In this article, we will look at the requirements for studying nursing in Nigeria. This post will enlighten you on how to become a nurse in Nigeria. These various programmes are available to potential nurses to aid them start a professional career in the health sector.
In order to become a Nurse in Nigeria, you should be aware of the fact that there are two routes generally followed to becoming a practicing nurse in Nigeria. The first is to either attend an accredited Nursing school in Nigeria for a three year duration or attend any university offering nursing as a course to earn a degree (duration of 5 years). Be informed also that there is a regulatory body of nursing and midwifery in Nigeria and that body is the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) and they are in charge of renewing your licence as a nurse and midwife in Nigeria.
The salaries that Nigerian nurses earnmight not be that lucrative as their foreign counterparts. Many nursing Schools in Nigeria provide nursing students with degrees and certifications ranging from Registered Nurse, Registered Midwife, Bachelor of Nursing Sciences to post-doctorate degrees as well. So in order to become a nurse in Nigeria, these are the requirements below.
General Requirements for Becoming a Nurse in Nigeria: Full List
These are the requirements for studying nursing in Nigeria today as stipulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN).
1. General Nursing Programme
The first degree available to nursing students in Nigeria is the General Nursing Programme, which results in students being awarded the Registered Nurse (RN) title over a three-year training period. The requirements for admission to this program include the successful completion of a Senior Secondary School Certificate or its equivalent, as well as five credits that must include a science (Biology/Health, Chemistry or Physics) and an English-language credit.
2. Post Basic Midwifery Programme
Once a student becomes a registered nurse, they may apply to a Post Basic Midwifery Programme to become a Registered Midwife (RM). With an RN or RM to your name, students receive a Practicing Licence to begin a work-study program consisting of a year of professional on-the-job training. Here they gain experience registering patients and working towards a Clinical Specialization at the certificate level through professional programs.
This can be in the fields on Nurse Anesthetist, Public Health Nursing, Pediatrics, Orthopedics. Ophthalmic or Occupational Health Nursing. Students can also receive credentials to work in Accident and Emergency Nursing, PeriOperative Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing, Burns and Plastic, Intensive Care, Ear, Nose and Throat Nursing, Cardiothoracic Nursing or Nursing Administration.
These specialization programs cover a duration of a full calendar year (12 months), except for the Nurse Anesthetist program, which runs over 18 months.
3. Bachelor of Nursing Sciences (BNSc)
Aspiring nurses in Nigeria can attend a five-year university nursing science course where they can take courses in core subjects leading to a Bachelor of Nursing Sciences degree, as well as study towards a RN, Registered Midwife (RM,) or Registered Public Health Nurse (RPHN) award. This would be at any recognised university offering nursing science as a course.
Those interested would be required to apply via JAMB UTME. This exam ensures that you are eligible for the course. Once the candidates meet-up with the required cut off mark for nursing, they qualify for the school’s Post-UTME which allows them admission into the university of their choosing.
As a prerequisite, students must also complete five credit level passes in the West African Examinations Council (WAEC ) or Senior Secondary School Examination (SSCE) exams in one or two sittings in the core subjects of Mathematics, English, Chemistry, Physics and Biology. Completion of this nursing programmes must include a one-year internship in an approved health care facility.
4. Masters or Doctorate Degrees in Nursing
For those who require a higher degree in their nursing pursuit after bachelor’s degree, you would do have to apply for your masters and PhD programmes in a reputable university. There are currently few schools which offer further credentials, a Master or Doctor of Philosophy with a focus in Nursing. They are Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, the University of Ibadan in Ibadan, University of Calabar, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, University of Benin, Niger Delta University, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Babcock University Ilishan Remo, and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
The above are the requirements for studying nursing in Nigeria.
