From: Kabiru Zubairu Birnin Kudu
The Jigawa Nurses Forum (JNF) has issued a scathing public statement denouncing the deployment of student nurses by the Jigawa State College of Nursing and Midwifery to fill staffing gaps in hospitals following the commencement of a seven-day warning strike by the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM).
The Forum described the move as “illegal, unethical, and dangerous,” warning that it violates established professional regulations set by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.
These standards prohibit student nurses, who are still in training, from practising independently or replacing licensed practitioners, a regulation the Forum insists must be upheld to ensure patient safety and educational integrity.
“This deployment exposes patients to unacceptable risks, including medical errors and compromised care, while placing the students themselves in emotionally and legally precarious situations,” said JNF spokesperson, Nr. Haruna Isah.
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The Forum further criticised the decision as a deliberate attempt to undermine the objectives of the strike, which centres on addressing systemic welfare and workforce issues affecting registered nurses across the state.
Rather than pursuing constructive dialogue with NANNM, the College’s management, according to the Forum, has opted for an approach that jeopardises lives and undermines professional ethics.
JNF is demanding an immediate halt to the practice and has called on the State Government to engage with the union in good faith to resolve the root causes of the strike.
It also urged the NANNM Jigawa State Council to intervene swiftly and decisively to prevent the exploitation of students as replacement workers.
“We appeal to the public to remain vigilant and insist that only licensed professionals be entrusted with their care during this period,” the Forum stated.
It emphasised the urgent need to uphold both professional standards and public safety by reversing this “reckless and unlawful” deployment.
The Forum concluded its statement by affirming its commitment to protecting both patients and student nurses from what it termed “a dangerous precedent” that must not be allowed to continue.
