NURSING WAS NEVER A FEMALE'S PROFESSION

Before I got into the nursing profession, the picture of a young lady in white uniform and cap receiving order from a Doctor was the first thing that came into my mind anytime I hear the title 'Nurse'
There's been this long standing misconception in the society of ours that only females meet the criteria to be nurses. To them only females can care for the sick naturally because the act of caring they believe is innate.

Florence nightingale, the mother of modern nursing once said "Men have no place in nursing except where physical strength is needed"  ( KeithRN )
In her words, Men's hard and horny hands are not fit to touch, bathe and dress wounded limbs however gentle their hearts may be.

More than 2000 years ago, only men were considered “pure” enough to enter what is thought to be the world’s first nursing school, which was founded in India about 250 B.C. For the next two millennia, nursing remained male-dominated. It took warfare in the 19th and 20th centuries to transform nursing from being considered a man’s job to a women’s profession (Thunderwolf, 2006).

In the Ancient Rome, the nosocomi, who were men provided nursing care in hospitals. There were also the religious orders that provided care for the sick and the well known military nursing other. This was where the term " Nosocomial"  originated from.

Judging from the above, Nursing was never a female's profession. It was predominantly for men.

Nursing became the female- dominated profession as it is today after the introduction of of nursing education to answer the need for better patient care together with the  rise of modern medicine in the 1800's

In Nigeria today, Nursing remains a female dominated profession. The society doesn't give due recognition to men in nursing. Many male nurses are even wrongly addressed as Doctors. For them, every woman within the hospital setting is a nurse and every man is a Doctor.

Many men are running away from the profession on daily basis because of intimidation, unfavorable working conditions, and job dissatisfaction. The few ones that has chosen to stay aren't being encouraged and motivated.

The ratio of students being admitted into the nursing school has never being fair. Men who managed to secure the admission  remain the minority in the class. Hardly will you find 10 males in a nursing class of 50 students.

In the midst of this challenges, some passionate individuals has taken the bull by the horn to savage the situation by organizing an association for Nigeria men in nursing to speak with one voice.

The association , Men In Nursing Assembly Of Nigeria ( MNAN ) has taken up the responsibility of empowering , encouraging, advocating and providing mentorship for Men in nursing. The platform will also be use to push for policy reform and promote professional development

Between 30th December and 1st of November this year, the association will be holding its maiden edition of Men In Nursing And Midwifery Leadership Conference  at Barcelona Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria in partnership with the LAMP AFRICA.

Below is the program of event for this historic event.

First Men in Nursing and Midwifery Leadership Conference

30th November & 1st December, 2017@Barcelona/Ayalla Hotel, Abuja

Registration details: Group of five - N10,000 each, Early bird (3weeks to conf.) - N10,000, Nursing students - N5,000, Corper Nurses- N6,000, Post earlybird - N15,000

FEMALENurses are allowed to register to participate in the Technical Sessions ONLY

Session Guides

Date/time

Topic

Outcome

Facilitator

7:00 – 8:30 am

Arrival and Registration

8:00 – 8:35 am

Opening Prayer

National Anthem

8:35 – 8:40 am

Opening remark & Objective of conference

YasirSani

8:40 – 8:50 am

Welcome address &Overview of THE LAMP AFRICA

Introduction of Guest Speaker: Dr. Jonas Nguh, PhD, FACHE, NEA-BC, RN

Egorp Emmanuel

08:50 – 9:40am

Session 1: Leadership and Management in Health

Building Leadership skills, improving shared vision and drawing strategic action plans

Dr Jonas Nguh:Global Initiative Officer, AAMN; Editor-in-Chief Int. Journal of Health

care Policy;

Ass. Sec. American College of Healthcare Executive, National Capital Region

9:30:-10:30 am

Tea Break

10:30 – 1:30pm

Opening Ceremony/Special guest/NMCN Registrar’s address, AAMN President speech, Goodwill messages from development partners, policy makers, nation and various nursing union leaders(NANNM, UGONSA, FHIN, NANPAN, PAPHNON, LGA NURSES, PRIVATE PRACTICE NURSES etc)

&

Launch of #DELIVERY MEN INITIATIVE (Frontline Skilled Birth Attendants in Conflict Zones )

1:30 – 2:30pm

Session 2: Practical Approach to Care Kit (PACK)/Q & A

Improving quality of care by more accurate diagnosis

Prof John Ana: Executive Chairman/Lead Senior Fellow

Africa Centre for Clinical Governance Research & Patient Safety (ACCGR & PS)

2:30 – 3:30pm

                       Lunch

3:30-5:00pm

Session 3: Policy development & Advocacy/Q & A

Understanding of:

·     Policy impact and process

·     Advocacy skill

Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP)

5:00- 7:00pm

Session 4: Making Plans to Succeed &Career Development Opportunities/ Q & A

Understanding of the motivation contract; the individual performance assessment

Dr. Jonas Nguh

5:00- 7:00pm

Group discussion and nominations of interim executive committee for MEN IN NURSING ASSEMBLY OF NIGERIA (MNAN)

Yasir/Princewill

8:00- 9:00pm

Closing and return to hotels

Day 2

7:00 – 8:30 am

Arrival and Registration

8:00 – 8:40 am

Session 5: Psychosocial support for conflict/violence victims including Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)/Q & A

Explain the concept and processes involved in Psychosocial support:

Counselling, treatment, follow-up

HajiaAishatuAbubarka (Mandela Washington and Common Wealth Fellow)

8: 40 – 9:40 am

Session 5: Overview of Health System reform approach: Performance Based Financing (PBF) –Nigeria State Health Investment Project (NSHIP)

Explain the concept and implementation of PBF-NSHIP

Identified capacity building opportunities for nurse/midwives

NPHCDA NSHIP-Project Implementation Unit/World Bank

9: 40 – 10:30 am

Tea Break

10: 30 – 2:30 pm

LAUNCH OF MENEMO SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR NURSING STUDENTS AND

MEN IN NURSING ASSEMBLY OF NIGERIA (MNAN)

American Association for Nursing Association

2: 30 – 4:00 pm

Lunch

4: 00 –5:00 pm

Professional opportunities for nurses in development and M & E/ Q & A

Understanding of the workings of NGOs

Existing opportunities in Monitoring & Evaluation

Mr. Balarabe Gaya

Head, M & E – Women 4 Health, Kano State

5: 00 – 8:00 pm

1st meeting session of MEN IN NURSING ASSEMBLY OF NIGERIA (MNAN)

Interim Executive Committee

8: 00 – 9:00 pm

Closing and return to hotels

      

Part I: Launching of Nigerian Assembly of Men in Nursing

Presentation: “Where are Men in Nursing in Nigeria” by Dr. Jonas Nguh

History of the Nigerian Association of Men in Nursing (NAMN) by Emmanuel Egorp

Remarks by Dr. Brent MacWillaims, President of the American Association of Men in Nursing.

Introduction of the members of the executive of MNAN

Induction of the Association & executives.

Part II: Launching the MENEMO Scholarship Fund

History & Introduction of the Scholarship program by Dr. Jonas Nguh

Presentation of awards.

Remarks by AlhajiFaruk Umar Abubarka (Registrar/General Secretary Nursing & Midwifery Council of Nigeria –NMCN)

Remarks from nursing stakeholders

Vote of Thanks & Acknowledgements

Closing prayer

Reception with nursing officials & photo session.
This is indeed timely and I encourage all men wanting to make impacts in Nigeria nursing profession to be a part of this.

Oluwatosin K.O, RN, Bn.sc. in view
    For Fellow Nurses Africa