Younger Nurses are the Future of Nursing

Good day my professional colleagues. I want to first and foremost thank our state and national leaders who have been having sleepless nights in doing all they could to bring nurses to lime light in Nigeria. God will bless you all. At our local or unit level, I pray God will touch our hearts to do those things that will promote the good image of nursing profession and make it at per with other professions. I believe Our prayer can only be answered if we are ready to take deliberate steps to avoid some of our behaviours that are nauseous and unkind to hear, such as:

*Calling a registered nurse a junior staff

*Caging of young nurses by intimidation.

*Stereotype ways of doing things.

*Fake ways of engaging members into unionism.

*Instilling inferiority complex in nurses.
e.t.c

By the way, why should you call a fellow colleagues a junior nurse? Does any officer employed on conhess 8 a junior staff? Not at all. Why relegating our profession because we want to show to the world that we are old in service? It is not done in other profession "mennh". A lawyer will say my learned colleague even if he or she is just appearing in court for the first time. If we must show off, why not call that so-called junior nurse young nurse?

Why caging your fellow nurses with your position and office? Why silencing them when they genuinely express their minds? Why do u shout at young nurses that they must not talk when you are talking? Are they not entitled to their own opinions? Are they babies that must be spoonfed?

All these are killing the future of our profession please. Let them be free to debate issues without interruption. This will improve their morale and will give them confidence to defend their profession in future. There is proverb in my place that says, "Lion will allow im pikin roar in its life time so that e go get confidence in itself after its death'. That is to say if you allow the young to speak fearlessly in your presence, they will be able to defend the profession in future when you will be no more. Also remember knowledge is not only given by God to the elders alone. Therefore we should learn how to welcome criticism from the followers and not to shut them up.

Stereotype ways of doing things in nursing is horrible. We must allow dynamic nurses to explore new ways to carry out their duty with dexterity. Avoid saying, this is how we have been doing it please. Nobody want to live 20th Century life in 21st century. For example will any one like to ride on old Volkswagen car ("yeri n  beto") instead of Pathfinder, Venza car? Please "i beg us all", don't see the young nurses as ur enemies but see them as the future of our profession. This will make them feel needed and also important.

Another big problem that is killing this profession is practicing unionism as if "na bread and butter". Faking and lying to subordinate without sincerelly working for them. We should remember God is watching us in any thing we do. Why can't we go there and have it tough with government just to represent the helpless workers who depend on us? Why the selfish interest?

The last but not the least for now is, Why instilling in our young nurses spirit of fear which make some feel inferior to others in the hospital. Because older colleagues always say you are on your own if anything should go wrong. Why can't you defend your nurses in any circumstances if you are superior and bold? All these happened because of inferiority complex you are made to be by your fellow nurses.

Pls allow our nurses to talk and criticize u In order to forge ahead. I know many of us will read this post and will not be able to openly comment because the same problem is that our superior nurses has succeeded in caging all nurses not to talk. Again remember we will be accountable before God sooner or later.

Thanks.
Ajibola A. O.
OOUTH
NANNM treasurer.