria to provide first-aid treatment for workplace hazards and accidents.
- Midwives and public health nurses can work in labour and delivery units, maternity homes, and the community, as well as in primary care settings.
Aside from the clinical practice options available to Nigerian nurses, there is a range of job categories that nurses occupy in addition to their usual clinical obligations.
Health insurance is one of the various alternatives available to nurses in Nigeria for furthering their profession. They work in a variety of units within private health insurance companies, most commonly at the call centre, where they act as a liaison between the company, patients, and the hospitals that care for those patients.
Clinical research is another viable career path for Nigerian nurses, albeit opportunities in this field are scarce. Clinical research nurses coordinate clinical research operations with the assistance of a principal investigator. Such opportunities can be found in Nigerian research agencies such as the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, as well as in some international research companies with Nigerian offices.
Finally, nurses may work as educators and university professors at Nigerian nursing schools and colleges.
Top 15 Best Nursing Schools in Nigeria
The exclusive list of top 15 Nursing Schools in Nigeria in no particular order are;
- University of Benin (Uniben) School of Nursing
- College Of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto
- School of Nursing (Joint Hospital), Mbano
- Bowen University Teaching Hospital, School of Nursing, Ogbomosho
- ECWA School of Nursing, Egbe
- Ebonyi State University, Department of Nursing, Abakaliki
- Dept. of Nsg. Sc., Bayero University Kano
- School Of Nursing, University Of Ibadan
- Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) School Of Nursing
- Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH) School Of Nursing
- University of Nigeria School of Nursing
- FCT School of Nursing
- School of Nursing, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital
- Sokoto State College of Nursing and Midwifery
- Mater School of Nursing, Ebonyi
1. University of Benin (Uniben) School of Nursing
This school provides Nursing programmes at all levels, including undergraduate, postgraduate, and diploma certificates. As a Federal University, the organised school costs for students are reasonable, with ₦125,000 including the accommodation price.
2. College Of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto
One of Northern Nigeria’s leading universities and departments. The Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital hosted the school’s College of Health Sciences, which included students studying Medicine and Nursing. Students at the school pay ₦65,000 per session for a 5-year nursing degree programme.
3. School of Nursing (Joint Hospital), Mbano
The school of nursing was founded by the Late Sam. O. Mbakwe, the first Executive Governor of Imo State, and others and has grown through the years to become one of the greatest nursing institutions in the country. This school’s students pay yearly school tuition of roughly ₦200,000.
4. Bowen University Teaching Hospital, School of Nursing, Ogbomosho
This nursing school is without a doubt one of the best in Nigeria, with cutting-edge technology and facilities. Their tuition price is ₦1,256,900 because they are a private College of Nursing.
5. ECWA School of Nursing, Egbe
The ECWA nursing school is located in Egbe, Kogi state. It has a conducive and well-facilitated learning environment that is ideal for developing world-class nurses. The school also charges a tuition fee of roughly ₦150,000 per session.
6. Ebonyi State University, Department of Nursing, Abakaliki
You can also study nursing or nursing-related courses at a state-owned university. Their school fee is approximately ₦160,000.
7. Dept. of Nsg. Sc., Bayero University Kano
The school provides a five-year degree programme in nursing as part of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Bayero University Kano. The cost of their education is ₦65,000.
8. School Of Nursing, University Of Ibadan
Without a doubt, the University College Hospital, Ibadan is one of the few Universities in West Africa to launch a tertiary health care centre, and the institution provides world-class service, training, and research.
The objective of the University School of Nursing is to teach and support competent future nurses in the Nigerian healthcare industry. The institution offers a three-year Nursing Program, with students paying a school fee of ₦250,000 or less.
9. Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) School Of Nursing
The objective of Nigeria’s leading nursing school is to develop quality and professional nurses who can promote the hospital and Nigerian Health Center for efficient and improved patient care. The tuition for LUTH nursing students is N250,000 per year.
10. Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH) School Of Nursing
This school is managed by ESUTH, and admittance is based primarily on merit. The tuition price for new students at this School of Nursing is N260,000, excluding accommodation.
11. University of Nigeria School of Nursing
The University of Nigeria is one of the country’s oldest institutions, and with it comes a wealth of experience. The school has a long history of producing high-profile nurses in the country, and it has earned a solid reputation as one of the greatest nursing schools in the country. With so many resources available to nursing students, it is anticipated that they will be the best they can be. This nursing school likewise attempts to train nurses that meet worldwide standards.
12. FCT School of Nursing
FCT School of Nursing is a prominent nursing school in Nigeria where nurses are trained. The school is in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city. FCT School of Nursing, Gwagwalada, Abuja is its address. Its website is http://www.fctson.abj.gov.ng.
13. School of Nursing, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital
Obafemi Awolowo University is regarded as one of the greatest in Nigeria. Its teaching hospital provides nursing students with a unique opportunity to learn the nursing profession in a hands-on setting in an educationally supportive environment.
14. Sokoto State College of Nursing and Midwifery
Sokoto State College of Nursing and Midwifery is one of the top nursing schools in Nigeria’s northern region. Its address is No. 4, Ibrahim Dasuki Road, Sokoto.
15. Mater School of Nursing, Ebonyi
School of Nursing, Mater Misericordiae Hospital Afikpo is a pacesetter in the training of qualified Nursing manpower within and outside Nigeria. It was established in January 1952 after five years of the official opening of Mater Misericordiae Hospital Afikpo in Ebonyi State. Her website is www.matersomn.org while their email is [email protected].
Conclusion
A nurse’s job is a professional one that necessitates professional training. Nurses are increasingly in demand and well paid.
If you want to be a nurse, these are some of the best nursing schools in Nigeria to consider.
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Reference
- Atlantic Ride – Best School of Nursing in Nigeria
- Academic Related – Top 20 Best Schools of Nursing in Nigeria