Nurses’ Group Questions ‘Auxiliary Nurse Certificate’ Requirement In YABATECH Job Advertisement | Sahara Reporters
The ENF also pointed to another provision in YABATECH’s recruitment advertisement, which requires candidates for the position of Nursing Officer II to possess a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing and registration with the NMCN.
The Elegant Nurses Forum (ENF) has called on the management of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) to review the use of the title “Nursing Assistant” in its 2026 staff recruitment advertisement.
The group, in a statement signed by its Deputy National Coordinator, RN Akerele Ayodeji S., said it was concerned that the advertisement listed “Nursing Assistant” as a medical staff position under the non-teaching cadre.
According to the ENF, the advertised qualifications for the position include an “Auxiliary Nurse Certificate issued by a registered health facility” or a Health Assistant Certificate from a College of Health Technology.
The group said while it recognised the importance of appropriately trained healthcare support workers, it objected to the use of nursing titles in a way that could blur the distinction between regulated nursing professionals and auxiliary or support personnel.
“Nursing is not merely a job description; it is a regulated health profession with defined educational, professional and regulatory requirements,” the group said.
It noted that the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) is responsible for regulating nursing and midwifery education and practice, maintaining professional registers and setting standards for nursing care.
The ENF also pointed to another provision in YABATECH’s recruitment advertisement, which requires candidates for the position of Nursing Officer II to possess a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing and registration with the NMCN.
It questioned why the institution would require professional registration for the Nursing Officer position while simultaneously advertising a “Nursing Assistant” position with an “Auxiliary Nurse Certificate” as one of the qualifications.
The group said the issue went beyond semantics, arguing that ambiguous healthcare titles could cause members of the public to mistake support workers for registered nurses.
“When an individual is called a ‘Nurse,’ members of the public reasonably assume that the individual is a professionally trained and appropriately regulated nursing practitioner,” it said.
The ENF warned that unclear professional designations could contribute to quackery and pose risks to patients, including the performance of nursing procedures by people without appropriate training or regulatory authorisation.
It also listed possible consequences as confusion over professional accountability, misrepresentation of healthcare workers, erosion of public confidence in nursing and increased exposure of patients to unqualified practitioners.
The group, however, stressed that it was not opposed to healthcare assistants or other support personnel working within hospitals.
“Healthcare support workers play important roles in hospitals and other healthcare settings. However, their roles should be clearly defined, appropriately trained, properly supervised and designated in a manner that does not mislead patients or undermine regulated health professions,” it said.
The ENF suggested that if YABATECH intended to recruit a healthcare support worker, it could use designations such as “Health Attendant” or “Healthcare Assistant,” subject to the applicable regulatory and institutional framework.
The group therefore urged YABATECH to immediately review the “Nursing Assistant” position in its 2026 recruitment advertisement and clarify the legal and regulatory basis for using the titles “Nursing Assistant” and “Auxiliary Nurse Certificate.”
It also called on the institution to withdraw or amend the terminology if it was found to be inconsistent with Nigeria’s regulatory framework for nursing.
The ENF further urged YABATECH to ensure that anyone recruited into a healthcare support position would not be allowed to present themselves to patients as a nurse unless they were duly trained, registered and licensed to practise nursing in Nigeria.
The group also encouraged Nigerians to pay greater attention to the professional qualifications of people providing their healthcare.
“Do not assume that everyone working in a hospital is a nurse,” it said, urging patients to ask healthcare workers about their professional designation where necessary.
The forum said it remained committed to professionalism, patient safety, regulatory compliance and the protection of professional boundaries in the healthcare sector.