How To Become An Auxiliary Nurse In Nigeria

Auxiliary Nurses are employed by the Federal, State and Local Government Health Institutions. Auxiliary nurses play an important role in providing nursing services in various health care settings. They assist registered nurses to perform routine nursing duties and functions. 

At entry level, an auxiliary nurse may be assigned tasks such as assisting patients to the bathroom, collecting specimens for laboratory tests and monitoring vital signs. To become an auxiliary nurse, you need at least a senior secondary school certificate or its equivalent. Good knowledge of the English language is essential for all medical personnel as it is the official language of communication in all hospitals.

Keep on reading, as we have carried out thorough research on what it takes to become an auxiliary nurse in Nigeria, who an auxiliary nurse is and many more which have been presented in this article. 

Who is an Auxiliary Nurse? 

An auxiliary nurse is a professional who has undergone training to assist fully qualified nurses in the delivery of health care. Auxiliary nurses are often found in hospitals, as well as in residential homes, schools, community and outreach programs and GP practices.

An auxiliary nurse may also be referred to as an aide, assistant or attendant. The term ‘auxiliary nurse’ is generally used in the United Kingdom, while ‘nurse assistant’ or ‘nursing assistant’ is the term commonly used in other parts of the world.

If you are interested in pursuing a career as an auxiliary nurse, you should consider enrolling on an accredited training course. This will provide you with the skills and qualifications needed to gain employment within this sector.

What role does an auxiliary nurse perform?

An auxiliary nurse will assist qualified nurses with their everyday duties and responsibilities. This may include cleaning equipment, as well as washing and dressing patients. A variety of tasks may be involved depending on where he or she works. An auxiliary nurse may work with a range of patients who have different health issues and conditions.

How to Become an Auxiliary Nurse 

Auxiliary nurses, who are sometimes referred to as assistant nurses, nurse aides or orderlies, provide basic nursing care under the supervision of registered nurses. They are not required to have a college degree or license. Aspiring auxiliary nurses typically complete a short training course and acquire certification through the Nigerian Nurses Association.

Complete a training program. A number of technical schools and community colleges in Nigeria offer programs for aspiring auxiliary nurses. These programs are typically completed in about one year and provide students with both classroom instruction and hands-on experience. Course topics include basic nursing care, medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and ethics related to patient care.

Requirements:

• You must have completed your WAEC, NECO or NABTEB with at least 5 credits which include Mathematics, English and other science subjects.
• You must be up to 18 years of age
• You must be medically fit
• A letter of recommendation from the church or community leader where you reside is needed
• .Applicants are also required to take an entrance exam before they can commence their training at any of these institutions as would be made known to them during the application process.
• Training for auxiliary nurses lasts for between 2-4 years depending on the institution where you signed up for training. 

Difference between auxiliary nurses and registered nurse

An auxiliary nurse performs the same duties that a registered nurse does. The difference is that an auxiliary nurse works under the supervision of a registered nurse. In addition, an auxiliary nurse must complete an accredited nursing assistant training program.

Auxiliary nurse (also known as nursing assistant, patient care technician, home health aide, and medical assistant) works under the direction of a registered nurse or physician. The duties of the auxiliary nurse include feeding patients, bathing them, dressing wounds, keeping records of vital signs, assisting with examination and treatments, answering patient calls and providing patient comfort. An auxiliary nurse also performs administrative duties such as answering phones, scheduling appointments and updating charts.

Registered nurses are responsible for developing treatment plans for patients based on their diagnosis and evaluating their progress against those plans. Registered nurses assist doctors during surgery by sterilizing instruments and materials; they also administer anaesthesia to patients who are undergoing surgery. In addition to these duties, registered nurses supervise nursing assistants who work in their units.

Can an Auxiliary nurse become a registered nurse?

Yes. But it depends on the qualification received while training as an auxiliary nurse. There is a minimum NCE qualification that is required to be admitted into the school of nursing. With this, you can become a student nurse which is equivalent to a registered nurse.

After obtaining NCE, your next step will be to move from the position of auxiliary nurse to that of a student nurse. But if you don’t have NCE, then you’ll need to undergo a 6 months conversion program before you can be admitted into the school of nursing.

Auxiliary nursing is a very lucrative profession in Nigeria. With the rising cost of healthcare and the increasing number of hospitals, more and more auxiliary nurses are required every day. In fact, it was estimated that by the year 2020, there will be at least one auxiliary nurse for every 500 people in Nigeria.

Many auxiliary nurses are working as freelancers and are making a lot of money from their work. This is because they don’t have to work for a specific hospital or clinic; they can work for any hospital or clinic that is willing to hire them. They can also set their own schedule and make their own hours, which makes them very attractive to employers.

There are some legal issues associated with this kind of work, however. For example, if you’re working in a hospital or clinic where there are patients who may have communicable diseases (like AIDS), you must wear a mask and gloves at all times while you’re working there. If you’re not wearing these things, you could be exposing yourself to diseases that could potentially kill you.

Another issue is that many hospitals require that nurses have at least a bachelor’s degree in Nursing before they start working there; otherwise, they won’t hire them at all.

Auxiliary nursing is termed illegal if it involves performing the services of a registered nurse such as administering medications etc.

How much does an auxiliary nurse earn?. 

Auxiliary nurses tend to earn from N20, 000 and above, depending on the health facility they are working with. 

Conclusion

Being an auxiliary nurse in Nigeria is a noble vocation aimed at helping the sick and the needy. An auxiliary nurse is an important partner in the healthcare team. She provides emotional support to patients and families, assists in nursing care, and protects them from abuse and exploitation. She also seeks to maintain a safe, secure, and efficient environment for patients and their families through education on health laws.