UGONSA WRITES UNTH ON EXCLUSION OF NURSE INTERNS FROM INTERNSHIP ADVERT

The Chief Medical Director,

University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, 

Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu State, Nigeria.

Attention:

Head of Nursing Services,

University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, 

Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu State, Nigeria.

Sir/Madam, 

INTERNSHIP AND PROPER PLACEMENT OF GRADUATE NURSES 

The University Graduates of Nursing Science Association (UGONSA) also known as Graduate Nurses Association of Nigeria (GNAN), a professional association for all nurses with a minimum qualification of first degree in Nursing, brings you her nightingales’ greeting.

2. With reference to the above subject matter, we wish to bring to your esteemed attention that this association, in a letter Ref No. UGONSA/017/FMOH/01 dated 6th February, 2017, wrote the Federal Ministry of Health and the ministry, in her response (Ref no. C.6093/T/13 dated 19th June, 2017) confirmed that all existing Nursing Officers who are still on CONHESS 07 (.i.e Grade Level 08) should be moved to the new base [.i.e. CONHESS 08 (Grade Level 09)] and that seniority on this new post should be effective from 8th September, 2016 (please refer Annexure A), being the date of release of the circular, Ref No. HSCF/EPO/EIR/CND/S.100/ST/97, by the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF) (please refer Annexure B).

3. Consequently, we apply that any nurse with a minimum of first degree in nursing, serving under your institution, who is still on CONHESS 07 (GL 08), be expressly upgraded to CONHESS 08 (GL09) with effective date of 8th September, 2016.

4. We equally ask that due arrears from this effective date of 8th September, 2016 be paid to all the affected nursing officers.

5. We also observed that the post of nurse intern was omitted from the current internship advert placement made by UNTH. We wish to assume that such omission might not be deliberate and therefore respectfully call your attention to the fact that Federal Government has approved and granted internship training for graduates of Bachelor of Nursing Science (B.N.Sc) degree as shown by the circular attached as Annexure B.

6. We also wish to call your attention to the letter from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), Ref No. N&MCN/SG/RO/CIR/24/VOL.4/4, dated February 3, 2017 addressed to all Chief Medical Directors, conveying commencement of one year internship training for graduates of B.N.Sc degree (please refer Annexure C) and the accompanying implementation guide for the internship programme as released by the council (please refer Annexure D).

7. Our assumption remains that the exclusion of the post of nurse intern in your hospital's advert for internship placement that accommodated all other disciplines except nursing, may probably stem from the aforementioned and attached documents not having being made available to your office.

8. We therefore use this opportunity to formally avail the documents to your office and ask for immediate commencement of internship training for the graduates of B.N.Sc degree in UNTH by reviewing the current advert placement for interns to include the post of Nurse Intern.

PRAYER

From the foregoing, we strongly demand that

i. any nurse with a minimum of first degree in nursing, serving under your institution, who is still on CONHESS 07 (GL 08), be expressly upgraded to CONHESS 08 (GL09) with effective date of 8th September, 2016,with due arrears paid in full to all the affected nursing officers.

ii. you urgently review the current advert placement for interns by UNTH that excluded nurse interns and include the post of Nurse Interns, for equity and fairness.

iii. you consider the nascence of internship training for the graduates of B.N.Sc degree as a ground for recruiting nurse interns in large and considerable numbers.  

 Please kindly accept the assurances of our esteemed regards! 

Signed

Chief (Hon) S.E.O. Egwuenu                                                                    Nurse G.I. Nshi

     National President                                                                                     National Secretary