A Comparative Analysis of Nursing Education and Other Forms of Education in Nigeria: Implications for Global Standards to Promote International Collaboration and Advanced Entry Level Competency of Nurses

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to highlight points that are necessary to bridge the gaps, where they exist, in relation to the structures, process and outcome of nursing education when compared with those of other professions. As a profession, nursing is broad in scope, and nurse practitioners are expected to possess a body of knowledge and skills for dependent, independent and inter-dependent practice. In many professions, preparation usually takes place in Colleges or University settings and educational preparation is usually prolonged to include instructions in the specialized body of knowledge and techniques of the profession. However, nursing education globally is highly variable, taking place in a myriad of programmes at the hospitals, technical institutes and institutions of higher learning with no uniformity. Furthermore, regarding educational outcome, many nurses in recent years are unable to meet the entry level competencies for registered nurses/midwives prior to employment into full practice. In other Medical Professions, including Medical Doctors, Medical Laboratory Scientists and Radiologists, a period of internship is provided for mastering of skills to enhance efficient and effective practice. This should also assist newly qualified nurses to improve on their entry level competencies to promote efficiency in their practical performance. It is therefore recommended that the regulating bodies should set standards of nursing education that are globally uniform and enforce compliance with such standards including admission criteria, contents/components; teachers’ qualification/certification and teaching facilities including materials and equipments. Furthermore, the recent plans to integrate Internship Programme into the training plan of graduate nurses is a step in the right direction and should be implemented without further delay to take nursing education and practice to greater heights.