By Chioma Obinna & Augusta Agina

Nigerian nurses have blamed poor nursing and patient relations on inadequate capacity to meet the World Health Organisation’s ratio of one nurse to four patients.

Nurses who gathered at the 6th Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Annual Conference tagged; “Nursing Practice: Harnessing Opportunities for Sustainable Development”, noted that despite the recommended ratio, in most hospitals across the country, one nurse is serving an average of 20 patients in one ward while one nurse attends to 1,000 patients in a clinic.

Decrying the inadequacies in the nursing care which range from lack of incentives to stagnation on a particular level for over 20 years, Head Nursing services and Apex Nurse of LASUTH, Mrs. Jokotade Shode said Nigerian nurses are overwhelmed on a daily basis.

Shode, who acknowledged that attitude problems cut across every sector in the country, noted that Nigerian nurses are operating in a different environment unlike their counterparts elsewhere in the world.

“While trying to cope with the workload, it may seem as if nurses are saucy, but the issue is being addressed as stringent disciplinary actions are currently being taken to curb attitudinal problems on the part of the nurses. Rarely would you see nurses being rude now as disciplinary measures in form of queries have been put in place to check it”, she said.

Shode further advised nurses to put aside their personal problems and ensure selfless attitude which nursing was known for in the time past even while blaming the situation on lack of motivation.

“All of them have been on the same level for 15 to 20 years without promotion. No thanks to the insensitivity of the Federal Ministry of Establishment who has responsibility of looking into such matters.”

Head of Department, Nursing Army School, Yaba, Lagos, Colonel Agatha Onovo, said nursing progression started when it switched from medical theories to nursing theories.

Onovo, represented by Mrs. Anthonia Igbo, said the time was rife to sub-specialisation and continuous educational development of nurses.

“Sustainable development should be embraced because it is a pattern that ensures a steady development and general wellbeing of patients over time.” He added that social, economic and environmental balance is part of sustainable development that nurses need.

Mrs. Abosede Oloruntegbe, Head, Nursing Services, Health Service Commission, Lagos State, said as the first point of contact that takes primary care of patients, nurses should be motivated in every way possible to enable them function properly as the well being of patients also lied in their hands.

Oloruntegbe advised nurses to improve on their attitude, communication skills with patients and diligence in order to change the bad perception that people had about nurses.