Japa: Someone built that greener pasture you seek- Nurse Mercy to health workers, govt

An 82-year-old UK-trained retired nurse, Madam Mercy Umoh has said the Nigerian government and health practitioners have a critical role to play in stemming the tide of mass movement of doctors and nurses from Nigeria to overseas for greener pastures.

The Octogenarian nurse fondly known as “Nurse Mercy” in an interview in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, said the nursing profession is a calling in which anyone who decides to take it up must have sympathy, empathy, humility and a persevering spirit to excel.

She encouraged Nigerian nurses to remain selfless in service delivery and handle patients as if they were their family members and friends.

The award-winning nurse noted that although nurses ought to offer selfless service to humanity, they should also be treated well as they have lives and families to cater for aside from their jobs.

She advised the government to provide an enabling environment and better working conditions for nurses to ensure they give their best to society.

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Nurse Mercy noted that apart from the need to increase their wages and other entitlements, the government should constantly train nurses to be in tune with international best practices.

In her words, ” the government has to do more on the training of nurses. If they choose to be nurses; they should be encouraged to be good nurses. With the way the country is going now, it’s not easy to be a good nurse. Nursing is not a job that you can do anyhow, you have to think about what you are going into and do it better.

“I was trained in England and practised for a while, about 12 years before relocating back to Nigeria to serve my people. When you say you go to greener pasture, it’s somebody that built that pasture, it’s somebody that will improve this situation, if you leave, who do you think will do it for you?

“I pray that as much as I would want the government to improve the conditions and train the nurses constantly, those that took up this profession should remember why they took it up; that will help them to persevere and get better conditions. You have to put manure and water to have a greener pasture, we have to join hands to build our country.

“I have been visiting a few schools, telling the younger ones that a good nurse should have empathy, and never use foul language. You can’t tell a woman who is in labour, “While you were with the man, were you not enjoying it? This is very wrong! A nurse should be prayerful too, it worked for me when I was in active service and it’s still working. She/he should be teachable and ready to learn from their seniors in the profession.

“Nurses are young, they have their expectations and they should not be ignored, the government should do something that will encourage them. Little facilities they should have, should be there, if they have a problem, they should be looked after and their problems solved. We enjoyed some of these things during our time and the present government should do the same for these ones.”

The Octogenarian also advocated for the establishment of caregiving homes for the elderly in the country, saying that apart from the job such would create, it would offer older people the opportunity to be cared for and catered for as well as have constant access to medical services.

According to her, “From my experiences, a care home is important, especially when you have a paralyzed person while you are working outside the area, it will give you a little relief if the government will be able to create a home for the elderly, one it will create employment, two you will know that somebody you love but couldn’t care for is cared for on your behalf.”