What changes would you like to see in Nursing leadership in Nigeria? By George Nnamchi (NRN, USRN, RON)




I believe, nursing profession is an important profession in healthcare system, acting as a  catalyst to other healthcare professionals to providing quality, and optimal care to the patients. It is a dynamic and challenging profession requiring engaging and inspiring role models and leaders (Scully, 2015). 

Nursing profession has improved over the years, and has made healthcare system very relevant in our society. However, no profession is able to progress without leadership and management. Good leaders ensure there is a professional growth, and unity. Embracing challenges, change and innovation. In addition, they are able to integrate research; evidence-based practice for the development of the profession and for improving patient's outcomes. 

I will like to see nursing leaders, using their capacity to influence the legislatures and those in the arms of government to pass, support, and sponsor bills. This will enable nursing profession grow tremendously, while providing safe care to the clients. 
Again leadership in nursing profession encourages inter-professional collaboration which is aimed at providing optimal care to the patients who are the center of attention in the healthcare system. The jobs of the nursing leaders are numerous and cannot be over emphasized.
 

Nigeria nursing leaders have done a great job in making sure the professional voices are heard. They have elevated the profession to the level they are today in our society which was  done through different professional groups such as National Association of Nurses and Midwives (NANNM).This professional body is a non-governmental and non-profit organization which has the capacity to organize all the registered nurses in every level of healthcare system in Nigeria. 

In addition, every facility in Nigeria has nursing managers and every unit in the hospitals have unit heads. The primary objectives of these managers and units’ heads should be to facilitate communication, support, promote, and provide conducive environment for the profession to grow (Jan et al., 2019). The questions are:
  • How have they contributed to the growth of the profession? 
  • How have they encouraged the younger nurses to grow? 
  • How have they made the practice get better in Nigeria, especially government facilities? 
  • How do they handle the inter-professional relationships to ensure patients are receiving optimal care? 
  • How have they encouraged the young nurses to go back to education in other to grow higher in the profession? 
The mangers have all these questions to answer if really they want the nursing profession to grow in order to meet with international standard. What changes would you like to see in Nursing leadership in Nigeria?







                                    References
Jan M.A. de Vries, & Elizabeth A. Curtis. (2019). Nursing leadership in Ireland: Experiences and obstacles. Leadership in Health Services, 32(3), 348–363.
             https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1108/LHS-11-2017-0068
Scully, N. J. (2015). Leadership in nursing: The importance of recognising inherent values and attributes to secure a positive future for the profession. Collegian, 22(4), 439–444. https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2014.09.004

Ugomma is a nurse licensed in Nigeria, United Kingdom and the USA. She specialized in operating room nursing, particularly Orthopaedics. She has over 9 years experience in theatre nursing. Qualifications: RN, RM, RPON, BSC in Nursing and MSc in Health economics and health policy. She has worked in one of the outstanding trauma/ reconstruction and orthopaedic hospitals in Nigeria. And also in one of the prestigious hospitals in the United Kingdom.

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