Outrage as nursing council demands two years’ experience for certificate verification

The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) says applicants seeking the verification of certificates to foreign nursing boards and councils must possess two years post qualification experience.

The council announced the development on Thursday in its revised guidelines and requirements for the verification.

In the guidelines, applicants are required to pay a non-refundable fee per application for verification to foreign boards of nursing as specified on the council’s portal.

“This shall cover the cost of courier services to the applicant’s institution(s) of training, place of work, and Foreign Board,” the guideline reads.

“Eligible applicants must have a minimum of two (2) years post qualification experience from the date of issuance of permanent practicing licence. Any application with provisional licence shall be rejected outrightly.

“The Council shall request a letter of Good Standing from the Chief Executive Officer of applicant’s place(s) of work and the last nursing training institutions attended and responses on these shall be addressed directly to the Registrar/CEO, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria. Please note that Council shall not accept such letter(s) through the applicant.

“Applicants must have an active practicing licence with a minimum of six months to expiration date. Applicant must upload Certificate(s) of Registration only. Notification of Registration is not acceptable.

“The applicant shall receive prompt notice via his/her email and dashboard on the status of the verification application.”

However, the revised guidelines have generated outrage on social media with many nurses and health workers describing it as a violation of human rights.

An X user with the name @mysticimani said: “trapping nurses and midwives in this country bc of brain drain when this same brain drain can be solved fairly easily. pretending like a job with living wages, a conducive work environment and benefits is available in this country when they graduate is absurd”.

Another user @alongeelisha said “Nonsense!!! This is a denial of human rights and it shall be informed to @ICNurses @WHO @UNHumanRights. Having been verified by different nursing bodies around the world. There has never been an occasion where regulating bodies asked for work experience or mandated years of service.”