School of Nursing, NAUTH, Nnewi becomes College of Nursing Sciences, matriculates 2021/2022 student nurses sets
College of Nursing Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State on Saturday marked its 23rd matriculation and capping ceremony of 2021B, 2022A and 2022B sets.
The event which took place at Gilbert Metu Uzodike Auditorium, NAUTH, Nnewi with the theme: “Our Nurses, Our Future: Improving Nursing Practice Through Nursing Education and ICT Synergism” was heavily attended by a cream of academia both from the NAUTH and other higher institutions outside the State.
Others in attendance were parents and guardians of the matriculants as well as the traditional ruler of Nnewi community, Igwe Kenneth Orizu III.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the NAUTH, Associate Professor Joseph Ugboaja in his remarks declared the ceremony open which he said marked the formal admission of the student nurses into the College.
The CMD who was represented by the Chairman, Medical and Advisory Council (CMAC), Associate Professor Ogochukwu Ezejiofor congratulated the matriculants for achieving the milestone in their journey into nursing and midwifery profession which he noted was not an easy feat.
The CMD advised them to brace up for the challenges ahead, describing nursing as a noble profession that was highly sought after even outside the country.
He said that the School of Nursing which had metamorphosed into College of Nursing Sciences after a rigorous accreditation had made a remarkable progress under Mrs Joy Aralu in terms of volume and quality of training. He noted that this had led the institution to the attainment of College status, adding that it was not an easy feat to achieve.
He, therefore, commended Mrs Aralu who is the Provost of the College and her members of staff for a job well done.
“Our new vision in NAUTH is to rank among the best five hospitals in Nigeria by the year 2030 through massive infrastructural development at the permanent site and installation of state-of-the-art equipment and processes. We are well engaged in strategic human capital development and staff welfare.
“Key enablers is partnership with key stakeholders, use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), strong corporate leadership and prudent management of resources.
“Working with my team members and all stakeholders for the past two years, we have been able to commission our permanent site to the glory of God. That’s a landmark achievement in our journey towards becoming the best hospital in the country, ” he said.
Mrs Aralu in her address said the College since inception had been expanding and developing which she said was rated as one of the best Colleges of Nursing in Nigeria.
“This College has the reputation of turning out high-profile nursing personnel into the labour market.
“Let me still say, as a matter of emphasis, that we give qualitative nursing education to our students and maintain zero tolerance to all forms of examination malpractice and indiscipline. These are made possible through the concerted efforts of the hardworking and reliable academic staff of the College.
“The College has recorded tremendous achievements over the years through the support of the Board and Management of NAUTH. It gladdens my heart to say that the College has maintained a lead in the results of the final professional qualifying examinations of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria in the whole federation.
“In the last result released in November, 2022 and May, 2023, the College made one hundred percent pass with credits. The College also got its full accreditation in May, 2023 and migrated to College of Nursing and Midwifery same time. So we now train both nurses and midwives, ” she explained.
Mrs Aralu said in line with the Nursing Education Reform and Recommendation of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, the College opened a portal where students purchased admission forms, viewed their examination results, school programme, among other things.
She, however, said the College, at the moment, had stopped the sale of admission forms online because of high rate of online fraud it experienced for quite some time now.
Meanwhile, the 2023 admission forms, according to the Provost, were purchased inside the College of Nursing building till further notice.
“The College now runs two streams of student admission yearly. We admit students twice a ayear. That is April and October. Note that there are more than six fake websites opened with the name of School of Nursing, NAUTH, Nnewi. Don’t be a victim. Make your inquiries at the College secretary’s office concerning anything you need from the College, ” she warned.
The Provost expressed gratitude to the NAUTH CMD, Associate Prof Ugboaja who she described as a people-oriented and hard-working leader.
She noted that all the staff due for promotion this year had been promoted and their arrears paid to them.
She also expressed gratitude to the director, nursing services, nursing managers and all the nurse clinicians for their diligence in monitoring and supervision of the students, notwithstanding, she said, the challenging attitudes and behaviours of some of them.
A resource person, Professor Anthonia Chinweuba spoke on the theme of the event.
Two hundred and forty six student nurses were matriculated. The matriculants including Chidera Shirly Obinwa, 2022B set; Ngozi Marry-Ann Ifesinachi, 2022A set and Awele Kosochukwu Okechukwu, 2021B set expressed gratitude to the College of Nursing Sciences, NAUTH for giving them the opportunity to do the programme.
The matriculants while taking their oath promised to be of good behaviour in the course of their study.
