ASABA/Nigeria: Practicing nurses in Delta State and the country at large have been charged to do their utmost best by abiding with the code of ethics of nursing as espoused by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria with the view to providing competent and quality healthcare to patients.
The Governor of Delta State, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa, gave the charge during the opening ceremony of the Examiners’ Workshop 2021, organised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria in collaboration with the Delta State Ministry of Health in Asaba, the state capital.
The Governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr. Mordi Ononye, appreciated nurses for the role they played and still playing in the fight against the COVID-19 Pandemic in the state.
“During this period of COVID-19, nurses put their lives on the line in order to serve humanity which is true to the Nurses Anthem that says they are the source of ailing ones,” he said.
He applauded the organisers for the training workshop, especially the manner which the current training was patterned that allowed for a pre and post assessments which, no doubt, would enhance the learning capacity of participants.
“On our part as a government, we have five schools of nursing and midwifery across the state and we are currently working on upgrading them to colleges and to effect that, a bill has been presently in the state House of Assembly which has passed its first reading.”
“Also we have recently engaged Nurses as a means of reducing the deficit as it concerns Nurses in the employment of the State government and as we speak there is an ongoing process to employ more.” he added.
In her address, the Chairman, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Governing Council, Dr. (Mrs.) Bola Abosede Ofi, stated that the workshop was organised in nine centres across the country, with three centres running concurrently.
“The first round commenced last week, while the second batch of three centres is what we are experiencing now as Asaba falls within the second batch,” she added.
“The Centers were increased because of the prevailing global pandemic so as to be able to comply with COVID-19 preventive measures, crowd control and maintain physical distancing as much as possible” she stated.
According to Dr. Ofi, “the theme of the workshop – ‘Enhancing Professional Nursing and Midwifery Examinations Outcomes through Educator-Clinician Synergy’ was very timely, based on the global advancement in information Technology and Communication and the resultant implications for nursing education and practice as well as the health care delivery system”.
In his address the Secretary General/Registrar, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Dr. Faruk Abubakar, thanked Governor Okowa for his tremendous support for the Nursing profession and its programmes in the state.
The registrar, who was represented by Mr. Ndagi Alhassan, Director, Standards of Accreditation, said that nursing education as well as educators had crucial roles to play as nursing was becoming broader and deeper.
“In this 21st century, nursing is more than knowing how to perform tasks and procedures but about being a more effective, proactive member of the health care team: with right skills and knowledge, Nurses can make bigger differences for patients, families and community experiences,” he added.
In her welcome address, the Director of Nursing Services, Delta State Ministry of Health, Mrs. Gloria Igumbor, said that through the efforts of the state governor and the approval of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Delta State was up to date in terms of accreditation of all the schools of nursing and midwifery in the state.
“This workshop which is a biennial event for prospective examiner’s engaged in Nursing and professional Examinations in the country and intends to equip examiners with the requite skills necessary for the enhancement of their work and the betterment of the Nursing and Midwifery education in Nigeria,” she stated.
