Salawu Hikmat

Nursing is one of the noblest professions in Nigeria, with myriads of amazing prospects for nurses in clinical practice, education, research, entrepreneurship, and administration.Against the odds of quack infiltration, the profession through the regulatory body – Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), has been able to uphold a world-class standard of education, practice competence, and a fair public image.These glitters account for the stiff competition that is involved in securing an admission in the college to pursue a career in nursing.


The most direct (and common) route to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing is to graduate from a five-year baccalaureate program that offers years of prerequisite and general education classes and advanced nursing and clinical training. Options exist for those who have already earned their Associate of Nursing Degree or who have earned a Bachelor’s degree in another field.

The two paths to a BNSc in Nigeria are:


BNSc program – This is the most common route to a BNSc and is the one pursued by students who have not graduated from a previous post-graduate program. If you attend a BNSc program full time, you will complete it in five years. Upon completion, a one-year internship program is to be taken in an approved health care facility.


RN-to-BNSc program – This program is the next step for Registered Nurses who have earned their associate’s degree and who want to advance their careers and knowledge. With the advantage of already having learned a great deal of the pertinent information and having extensive clinical exposure, most students can complete the RN-to-BSN program in less than four years.


There are several areas where nurses specialise in Nigeria, namely
1.Accident and Emergency Nursing
2.Anaesthetic Nursing
3.Orthopaedic Nursing
4.Mental Health Nursing
5.Obstetrics and Gynaecological Nursing (midwifery)
6.Ophthalmic Nursing
7.Cardiothoracic Nursing
8.Renal Nursing
9.Peri-operative Nursing
10.Critical Care Nursing
11.Occupational Health Nursing
12.Clinical Research Nursing
13.Paediatric Nursing
14.Geriatric Nursing
15.Public Health Nursing.

Nurses who have already
undergone General Nursing training and have been certified to practice in Nigeria can enrol for these training in schools of post-basic nursing.Most of these programs run for a period of one year, while others run over 18 months to 2 years