Friday 29 March 2019

UGONSA INTERVENES TO MAKE BNSc DEGREE OF FETHA CNOs COUNT

Following the move by UGONSA to make management of Hospitals recognize BNSc degree bagged by nurses (especially for those that did not receive approval letter from the management of their hospital prior to commencing the BNSc programme), which is the key for plying the directorate cadre in nursing service, the association had intervened in the case of eligible Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) with BNSc degree in Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (FETHA),  who were not shortlisted for promotion to the post of Assistant Director of Nursing (ADN) owing to the management claim that they had no permission of the management to run the BNSc degree.

UGONSA had set  to get the BNSc degree of nurses recognized by hospital managements while they are in school for smooth transition and qualification to run the directorate cadre. It is equally set to achieve such for those that have already graduated. But prioritizing the intervention based on urgency and exigency, it started the pilot scheme with CNOs and ADNs that are due for promotion interview for promotion to the post of  ADN and deputy director of Nursing (DDN) respectively in FETHA   on 1st April, 2019. 

Following the intervention for the CNOs and ADNs, the next batch of the intervention which shall be activated within next two weeks shall be for the nurses that have graduated and those that are still in school studying for the BNSc degree whose names the association had started compiling for the exercise in FETHA. The train shall move from FETHA to other hospitals round the federation in collaboration of UGONSA National leadership with UGONSA State and Unit executives.

Below is the text of the intervention letter for the CNOs due for promotion interview by 1st April, 2019 in FETHA: 


The Chief Medical Director (CMD),
Federal Teaching Hospital,
Abakaliki (FETHA).

Attention:

Director of Administration, FETHA,

                          &

Head of Nursing Services, FETHA,

Sir,

PROMOTION INTERVIEW TO ADN: KINDLY NOTE THAT EXTANT CIRCULARS PROVIDE THAT ALL CNOs WITH FIRST DEGREE IN NURSING WHO HAVE SPENT THREE YEARS ON THE POST ARE ELIGIBLE FOR PROMOTION INTERVIEW FOR THE POST OF ADN 

This association whose membership comprises Nurses with a minimum qualification of first degree in Nursing brings you Nightingales’ greeting from her members! 

2. The complaints we received from our members who are in the rank of Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) in FETHA that are due for promotion to Assistant Director of Nursing (ADN) but were yet to be shortlisted for the forthcoming promotion interview despite having the requisite first degree in nursing [i.e. Bachelor of Nursing Science (B.N.Sc)/Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSc. Nursing)] informed our humble approach to your office to make some clarifications on the provisions of the extant circulars on the subject matter.  

3. Kindly recall that the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF) had via a circular Ref No. HCSF/EPO/EIR/ CND/100/ST dated 7th September, 2016 approved a unified scheme of service for nurses wherein it inter alia abrogated lateral conversion by its declaration of “Nursing Officers” as the nomenclature for all nurses with the caveat that career progression beyond the post of Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) shall be subject to acquisition of BSc Nursing degree from Universities accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC) (Kindly refer Annexure A). 
  
4. Prior to the release of the aforementioned  circular for “Unified Schemes of Service for Nurses”, the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) had categorically declared in an earlier circular, Ref No.2920/S.1/11/148/497 dated 17th April, 2015 that any Staff Nurse who acquired B.N.Sc/B.Sc Nursing from approved university shall be appropriately placed in the nursing officers’ cadre on the same grade and step and will be eligible for promotion/transfer after passing relevant interview (kindly refer Annexure B).

5. Following from the above, it is very clear and unambiguous that extant circulars provide that eligibility for promotion of a Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) to Assistant Director of Nursing (ADN) is sine qua non to possession of first degree in nursing from an approved university, spending of at least three years on the post of CNO and passing relevant promotion interview. 

6. It is instructive to emphasize that despite that pursuing university education while working is not an easy adventure, out of our desire and campaign that nurses develop themselves continually in the field of nursing (for value added nursing services), the CNOs in concern hearkened and sacrificed their comfort and resources and engaged in perennial night shifts and spending weekends away from their families, just to squeeze out time from their tasking nursing duty schedules to gain university education for professional development in nursing so as to add rich value to the nursing services they render .   

7. There is no better way to reward such uncommon commitment towards professional development for value-added service than allowing all the CNOs with B.N.Sc/BSc. Nursing, who have spent at least three years on the post sit for promotion interview for the post of ADN.

PRAYER

We passionately call on your esteemed office to graciously conduct the forthcoming promotion interview for promotion to the post of Assistant Director of Nursing in line with the provisions of extant circulars by:

i. allowing all Chief Nursing Officers (CNO) with B.N.Sc/B.Sc. Nursing who have spent at least three years on the post of CNO sit for the forthcoming promotion interview for promotion to the post of Assistant Director of Nursing (ADN).

ii. selecting ADNs from the CNOs based on merit anchored on outcome criteria of an inclusive promotion interview and performance evaluation.

Signed:



CHIEF (HON.) S.E.O. EGWUENU                              NURSE G.I. NSHI
     National President                                                         National Secretary

CC: Director of Finance, FETHA

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