A well educated nursing workforce with current knowledge and skills is critical to the provision of quality nursing care.
( Nisomo et al 2013 )
Good evening everyone !
I'm OLUWATOSIN KEHINDE ODUNAYO RN.
It's a pleasure to be among you all tonight, speaking on
"STUDY PATTERNS AMIDST NIGERIAN NURSES"
We shall be discussing this topic under the following sub headings, I'd want us to pay rapt attention as this matter is becoming a challenge for everyone!
Introduction
Definition of terms
Effective study patterns
Factors responsible for poor study
patterns among nurses
Effects on the nursing education and practice
The way forward
If you are still with me here, respond with this slogan
I AM NOT A BEDPAN NURSE!
I AM WELL READ!
I AM A NURSE WITH A DIFFERENCE!
INTRODUCTION
The Institute of Medicine (IOM, 2010) released the Future of Nursing report, a blueprint for optimizing the contribution of nursing to the health of America.
The report is the product of a two-year study convened by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative. Scientific literature on the nursing profession was reviewed and a series of public forums held to gather insights and evidence from an unprecedented range of health-care experts.
The report reveals in clear terms that achieving a successful health care system in the future rests on the future of nursing!
This report really recognises the crucial role of continuing education after registration
WITHOUT A SOUND STUDY PATTERN AMIDST NIGERIAN NURSES THE FUTURE OF NURSING IS SHALLOW !!!
NURSES DON'T READ !
this is a fact we must all accept.
The last time many nurses read was before passing the council exam, after that, what WE read is NEWSPAPERS!
This is why the society see Nurses as second class citizens. You hear them say Nurses do nothing but to carry out orders!
It is unfortunate that other health professions that started after Nursing have overtaken us and nursing remains at a point pretending that all is well (Olabisi 2015)
If you are still with me, join me to say this,
SOMETHING MUST BE DONE !!!
DEFINITION OF TERMS.
STUDY
Study is the act of learning and spending time discovering information or an academic work or investigation about a particular thing or subject area.
PATTERN
pattern could be referred to a design or a customary behavior.The word pattern can also be used as a verb form meaning "model." or template
NURSE
A person who has COMPLETED a Nursing training for a stipulated number of years either in a SCHOOL OF NURSING OR GOVERNMENT APPROVED UNIVERSITY and is being LICENSED by NMCN to provide preventive, promotive and restorative health to individuals, families and the society.
EFFECTIVE STUDY PATTERNS
Effective study patten can be learned to improve our ability to better retain reading material of information. These habits include approaching study with right attitude, choosing the right environment, minimizing distractions, setting a realistic schedule and employing memory games, among others.
THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE STUDYING ISN'T CRAMMING OR STUDYING LONGER, BUT STUDYING SMARTER
THE FOLLOWING HABITS WILL GREATLY IMPROVE OUR STUDY PATTERNS
HOW WE APPROACH STUDYING
Most nurses look at studying as a necessary task, not an enjoyment or opportunity to learn something new..the right mindset is important in other to study smarter.
Aim to think positively when you study and remind yourself of your skills and abilities.
WHERE WE STUDY IS IMPORTANT
A lot of people make the mistake of of studying in a place that isn't conducive to concentrating . A place with lots of distraction makes for a poor study area.
OUTLINE AND REWRITE YOUR NOTES
Keeping to a standard outline format helps boil information down to its most basic components. It is important to use as many senses as possible when studying, because information is retained more rapidly in people when other senses are involved.
USE MEMORY GAMES (MNEMONICS)
Memory games, or mnemonic devices, are methods for remembering pieces of information using a simple association of common words. Most often people string together words to form a nonsense sentence that is easy to remember. The first letter of each word can then be used to stand for something else – the piece of information you’re trying to remember. The most common mnemonic device example is “Every Good Boy Deserves Fun.” Putting the first letters of every word together – EGBDF – gives a music student the five notes for treble clef.
The key to such memory devices is the new phrase or sentence you come up with has to be more memorable and easier to remember than the terms or information you’re trying to learn. These don’t work for everyone, so if they don’t work for you, don’t use them.
FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR POOR STUDY PATTERNS AMIDST NURSES
POOR STRUCTURE AND MECHANISM FOR CAREER PROGRESSION
It is worrisome to note that nursing is one of the oldest healthcare profession in Nigeria. In the year 1965, the university of Ibadan nursing department was established and has been producing graduate nurses since then, not diploma nurses this time around. That was about 52 years ago and yet the career progression has been from NO 11 to CNO, nothing more!
Of course we are all aware of the fact that once we start practicing, We're gonna become CNO someday either or not we read or acquire more academic certifications, why then must we bother to read !
Isn't it a wasted effort?
No structure for career progression!
Some years back, a nursing leader by name, Dr Loretta ford partnered with a physician, Dr Henry silver, to create the very first training program in for Nurse practitioners. Their program offered at the university of Colorado focused on family health , prevention of disease and promotion of health. ( AANP 2015 ) and now we hear the impact of nurse practitioners on the health of Americans, reverse is the case in our dear nation , Nigeria . Nothing like Nurse practitioners.
LACK OF MOTIVATION
No one can function effectively without a driving force. It is no longer strange in Nigeria that nurses are not been motivated.
We are over worked and under paid.
It is only in Nigeria that you expect a nurse to manage a ward of about 15 patients per shift without getting tired.
To acquire a university degree after spending 3 years in the school of nursing, we have to spend another 4years at the university totaling 7years studying nursing and at the end of it all, You will still not be placed at the same entry level with other health care professionals like Doctors, pharmacists ,lab scientists etc.
Those who still don't mind sacrificing all it takes to get this degree program through Direct entry are been denied admission year in year out.
Thanks for ODL that is bridging this gap gradually .
POOR GOVERNMENT POLICIES
Most of the health care policies in Nigeria are biased.
Take for instance, Resident Doctors are being paid all through their training, and the training is FREE OF CHARGE, FOC !
In nursing, the reverse is the case, you pay hundreds of thousands for your training . Before we can go for a study leave with pay, you must have been in the government service for 10 good years . Anything short of this, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN.
Have you imagined the school fees for nursing specialities ?
As at the time I was preparing for this presentation, the least is 200, 000 naira. And that is midwifery. Recently I was discussing with a friend who just gained admission to study ICU Nursing, can you guess the school fees?
600,000 Naira! Have you wondered for how many years he's gonna spend working before making 600k?
Basic training fees excluded!
Let's talk of practice, I weep inside me each time I hear nurses can't do this, they can't do that. Nurses can't go into the veins, you can't prescribe , then I ask, what is the Essence of teaching me anatomy in school?
Why did you teach us pharmacology in school if we aren't allowed to prescribe?
A Registered Nurse without midwifery certificate is not authorised to take delivery meanwhile, a TBA that doesn't pass through school is fully authorised !
Poor government policies, Too bad !
Are we still together? If yes , say after me,
POOR GOVERNMENT POLICIES!
TOO BAD!
NURSES ATTITUDES
Isn't it strange to hear that we are the enemy of ourselves ?
Mentorship is lacking in nursing.
Because our leaders spent 10 years to get a nursing degree , therefore , all younger nurses must follow suit. You hear them say,
" That is the way it was during our own time, you can't just be coming from no where to be boss over us"
Recently I heard some intern nurses were placed on level 9 in UCH and Nurses wrote the hospital admin that the level is too " high" for those small kids, the hospital wrote the NMCN, and they were given the go ahead to under place these interns on level 7.
I couldn't verify the authenticity of this info prior this presentation . But incase it is true, SHAME ON ALL THE LEADERS THAT WERE INVOLVED !
EFFECTS OF POOR STUDY PATTERNS ON NURSING EDUCATION AND PRACTICE
"Anybody that fails to read books, especially the right time of books will suffer from intellectual malnutrition and atrophy" ( Obafemi Awolowo )
Points worthy of notes are :
Brain drain
Inferiority complex.
Poor performance
Poor public perception
Poor nursing outcome
Low self esteem
Low job satisfaction
Lack of fulfilment
THE WAY FORWARD
Problem identified is problem solved!
Now that we have identified the various factors responsible for poor study patterns among nurses and the effects it has on our education and practice, I thing it is imperative to discuss the solutions.
Scholarship should be available for nurses for Nurses willing to study more, especially in the areas of research
There should be an acceptable standard regarding the fees for post basic nursing schools.
Nurses should be allowed to the full extent of their training
Nurse practitioners should be advocated for
motivation for nurses in terms of proper remunerations and placement
We must change our attitudes and perception to learning
LETS WORK TOGETHER TO BE THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE IN NURSING!
OLUWATOSIN K.O ( R N )
Crew member, NOA
Member, INR
Team lead, Fellownurses
Wonderful speech.
ReplyDeleteThank you sir
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