The Nurse and the needle

Staff nurse chi was furious when the matron told her that Mr Odili whom everyone worked so hard last night resuscitating when conscious could only express fear and not appreciation. What did he say? enquired nurse chi; “well, answered the matron; Mr. Odili is a member of Nursing and midwifery council board of directors, so I think he was worried that knowing his identity and following the ill treatment of nurses in Nigeria that we (nurses) would take it out on him. Nurse chi said we are professionals and have adequate training, our primary role is embedded in Florence nightingale definition of nursing as the act of utilizing the environment of the patient to assist him in his recovery as well as in Virginia Henderson’s of assisting an individual, sick or well, in the performance of those activities contributing to health or its recovery (or to peaceful death) that an individual would perform unaided if he had the necessary strength, will or knowledge. The role of a nurse and nursing has evolved over the years however the fundamentals or principles are still the same, it is all about people and how their environment affect the wellbeing.

I am really ashamed of him for thinking that we would do such thing, also I am glad he is aware they( the board) are treating the nurses really bad, how can a qualified nurse be earning thirty thousand naira($19.36) a month.

well matron, continued nurse chi, he can’t be blamed anyways, I can remember growing up as a child, Often I have heard people say that Nurses are strong, in the street language “dey get mind” she laughed softly. Those days being a nurse was ironically believed to mean “you get mind”( strong or wicked) depending on the situation. Take for instance; one day a woman rushed into the clinic with her only child, the boy had a serious cut on her foot and was bleeding. The child was crying and soon the mother followed suit, then came the nurse with her dressing packs. On sighting the Nurse the child starting bargaining with the nurse,” aunty nurse is going to pain me, please, please…” the nurse reassured him and his mother. The child kept crying and as he was crying the bleeding was increasing, then came the second nurse on duty, who took the child from the mother. The child beckon on his mother with a tune of voice that implies ” mother mother why have you forsaken me”. people in the clinic were murmuring, everyone filled with sympathy for the boy and his mother while the nurses were very empathetic and compassionate in their care. However in the end, the baby boy’s wound was dressed and pain medications as well as injection according to their hospital policy was given. The child and the mother left the hospital happy, the nurses in turn felt satisfied. Everyone was saying that the second nurse was mean and could have done this or done that.

Mr odili might have been among the children whom their parents have threatened with Nurse and their needle, that’s not whom we are. Nurses are trained to be empathetic and sympathetic. To think on the best interest of their patients, guiding them to make right decisions and not making decisions for them except when capacity of the patient is in question.

Nurse chi is now standing in front of mr odili and wife in the reception, she told him to inform the board that Nigerian nurses are working like giants and are being treated like an ants. He should also tell them that we will continue to practice professionally as we were trained but it will be nice if everyone does their own job.

Mr odili didn’t promise anything but from the look in his eyes, he is as helpless as the rest of the citizens.

This piece is just to highlight how Nurses are perceived in Nigeria or should i say how some of our actions are unconsciously affecting the way medical personal are being perceived. Parents especially those in rural areas should be informed that Nurses are trained to preserve life and promote safety. They are not instrument or tools to threaten children. many of us from don’t go to hospital because as a child we grew up with the fear of needles and the nurses as well.

It is true that Nigeria nurses are facing difficulty or challenging situations but that has not in any way affected their professionalism. Lets love those who despite their own problems, difficulty have continued to render services to humanity, the medical personnel, police, teachers , etc. let love lead..

let me know how you perceived Nurses in your childhood and why?

As a child growing up in a remote environment we were threatened with the words like, “if you cry i will take you to the nurse”, no one wants to go there because nurses were known to give injections, and i have not really seen anyone who enjoys having medication let alone injections. so, I have always known nurses to be strong people and literally wicked, if not wickedness while will someone bent on inflicting pain on another person. Then as a child when you get injured from playing or had a broken leg, like everyone would agree bone pain is the highest but not to these group of people ( Nurses), they ensure the bones are reduced properly. many at times, you do realize how lovely and caring they were when have been discharged.