Nursing Is A Calling, Not A Job, Expert Tells Newly Inducted Nurses

By Marvelous Fayemi, Osogbo

A Professor of Public Health, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Funmilola Faremi, has urged newly inducted nurses of Osun State University (UNIOSUN) to embrace nursing as a calling that requires compassion, competence and dedication, stressing that the profession goes beyond routine shifts and working hours.

Faremi made the call on Wednesday while delivering the induction lecture at the eighth induction and oath-taking ceremony for nursing graduates of the university, held at the College of Health Sciences, Isale-Osun, Osogbo.

She told the inductees that nursing demands a strong commitment to meeting patients’ needs beyond routine responsibilities, urging them to demonstrate initiative and provide compassionate care at all times.

“When it is a calling, you go beyond your shift; you think about what your patients need beyond your normal duties,” she said.

The professor described the induction ceremony as a call to action, urging the graduates to recognise the responsibilities that come with joining the nursing profession.

She outlined four key principles to guide their professional journey: the oath, the calling, the future and the roadmap, while emphasising the importance of dignity, confidentiality, truthfulness and competence in nursing practice.

Faremi also addressed career opportunities available to the new nurses, acknowledging that some might have chosen the profession partly because of the opportunities it offers for migration, popularly known as “japa”.

She urged those planning to practise abroad to represent Nigeria and its nursing profession with pride, while maintaining professional standards and building a positive legacy wherever they found themselves.

“If you want to go, you must carry Nigerian nursing with pride,” she said.

The professor further encouraged the inductees to specialise in different areas of the healthcare system, embrace technological innovations and engage in continuous research to improve nursing practice.

She noted that patients were becoming increasingly aware of their rights, making it imperative for nurses to remain knowledgeable, adaptable and committed to improving the quality of care they provide.

Faremi urged the new nurses to uphold professional ethics and ensure that their conduct, knowledge and skills contributed to better healthcare delivery and strengthened public confidence in the nursing profession.