ACTIVITIES PROSPECTS HOD PROFILE
PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING
Nursing Profession and Nurses have been actively involved in Community Health Services for many years, before the formal establishment of training institution for Public Health Nurses in Nigeria; this could be traced back to 1925 when Dr Ladipo Oluwole, the first Nigerian Medical Officer of Health started Child Health Services in Lagos. Also, Nursing profession had health care delivery services done not only in the major cities of Lagos, Ibadan, Kaduna and Enugu to mention a few but also in the then rural communities like Iyi Enu, Mkar and Wusasa through the untiring effort of missionaries and their team of "locally trained nurses". Sister Marie started home visiting and prison work in Abeokuta as far back as 1898, while Sister Sherist started Public Health Nursing Services in Lagos with same dedicated Nigerian Public Nurse like Madsnes M. Hung and Oree green including Messes Adeogun and Adu. Also the first Nigeria Medical Officer of Health in person of late Dr Ladipo Oluwole started child health services in Lagos around 1925, to care for babies' between ages 0- 2 years with up to date record keeping. Furthermore, Dr Morley’s work at Wesley Guild Hospital Ilesha was a widely accepted academic exercise entrenched in the rudiments of the primary health care.
Sequel to the above corporate and individual contributions, the School of Hygiene and Health Auxiliary Training School, Eleyele, Ibadan was established in April 1933, to formally train various Health Cadres in Public Health. The tentacles of the products from the School of Hygiene Eleyele lbadan are found in all places within and outside Nigeria. One time Hon. Minister of Health Late Professor Olukoye Ransome Kuti utilized some of them in planning developing and implementing the former Nigeria Basic Health Services Scheme (BHSS) which was the forefather of the present health slogan "Primary Health Care (PHC). The importance of Public Health Nursing cannot be over emphasised as it is community based and at the same time imbibed into curricular of the Basic Nursing and Post-basic Midwifery programme.
Lastly Professor Sheu Umaru committee reviewing panel of 1981 saw similarity in the curriculum for Public Health Nurses and Community Health Officers and recommended 15 months extension for Public Health Nurses in training to sit for the Community Health Officer Examination that is conducted by the National Community Health Practice Board (NCHPB). The school had the honour to be the first training institution in Nigeria to introduce the training of Public Health Nurse in 1963 which can be equated with Health Visitors in Britain. A Public health Nurse in - Training should have undergone general nursing, midwifery and acquired at least 2 years post qualification experience after the last course and should possess 5 credits at School Certificate IG.C.E. The O’ Level or SSCE in not more than two sittings to be awarded Higher National Diploma in Public Health. For 16 years we were the only school offering Public Health Nursing course for the rest of the States of the Federation and some English speaking West African countries like Liberia, Gambia and Sierra Leone etc.
PHILOSOPHY OF PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING
Public Health Nursing is a selected field in Nursing practice which is designed to meet individual, family and community needs, putting into consideration the complexity of our immediate family setting with divers socio-cultural milieu. Also Public Health Nursing Officers form the bulk of work force in the delivery of Primary Health Care service; hence the officers must be well groomed to face the challenges with outstanding dexterity. Again Public Health Nursing practice in Nigeria must also be able to supply capable officers as a member of the World Health Organization (WHO) to make health for all in the year, 2020 and beyond a reality.
Broad Objectives of the Programme
The Public Health Nursing Officer Programme is clearly designed to achieve the following broad objectives viewing the historical background and philosophy of the Health Field. At the end of the programme, the students should be able to: 1. Utilize their knowledge in the nursing process to provide holistic nursing and primary care to individual, families and communities. 2. Mobilize, motivate and participate in community development and activities. 3. Organize and manage the community health institution. 4. Appropriately utilize the community resources to solve health problems. 5. Function independently with personal initiatives and harmoniously with other cadre of the health team and related sectors to meet the community health needs. 6. Be actively involved in continuing education and self-development with other members of health team and the community at large.Admission Requirement
i. WASCE/NECO/SSCE 5Credit passes in Eng. Lang., Mathematics ,Biology, Physics, and Chemistry at not more than two sittings PLUS either ii, iii or iv below:
ii. Registered Nursing (RN) certificate.
iii.. BNSC candidates from Universities accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria .
iv. BNSC candidates from Universities outside Nigeria with evidence of verification of certificates and license by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria
Duration: 2 years (Four semesters), except candidates with BNSc (one year – two semesters)