Public Health Nursing in Nigeria
- Dr Assumpta Ude
- Mar 22
- 4 min read
Education, Training, Certification and Licensure
General nursing training started as an informal apprenticeship that emphasized on-the-job, hands-on skill acquisition, with minimal opportunity for creativity, accountability, independent clinical decision making or professional development. As need for more trained nurses arose, state governments and missionary organizations opened schools of nursing. These schools offered either basic or post basic programs that included: general nursing (3 years/18 months); midwifery (3 years/1 year); psychiatry nursing (3 years/1 year) respectively. Nurses that had only nursing, or midwifery or psychiatry nursing were referred to as “single qualification”. Those with general nursing certificate that proceeded to complete midwifery training were often referred to as “double qualification”.
Nurses with basic general nursing, midwifery and psychiatric nursing training were admitted to the university through direct entry for a four-year Bachelor of Nursing Science degree and later a five-year baccalaureate nursing program for qualified students from high school. Following further review of the various nursing academic curricula, certificates offered by the three-year basic nursing diploma program have recently been qualified to be equivalent to a Higher National Diploma in line with the current education and civil service structures in Nigeria.
Public Health Nursing education was initially offered by the School of Health Technology or hygiene. Currently some universities, government and faith-based school programs offer post basic Public Health Nursing certificates and competencies. Currently, public health nursing pathway is a post basic chronological or integrative training completed after basic training as a Registered Nurse (RN).
Requirements for RN and RPHN training and certificate include mandatory Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) such as West African Examination Council (WAEC) Certificate or National Examination Council (NECO)/GCE. The SSCE requires 5 credit passes in English Language, Mathematics and 3basic science subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Biology), not more than two sittings plus either of the qualifications below:
Registered Nursing (RN) certificate, Registered Midwife (RM) Certificate or any other basic nursing certificate e.g. Psychiatric Nursing Certificate Plus one-year post-qualification experience.
BNSC candidates from universities accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (N&MCN), and WAHEB.
BNSC candidates from universities outside Nigeria with the evidence of verification of certificates and license by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (N&MCN).
The PHN curriculum and length of training varies: University (Five years integrated RN and PHN training, examination and certification). Faith based and Government
Public Health Nursing Schools (Two years post basic public health nursing training, examination and certification for RNs).
Upon completion of the first degree, the individual nurse may proceed for a master’s program to obtain M.Sc. (Nursing) and later a Ph.D. (Nursing). PhD in public health can be undertaken by the Public Health Nurse to assume key leadership positions to lead other nurses and health professionals in public health. However, to place them in leadership positions, they will need international exposure, association and membership to initiate and lead public health programs, interventions and research for evidence-based practice.
WAHEB is the regulatory body providing exam and certification for RPHN, while the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria maintains the 3-yearly required renewal of license. To have PHN certification, you must have an RN certificate or RM, but mostly RN is required. The RN after getting further training in public health writes West African Health Examination Board (WAHEB) exam to be certified as Registered Public Health Nurse (RPHN). The RPHN also register with professional bodies and become members of Professional Association of public health nursing officers in Nigeria (PAPHNON). To renew the license, they need to take continuous professional development courses offered by Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and/or have publications in their field of public health.
Roles and Employment
Public Health Nursing is a nursing specialty that integrates public health nursing and public health principles in the prevention of illness, injuries, disabilities, health promotion and maintenance of various individuals, families, communities and population in their places of work, industries, schools and homes es or disabilities, the promotion.
Public health nursing in Nigeria focuses on the prevention of illnesses, injuries or disabilities, the promotion of health and maintenance of health of the population. The public health nurses in Nigeria are trained and certified to professionals in their field of public health nursing.
Public health nurses (PHN) are employed as either Registered Public Health Nurse (RPHN), Certified Public Health Nurse, Public Health Nurse Specialists or Public Health Nursing Officers. They are employed to work in homes and under various sectors like NGOs, institutions, industries, and companies’ occupational health and safety sections, community health centers and hospitals, schools, academia as lecturers and tutors in schools and nursing departments, public health office of the Nursing and Midwifery Council. They can also work in aging, maternal and child health, infectious disease, non-communicable disease, mental health, health education, research, epidemiology etc
Authors:
Assumpta Ude, Ph.D, FNP-BC.
International Society of African Bioscientists and Biotechnologists
Human Health Science and Community Outreaches Division
Dr Amara Frances Chizoba, MPH Ph.D.
Project Director
Age With Grace Health Services, Ltd, Nigeria
Congratulations Drs Ude and Chizoba. Just wondering if PHNs are placed in all gepgraphical areas in Nigeria and are they involved in a universal child health programme? Helen